, 1863-05-13
4 CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS.
Serious Disaster to a Michigan
Central Railroad Eraia,
IWG SMksH-UpS IN One DAy--9NS
klAM KtLLEl--TWQ OTHERS
Injured.

gan Central Railroad, whose exemption from |
casualties is both marvel and a proycrb, was |
in1tliclously varied ycstcrday,..b two separate
smash.up TO which nevertheless attaches the |
suspicion that the ono may have been sequel |
OF the other. Detailing them In their order |
Of occurrence leaves last for narration tue |
more painful and serious disaster Of last eve |
ming.
AS the Michigan Central Railroad passenger
train, due hero yesterday morning, made its |
usual pause at the crossing Of the Pittsburgh
Ft. II. d c. about thirty miles from
this city, about o'clock o. NJ, freight train
was standing On the track Of the last named
road, which proceeded first, when the flag
man, IN employee Of the r, f. ". l. c., also
sjgnalled the n. G. R. R. train to proceed. It
did 60, relying upon the signal, and came in
collision with 4 second freight train, unseen
10 be following the other. The passenger
tr.in struck the other squarely, knocking
xcyeral freight cars into splinters, and severe
ly damaging its own engine, but otherwise re-
ceiying no great apparent harm. It came on
| to this city only little delayed.
The baggage car Of the same train, after an
| inspection believed to be most rigid, waspro-
nounced Ill right, and made up in the out pas
| eengcr train last evening. It Is only u sur
mise, but it is nevertheless regarded more
! than probable than some1urkipg defect in this
| baggage car, was the cause Of the painful dis.
| aster that overlook the train last evening,
about SIX miles below the city, near Hyde
Park 1t makes no stop at that station, hut
was running at high speed, when suddenly
| shock was felt; the engine, uncoupled, ran
forward, and the train was violently wrecked.
| Tic train is made up Of the Detroit and Gin
cinnati trains, which run Is one to Michigan
| CITY. The first car was 4 second-claEs car.
| This, when uncoupled from the engine, was
| thrown bodily from the track, to the right.
The two following cars were baggage cars,
and we're both thrown to the left and orer
TUNED, tue hlnomost one projecting across the
track, in which position it was run orcr
and crushed By the following passenger car,
which, by the momentum Of the cars behind
It, was driven clear over the wreck and in the
passage completely stripped Of its trucks.
None Of its passengers we're injured. Its
frame was net brokon. The damage to the
rest Of the train vas light. The saddest part
! 1n2 u1&aStEI Ii LIZ W kAfCE "GA NA4o
were in the Detroit baggage car These were
Samuel Stevenson, baggage master Of the Gin
cinnatl train, VIM. Langdon filing the same
position on the Detroit train, and Luther Vel
ION, American Express Messenger. The two
latter were very severely bruised, and at 1Tsf
believed to be dangerously hurt, but this wa:
at a late hour last night declared happily 9th
ervisc. The injury to Mr.. Stevenson, how
: ever, is Of the most serious character, aud il
: vas not believed he could survive when ou
reporter left the scene. Ills back was though
to be broken, and very serions wound wa
inflicted on his head. He Is resident Of thi
city, and much esteemed by all who knew
him.
We cannot bnt add that it was the gratcfu
, conviction Of al1 present last evening, tha
. nothing but the strength and solidity Of tll
Michigan Central cars saved numbers of tn
passengers exposed in this accident, and ney
er were these qualities better tested, nor stoot
: those they protected In better stead. It de
monstrated what has been often before at
I tested in more narrowing manner Oh othe
| roads, that In cases Of railroad disaster unde
! ordinary circumstances, the safety Of the pas
Eengers is secured or exposed precisely i,
tho degree to Which the cars are built strong
J and solid. We dwell upon the point because
it is of direct interest to the travelling public
! The remainder Of the persons on the tr:liz
escaped with no worse "reminiscences Of thei
) danger than the shock, and 4 few inconsider
able bruises. q. +. Sargent, the agent of TIL
Michigan Central Railroad Company, wa
promptly on the spot, and did everything pos
: tlble for the relief Of the sufferers. The pas
seneers we're returned to this city, save tn
| wounded, who were hospitality and scnerousl
received by Capt. Van Allen, Of the adjaccn
: HYDE Park Hotel. It deserves to be addc
that in the baggage car was the boz containin
the remains Of the late lamentcd father Q
John L. Wilson, Esq, but it received n
harm, and was brought back to this city, an
+ will be sent forward again this morning.