New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-07-18
TERRIBLE COLLISION ON TIE
BRIR RAILROAD.
Courisued FROM First P.ae.


John Bast.an, COMPANY c, 18th Veteran Reserve, In
Jared hip.
Josh. A. Toby, Company II. nth Veteran Reserve
HxsYI soLDIrRs WOUNDED.
Nchsl johnson, Company f. 9Th North Carolina
). B. snssd, ed Battalion Virginia Cavalry thigh
hip and back injured
- Polks, Company G. 9Th Virginia, right leg
broken. sAorlder cut back injured
John jackson, 5lst North Caroline, right leg broken
A. G. Nsk Company A. 24ih Georgia night an"
1mputxted severe scalp wound.
, VIA Bowers (regiInent unknown). right leg ampu-
r VIZ Pslks. Company H. ed Virginia. head bruised,
Robert N. Myrick. Company G. Sd Virginia legs
tsoerssod. -.
Chat u started a, usual from the depot on the Hsvley
trsncb and that coming the main line at Lackawsx-
On no inquired as required by the regulations Of the
Company Of the telegraph operator Duff Kent II TIE
limo che single track portion Of D clear, and re-
eeyed for answer that all trains then due had passed
the fact being that the passenger train Of which he had
Information wps late and had not yet arrived On re-
ceying the inelge the conductor OF tie coal tram
naturally ordered the driver 70 go forward and the
train proceeded It's usual speed along the single track
until when doubling the point, the passenger
trsin dashed into It. Each train az 1t passes station
autographed to the next and the telegraph operator
required 20 keep in book set apart for that purpose
an account OF the tines at which each train passes his
depot Thus he at any moment by reference to his
book ascertain what trains are due and what have
passed but whether Kent had done not cannot
state One thing is certain that he has since abb
seconded
On visiting the Of the accident on Saturday,
we rode down the line with the courteous Snpeintend
.snt Mr. Riddle on handcar, end could not but feel
tho oiQccpq "a
which led TO the present collision it is small tribute
20 the officials that they have hitherto kept so free from
accidents on such road The road in fact Is one Of
The worst that could be used the striking beauty Of tie
landscape and tho many windngs Of the stream whose
course follows that delight the traveller only rem
aoring necessary such twisting and curvng Of the line
chat that portion b the Of all the drivers Of
The Company The distance from ShohOla TO Laeka-
vaxen Is about FIVE miles, aud yet there certainly
cot more than three points in that distance from which
spectator moro than 100 yards Of the line at
Dnoe-about 50 yards each way.
At tho spot on which the collision took place the line
makes sudden bend like the convex curve Of tie letter
B. and at the apex Of this that the collision took
place As we passed along some distance before We
arrived at the spot the Goals strewng the line IN oil d
feotions broken couplings and Fragments gave notice
hat we were approaching the Of some disaster.
At length two uptorned tenders with sides battered
md crumpled the massive tmbers OF their floors
mapped across like wand. wheels and axles broken
piston rod bent as though 1t had been wire, angle
IRONS twisted out Of all shape massive bars cFumpled
axe paper wheels filling the ditch, planks torn into
threds tmbers spntered like touchwood cars smashed
md overturned bore such witness the fearful nature
the shock that one wondered how, when such rlcid
hinge az iron and wood stIaws before it, flesh
nd an
little further and looks down sheer eighty feet Of per
pendcular rock to the stream below it is impossible to
,epress shudder at the thought Of how awful would
iave been the loss of Life had the collision taken place
any of those ridges, about fifteen feet wide
Shioh the road forms at these places
1t IL difficult look up at those shaggy hills clad with
nimevsl forest down the sunny stream sparkling
below or across the valley at the waving harvest,
ready for the reaper and realize the fact that only two
lays ago that pleasant peaceful spot was to SO many
poene of untold horror and anguish yielding its first
harvest death the reaper whose sickle had at last
,ured the sheaf Of human life that had often evaded
Ind brsved him on the battlefield. Yet there the
remains strewing the road and down at Shohola were
more CHASTITY witnesses still. The appearance Of some
n the wounded men was ffightfu; the only object to
give IT relief being the presence Of the minstering
angels who tenderly tended each authorization and
Rebel akeony requiring that aid should be needed to
give it. and seeing only fellow creature appealing, aud
Dot In vain, TO their sympathies.
Some little dsapprobation expressed at the hasty
burial Of the men, and IL has been objected that oppor.
nies should have been offered for their Identification
but TO this may be answered that the mutilaton Of
many of tie corpses rendered this impossible and the
weather. sanitary grounds rendered il indispensable
they should be removed while there is doubt the
Government have oil the Of tie missing and
will give them such publicity may meet the eyes OF
their friends II is certainly however desirable that
something more than the sham investigation by tho
hry, and which are informed terminated in a
dict that all the companys servants were free from
blame aud the accident unavoidable should take place.
The telegraph operator is said 10 have been intoxicated
the night before but until he be with and the
public will demand of the State authorities TO that
he is and be confronted with the conductor of the
coal train 1t will not do to place too much reliance
tie statement Of the latter.
1t the duty of each telegraph clerk to telegraph
abe clerk at the next depot immediately the train has
passed his station and this book SCENE TO have been
regularly kept so far inspection went at Shikoa
AT Lackawaxen we were unable TO see the book kept
BY the absconding operator Under any circumstances
II the statement about the character OF the telegraph
operator true II is most dscredabls 10 the company
20 have kept such man in critical situation and
they are by no means free from couphcity In the mur
Der which has just been committed
Another Account.
vVorespondence Of The ~ Y. Tribune.