Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-07-17
Iwelwyn Correspondence OF the London Times. j
Singular Railway Accident.
FsdgAfia cOuis6on IN Tannel-g1res
Trains on Fire.


garded as being one of the best managed rail.
way systems in the kingdom, but at the pres
ent moment that system is almost entirely
blocked by disaster, the magnitude as well
as the character of which is entirely without
precedent IN the history of railway accidents
lh tins country, and can only fud its parallel
in calanlities which may sometimes have been
Aeard of on the other side of the Atlantic.
That three heavily laden trains OF merchan.
disc should dash into each ether in the mid
die of tunnel almost simultaneously. little
more than twenty miles from London; that
such trains should have become iSnited by
the fire from the furnaces of their overthrown
and shattered engiues, and that the tunnel,
which Is more than halt mile in length.
should be converted iuto one huge furnace,
and It's air-shatts into species OF burning
crater, Is q calamity so astounding rs to be al
most incredible were it not that it is .unde-
niably true.
Tne scene Of this extraordinary occurrence
is the Welwyn tunnel about Eve miles below
Hatfield, and between the Welwyn Junction
aud Stevenage, and the narrative of the cir,
Guns tances collected on the spot is this .
Shortly before / o'clock train of goods
''empties" started on Saturday night from
the Kings cross goods station for Hitchin.
Ga reaching the centre OF the Wclwyu Tun-
mel, either from the bursting of tube, or
some other cause the engine broke down, and
the train was brought to a stand. In this
emergency it would have been the duty of
Ray, the guard, who was in the break in tho
rear Of the train, 10 have gone back out of
the tunnel, and given the stopping signal
This precautlOn, from u cause not explained,
and which III all probability never will be ex-
planned, as Ray, with his companion was
subsequently found in tho break van dead,
claor bny did ,,,t ,,Ln
CURED about y: 80 A. NJ. on this Sunday
morning, aud had scarcely taken place when
the down Midland goods train, the driver of
the engine of which had received no signal
oi danger on the London side, ran into tho
tunnel and dashed into the rear of the already
broken down train of cmpties. The violence
OF the shock was such as to throw the Mid
land engine and the heavy train of goods
which 1t was drawing, aud which, among
other merchandise, was known to contain sew
eral wagons laden with casks of oil and other
materials of combustibie character, ,SOvcr on
to the up line, piling them one upon the other
IN heaps reaching to the crown of the arch,
and completely blocking the tunnel Wheth.
cr from cOnstcrnation or from negligence no
signal OF the mishap was given to the signal
man at the northern cud towards Stcvcunpc.
and IN an incredibly short space of time tho
Scotch meat train came up, bringiu" up the
dead meat from the north for the supply OF
the Mondays Newgate market, with other
goods.
This, which was a Great Northern train.
entered the tunnel, and dashed into the ruins
of the already capsizcd Midland goods. Inn
few moments it was discovered that the
engine ofthe Great Northern train had turned
over, and that the goods and wagons of tho
Midland train had become ignitcd from tho
burning coal and cindcrs of the epDine
furnace scattered about. Singular to relate.
both drivers and fremen OF all the engines
had escaped either unhurt or with but slight
injuries, and having signalled to the nearest
stations, both up and down, whlt had hap
Pened, the first step taken was to look after
the guard of the Northern train Of empties.
Ray, who was found in the midst of the ruins
OF his break, frightfuIly crushed and quito
dead, and with him another man. a fireman
in the employ of the Metropolitan Railway,
whom it appears he was conveying surrep-
tiously down the line to his home, who,
although not quite dead, was in dying con-
dltlon and was not expected to survive many
hours. The guard of the Northern up-train,
Lacey, was also found lying on the line near
his break, most severely injured about tho
head. He was in the first instance removed
to Welwyn, but subsequently was taken to
town and placed under the care of Mr.. J.
1eHPIctoh hlIRWoou, OF the I.uston road,
surgeon to the Great Northern and Midland
Companies. Lacey although suffering from
a severe scalp wound and other head injuries.
it is hoped, may recover. Information of tho
occurrence was at once telegraphed to Dir.
Seymour Clarke. the general manager of tho
line, who resides at Hatfield, and also to the
authorities on the northern side; at Kneb.
worth large bodies Of men were employed to
get out what wagons they could, but the suffo-
eating character of the smoke and the heat
of the fire from the igni;ed ruins Of the
carriages, and merchandise prevented their
efforts being very effective, with the ezcep-
tion of tie Scotch train. Further kilograms
having been forwarded to London, about 2
o'clock this morning Mr. Superintendent
Williams, with gang Of some two hundred
men, reached the scene of the DISASTER BY
this time, however, it was known that there
were 36 carriages or trucks, 13 of which
belonged to the down Midland, all in blaze.
The repeated explosions rendered any attempt,
even If the heat aud smoke had not prevented
1t, to enter the tunnel abOrtiYe. From the
air shaft smoke aud at intervals fame. al
though some fifty sixty feet in heirbt from
the roadway to the summit of the shaft,
together with sounds resembling the roaring
OF mighty cataract or river, indicated the
character of the confagration that was running
underneath. The authorities having taken
counsel, in the absence of water and inability
to approach the scat of confagration it was
deemed advisable to let it expend itself, and
be prepared with aid to enter the tunnel aud
c'ear the line Of the ruins so soon as it should
have done So The fire continued to rage
throughout the whole Of TIE day, aud it was
not until 6 p. II. that 1t had become sufficiently
reduced to enable any one to enter the tunnel
AT this time body Of men arrived. under