The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-12-13
The Aeciden, on the re,er.bara Railroad.


There were about thfrty-fve passengers on
board, including three OF four ladies and the
car WAS attached Immediately to tho tender,
the freight cars being in the rear. AT the
signal FOR starting, the engineer opened the
tbrQttle valve Il IL thought too suddenly for
the pressure of steam, when instantlyan ex-
plosion was heard like the sound OF q burst
ing bomb, and Immediately thereafter n
shower OF water and light debris was heard
patterin9 and rafting on the roof Of the
coach. The glass panes in the front door OF
the coach were shivered, and the lainp in the
rear OF the coach was extinguishcd that in
front being only shaken and for n second
dimmed. a conclusion was felt. and q
the engine had jerted loose from the train
drawing with it the coupling 10 the coach
AT the moment there was a shock felt by the
passengers forward, and rush was
panic was indicated. No nerson' N f,ot
realized until the danger was oyer that the
poller OF the locomotive had exploded. The
coacn was then immediately emptied. and the
nanso US passengers went forward TO view the
S1use OF the explosion and to behold the loco
motive motive torn to pieces, and the engineer and
III eIhan lying back upon the wood in the ten
uer STARK and mutilated. A nearer examina-
ZION discovered the engineer dead, with the
e ca Top OF his head blown off, his body and
face dreadfully scalded, and his clothing satn.
rated with boiling water. The fireman. a
eoioteu man named Jim Mason, was terribly
scaiued from head to foot, senseless, but upon
oeihg moved, uttered n groan He was lifted
ION the lender, and first laid out in the field
alongside the track, and then taken to the
store at the station, where surgical assist.
ahce was summoned, but he was consider
ea beyond recovery. The engineer was
.a a on the ground near the track to await
tue mail train for Richmond It was OBJ
served Immediately after the accident that
ms watch, which he kept in his vest
pocket, mad been blown out, and il being dark,
could not be found. Mr.. Norris was a man of
some tnirty-fve years of age, had been en-
pioyeo py the company for about n year, pro-
Daddy longer, and leaves a wife and one child,
4 little girl six years of age, living in Rich.
mond, whittier his mutllated BODY was borne
oy the mail train, which passed about 9
ociocK. lie was quiet, amiable Gentleman
iy, and intelligent man, small in statue, black
mar and eyes, dark but soft complexion, and
In manners winning and viyacious.
Inc fireman was Formerly owned by Mr.
I'd. Stanley, an engineer on the same road
during the war, and was with him when the
large locomotive Anderson" fell through
Swift Creek bridge; by which accident he
sustained broken leg. He was brought
10 Pocahontas and taken to the house of his
wife, in that quarter of the city.
The escape OF the passengers from even the
slightest harm was one of those mysterious
Gnu unaccountahle events which naturally
suggest the benefcent protection of merci-
tul providence. 1t left an impression upon
their MINDS and hearts which can never be
obliterated.
In conclusion, it is but just to say that Con-
ductor '1eager, who had charge of the train,
proved himself fully equal to the trying emer-
gcncy. With the assistance of several of the
passengers and the railroad hands, the bodies
of the victims were cared for, the fears of the
timid were allayed, the track was cleared of
the wreck. in couple of hours fresh engine
was had tthe Tecumseh, freght), and n quar-
ter 10 10 O'Clock the passengers were landed
safely in Petersburg.
The locomotive Henrco was very old con-
Germ, having been on the road at least fifteen
years. The engineer was a fearless runner,
but it cannot be Justly said that 1t was his
fault-hs idea of locomotives being that they
should be good This accident will doubtless
teach the companya lesson of economy and
prove TO them that the old and badly worn
materials are rot as " cheap" as they seem TO
"a