The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-12-29
Am Engfne and Two Cars precipt.
sasess Through a. Drawbrsdgo--is s-
cape OF tho Passengers.


tasess Through - Drawbrsdgo--ss Rs
cape OF tho Passengers.
From the Boston Herald Thursday.
An accident somewhat serious in its con-
sequences to the property Of the corpora
ton, but chiefly remarkable for the narrow
escape of the passengers, occurred early
last evening, on the Boston and Maine rail-
road, in Charlestown. It appears that as the
train which left Medford at 6 O'Clock. and
WAS due in Boston half an hour later. an
preached the locality known as "Prison
Point" station, in Charlestown, this being
near the eastern end of the long bridge
crossing Charles river, portion Of il was
precipitated into the water, owing to the
fact that the narrow "draw" at that end
of the bridge was open. The engine 1.-THE
"Medford") dropped almost perpendicu-
larly into the water, and was ct once sub
merged.
Next behind it was baggage or smoking
car, and this, too, was thrown into the wa
ter and partially covered: The next car
was for passengers exclusively, and the
manner in which this was left was come
what singular. Why it should not have
fallen directly downward into the water, on
the top Of those which preceded it, is
matter also requiring considerable study.
Fortunately the draw was narrow one,
being thirty feet or less in width, else this
car, and perhaps others, would have been
involved in wreck; but, as it was, the front
end Of the car, after being detached from
the smoking car, shot forward and rested
upon the pier at this side of the draw, COM
pletely spanning the water beneath, and
resting there at an angle Of twenty-five or
thirty degrees, while the rear wheels were
lifted from the track on the other pier.
Being made of strong materials, the car did
not break asunder, although the rear plat
form, door, and panels, were badly crushed
by the momentum Of the carriages behind,
of which there were two or three.
| In this car were from half dozen to
twice that number Of passengers (sccounts
differ. The shock, although the train was
not moving at anything like rapid rate,
extinguished the lights, capsized the stove,
shattered several Of the windows, thrust the
passengers unceremoniously forward, and
huddled them promiscuously in the front
| end of the car. AS some Of them were
ladies, of course there was great deal of
terror manifested, and utterance given to
| more OF less screams, Whlle all were pauiy
shaken up, but none, that we hear of, pain
| fully injured. An axe was brought into
requisition to extricate them from their
awkward and unpleasant predicament, and
oil were eventually landed in safety on the
Boston side.
The engineer, Mr.. Oscar Aldrich, and the
fireman, whose name We were unable to
ascertain, saw the danger too late to avert
it, but in season to avoid being submerged
with the engine. They jumped from the
locomotive just as it fell, but both fell into
the water, and as they were swimmers they
reached the pier with little difficulty, and
were assisted up by other parties. A brakes
man named Cornelius Harrington is re-
ported as having been painfully though not
seriously bruised, but present information
does not substantiate the rumor.