The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-06-14
THE PRESIDENTS PERIL.

THE PRESIDENTS PERIL
Particulars OF the Accident to the Tratn
Conveying President Grant and Party
to Boston-Mr. selby's Account.
The Washington papers brings us fult de-
tails of the railway accident on Wednesday
night between Washington and Baltimore, in
which President Grant and the friends srho
we're accompanying him to the Boston Pace
Festival had so narrow an escape:
1t seems that the tram, while passing through
the deep cut just beyond Annapolis junction,
at about 40 =. M ran against q cow WSich
was killed aud thrown from the track blythe
cowcatcher al tached to the locomotive; butthe
mangled body rolled down the embanku3ent
just after the passage of the engine, tendersand
mail car and tell across the track betweeuthe
tipped up the front part Of the baggage car,
throwing it off the track and breaking the CON-
nection with the mail car. which, with he lSco-
motive, ran for some distance before the 81 led
scene OF the disaster. AS soon as the foryArd
motion OF the baggage car wac checked by ne
obstruction, and 1t was thrown from the Il Bk.
the smoking car ran into it and was 1-
wreck Of this Car was fragment Of Che 4g6z.
which could be lifted by two men. Next tSthe
smoking car was passenger car, whlcbe&Sa
thrown diagonally across the track, ami iss2tsy
f--sher p1urr.ss 81 t6e tra n. The two sue ,,es
ceeding passenger cars were some~ hat dam
c,al car. with the Presidential party, es-
capped damage. The darkness Of the night
added TO the horror OF the situation, as it pre-
vented the uninjured passengers from seeing
imagination to picture, while the cries and
groans OF the wounded we're frightful to hear,
The embankment at the point where the acci-
dent occurred, is about twenty feet high.
the Junction to Baltimore and Washington,
and in little more than an hour after the acct
dent engines with men to clear the wreck. and
surgeons to attend the wounded, arrived at
Collins also started out from Washington With
an engine, carrying men to help clear the
wreck. and the combined forces soon succeeded
in removing the wounded and clearing the
track was flushed about three O'Clock this
morning, and at four o'clock the uninjuIed
passengers, portion of the wounded and the
mail were taken on to Baltimore. The first
reports as to the extent Of the disss1ieFa were
wounded being est,mated In large figures.
Later and more reliable accounts show that the
large majority Of the passengers were almost
miraculously saved from injury. There we're
none killed and but twelve or fifteen wounded.
Most of them received slight injuries. Mr..
We'll, OF Atlanta, Ga, is the only passenger
seriously injured. His head il badly cut, and
it is feared his skull is fractured. He was en-
igrating agent OF Georgia, and was on his way
to Europe.
Another account says:
The smoking car Jared the worst, it being
overturned and wh:rled around endwise upon
the track. It was very badly smashed up and
1t was in this Ger that most al OF the injuries
to as beng seriously injured was seated in this
car. HesWas on his way to New York with O
view OF proceeding to Europe: His injuries
are principally about the head, he having been
badly bruised and received severe cut on the
lett side OF bis head and face, extending from
short distance above the forehead to about
an inch below the lett eye. go that 1t is believed
the sight OF the latter Is entirely destroyed.
He was taken up inseDalble, but in time
recovered consciousness. and the physi-
cian in attendance reports that he is
doing well, and is not necessarily dangerously
wounded, though he is believed to be injured
more or less internally as we'll as externally.
badly as either Of the other two, but was badly
broken, nor were any Of the passengers Sc
rionsiy injured. though seyerai received
sleeping cars was considerably smashed, but
nOne of the passengers were injured. The
special car, occupied by General Grant and
family, escaped without injury, and they pro-
It is o source OF wonder to railroad men and
others that an accident OF such magnitude aH
the one described above could occur with no
more serious results as to the loss Of life ard
manning OF individuals.
NIB. sELBY's sTATEMENT.
The .gentleman from Charleston" alluded te
in our telegrams as badly bruised, was MIR
John Clifford. MIR. Julian A. Selby, editor o.
the Columbia Phoenix, was also o passenger
and was seated with q lady in the ladies' car
the second one that went of the track. His
statement conveys an idea OF the alarm ani
wonderful features Of the scene.
The locomotive, mail and baggage car ra1
some distance ahead before they were checked
The smoking Car. filed with passengers, wal
thrown across the track. with one end elevated
ct least ten feet mp the emSankment. and turn
ed completely upside down and wrecked, seve
raj Of the 0cenpants being seriously hurt. The
ladies' car followed, and was stolerably fllet
with passengers, mostly ladies' and children
lt was thrown on lite sire directly across tb.
track, the ends resting on the banks on botl
sides or the track. , ss., "a ss.st5, VI sa98 K
| The soene presented was one never TO be for
gotten. Mr.. Se'by says that hearing the nois,
OF tho car ahead running on che cross-ti0s
ahd the breaking and crash aD IL went over
| and feeling the jar ip the car In which he wal
Citing, he braced hima0R In hia soas. poisine
/ :s.s.sssS Inc car went over. He eolced hols
l tcf the scat with one hand, holding ron TO th.
lsdyin his company and 6rmly suppostinK he
Y with the other ARM ana As the oar wAs ssues
ako1udand over on jts side individuals wer'