The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-11-21
A Singular Collision and a lightning Race.

One of the most singular accidents in the
annals Of the railway occurred in this city yes
terday Misunderstanding the staid old town
out of its propriety, and furnishing material
for conversation during the succeeding twenty
Yesterday morning, between the hours of
seven and eight o'clock, as the engine NJ. P.
Stovall--belonging to tile Georgia Railroad
Company-was coming down the railroad
track, near the Augusta Factory, the engineer
attempted to s!acken speed, and the throttle
valve broke. This accident caused theI engi-
neer to lose all control over the locomotive,
and both himself and the fireman jumped from
the train, as to have remained on board would
have been to needlessly endanger their lives.
The engine kept the track, and came rapidly
along the track and into the Georgia Railroad
ward. In the meantime the Ashley-a shifting
engine belonging to the South Carolina Rail-
road Company-had left the yard of that COM
pany, and was pushing several freight cars to
Union Depot. When the engine and cars
reached Jackson street the engineer and fire.
man saw the M. P. Stovall coming rapidly to-
wards them. AS they leaned out of the side
of the cab the Georgia Railroad engine struck
the freight cars in front of the Ashley. The
shock threw both the, engineer and the fireman
to the ground. The freight cars were badly
crushed and the M. P. Stoyall WAS thrown
FROM the track with great violence, together
with the tender The tender fell very near the
spot where the engineer of the Ashley lay, and
the latter only escaped death by few inches.
Before the engineer jumped, however, he re-
yersed his engine; the shock broke the draw
bary the engine and tender were loosed from
the cars and began to move rapidly backwards
down Washington street and towards the Sa-
vannah River.
The engine and tender were now free-the
engine reversed, the throttle valve open,- and
the engineer and fireman lying OH the ground.
speed. 1t went down Washington street like
dexter or the American Girl on the home.
stretch The early risers were astonished and
alarmed, while few sapguine Greeley men,
who had not lost all hope, imagined that the
Liberal Republicans had carried Dade County
and the Ashley was carrying the returns 10
Washington City. Near Reynolds street, a
hand car, belonging to the Carolina Road,
came around the corner. In the car were sew
eral workmen, quantity of boards and car
penter's material, and long and very heavy
stick of timber placed lengthways, and hang
ing over little in front. When the men saw
the locomotive coming they smelt danger, and
after attempting unsuccessfully to get the car
off the track, they made most rapid and mas
terly; retreat. The tender struck the beam,
which ran under it, wedged itself firmly to the
car, and carried the latter on with it. The
Ashley and its new attachment went through
the railroad yard like the comet. Fortunately
the track was clear and the switches all right,
and it dashed over the bridge and across the
river without let or hindrance. The runaway
machine did not stop until nearly three miles
A. br;I 1pb hn cta nlt onfl
it came to a halt When the engine had pass
ed the bridge, Col. Meredith-manifesting his
usual energy and vigilance dispatched hand
car after It, and the fugitive locomotive was
brought back to the city in safety. No damage
was done except to the M: p Stovail, which
fell from the track, and the freight cars, which
were crushed BY the collision. 1t was the