The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-04-05
Fearful ressen f-lEktraortitnary
FrenfS OF n Freight Train.

] 1 =
From the Lexington Press, April I. ~
The workmen en- the Big Sandy railroad
are supplied with material with which t.
carry on the laying of the track by con.
struc.fon train, which runs Mt convenient In
terVals between the Covington depot, where
Tue supplies are received, and the point
where the men are ut work. On Saturday at
ABOUT IL o'clock the train went I'D the road.
IS usual, laden with iron rails and cross-ties.
the cars carrying the iron being in front OF
Sne engine, those bearing the ties, behind.
Ehe IRON was taken to point as near the
| Workmen as possible, and The cars detached.
The engine then backed little to afferd an
opportunity to unload the cars laden with
ties. The men who were unloading the iron
having occasion to move the trucks q little,
did so, but as there were no brakes attached
they could not stop them, and they Went
down the grade, which is forty-fye feet to
the mile, ut steadily increasing speed to-
ward the engine. <s:a -
The engineer seeing that there Vas about
to be collision, backed his engine little.
while the hands threw rails in the way of the
descending cars to. stop them, but without
effect; they passed over them as If they were
Straws, increasing in speed the while. The
engine still kept backing and increasing it,
speed, until the rate was augmented to
twenty miles an hour. Down they came,
engine and cars, laundering across Main
street, the bell ringing aud engine whistling.
Down Branch alley with tremendous speed
the engine dashed along, the cars leaplng
along in the rear, until the market-house
was reached. Crowds of people attending
market, not knowing what was the matter,
came out to see. The sight of the cars drove
them of In fright. On the engine sped, on
the cars came, and like fash the market
house was passed, the engine increasing its
speed to the switch. Here it stopped, the
brakesman jumping of to unlock the switch.
He was too late; before he could change
the switch, which was locked, the cars came
rushing on, and in moment into the engine.
The iron Oh the cars smashed In the clst-iron
heading of the cylinder, while the trucks
smashed the cow-catcher, breaking iron bars
as thick as q mans arm. and throwing en-
CINE and cars Off the track. For moment
there was q scene of utter confusion, but
when it was discovered that the engine was
not so badly hurt as to be unable to work,
confidence was inspired, and men set to work
to repair the damage and get the engine and
cars back upon the track. This was soon
accomplished without much loss of time, and
without 1urtler damage tlan LnaC zone 10 the
engine. When the trucks first started
there were some fourteen negroes upon
them engaged in unloading the iron. They
stuck to their positions until the speed be-
came dangerous, when they leaped off Mt
points along the road, turning double somer-
saults In the attempt. One man leaped of at
Karsner's stable aud rolled down an embank-
ment, escaping unhurt. One other man, more
timid or more yenturesome.t than the rest, re-
manned until the collision almost occurred,
when he jumped off just in time to escape
being crushed to death. The CONSERVATION
caused along the whole route by the terrific
speed Of the flying engine and cars was very
great, the rate at one time being reckoncd ut
| forty miles an hour. Fortunately, however,
there were no lives lost. The damage to the
engine has been repaired, and to-day it IS ut
work as usual.