Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-03-07
A SWITCH LEFT OPEN.
nc Causes a Hun or and Some
Damage, Besides Delaying Two
Trains.

Yesterday afternoon at SIS O'Clock the
mail passenger train on the Charleston and
Savannah Railway left the depot On her
regular trip. There we're quite number OF
passengers Abound North, and the several
coaches were well filed. The train had
just gotten under good headwaY, and was
running at speed Of about nine miles per
hour, when the engineer, Mr.. W.
81. Leake, discovered. just before
reaching the main track. some four hundred
yards or SO from the depot, that the switch
was open. He Immediately Whistled
''down brakes" and reversed his engine,
but 1t was too late to avert the accident,
and the engine Numbered over the rails,
struck the open switch, aud, with the
tender, was thrown from the track,
and narrowly missed being completely
turned over, falling on its side. AS It
went of the track the fireman and wood
passe1 jumped from their positions and
were followed by the engineer, all escaping
without injury. Mr.. WV. Broughton, so IA
vOrably known in connection with
the ticket agency OF Major Bren,
having business at the junction,
concluded to enjoy the novelty of a short
ride on the locomotive. He was on the
engine at the time of the accident. and, fol-
ACHAAE VIC g4AAAP44 VI tuC OAAtACCA IOAAk
ed as 1t went over, and thus escaped un-
harmed. The tender was badly knocked
up, and the front portion Of the mail car
was smashed. The engine Is damaged
somewhat, and the road he'd and some of
the ties injured. The accident occurred
Just the other side Of the first culvert, and
under the circumstances It is most fortn-
nate, and may be regarded as won
dertul that 1t was not more serious.
Had the engine turned over, the engineer
and others on her would have inevitably
been caught beneath and crushed or
scalded to death. None OF the passengers
were injured, and were only slightly shocked
by the sudden stoppage. Immediately after
jumping TO the ground safely, Engineer
Leake rushed to his engine, as she lay cap
sized on the side Of the culvert, and pro-
ceeded to put the fires out
A few minutes after this accident had oc-
CURED the passenger train from Charleston
came In sight, when the engineer, perceiving
the obstruction on the track ahead, slowed
down, and the train was brought up as close
as circumstances would admit.
The buses and carriages meanwhile had
proceeded from the depot to q point near
Saussy q Harmon's grist mill, which was
nearly opposite the scene of the accident,
and the passengers and baggage on the
train from Charleston were removed at that
point and brought up to the city. The pas
sengers on the disabled train, together with
their baggage and the mail matter, were
transferred to the Charleston train, which
was drilled, and Immediately returned to
Charleston, the accident and transfer oceu-
plying about three hours and half.
The Savannah, Florida and Western Rail-
way train, which was to have left at 4:30,
was, In consequence of the obstruction OF
the track, unable to leave until about Z
O'Clock.
The accident occurring so near the city,
large crowd, whose curiosity was excited
by the various reports, visited the scene to
see for themselves.