Smyrna times., 1883-09-05
A Railroad Collision.
MARROW ESCAPE FROM A FEARFUL CATAs-
TROPHE.

On Monday evening shortly after the
usual time for the evening train to come in,
the branch train dashed down the track
from which jumped, on reaching the depot,
a swift messenger who was not long in
finding the Office of DIR. Hrons, who was
speedily whitfield back to Clayton On
learning that there had been collision,
with the possible results that usually follow
such conclusions, DIR. H. thought that
there might be more work than he could
do, and so the train made the same errand
for Dr. Clifton. OF course the news be-
came known, for the news of fire or
railroad disaster runs through II town with
the speed of electricity, and this call for
doctors gave the alarm intensity. They
went to the depot by dozens, some in the
deepest mental concern, for members of
| their own families were on the train and
| others struck out for the scene of the dis
| aster. Nothing was known positively, but
| the report that death had resulted from
| the collision looked plausible and probable.
| We need not say that when the train ar
rived about ten clock, bearing our citi-
zens to their homes uninjured. with the in.
telligence that no one had been seriously
hurt, heavy load was lifted from many
anxious hearts.
THE COLLISION.
The collision was the result of singular
the history of railroad disasters, viz: a
truant a runaway engine. Superinten-
dent Mills was sitting in his Office at Clay
ton, awaiting the arrival of the down train,
which was little late. He inquired of
Train Master Murphy something about
an engine that had shortly before arrived
and had been left on the side track while
the engineer was washing preparatory to
eating his supper Mr.. NJ. went to look
after it and 10! it was gone, pushing up the
road without master. He fastened to
Mr.. Mills with the information, who took
in the situation and its possibilities with
that alertness that belongs to a railroad
man. A dispatch was flashed to Townsend
to stop the down train, but it had already
passed and there was no telegraph office be-
tween that place and Clayton. There was
but one way to avert the probable catastro.
phe, and that was to overtake the truan
engine. Mr.. Mills jumped on engine No
J 78, accompanied by Messrs. Murphey and
, Mackey and started in hot pursuit, but he
was three minutes too late: when within 8
hundred yards of the runaway, which by
this time had exhausted itself and wa
standing still, he heard the fearful crash
. They were at the side of the wreck befor,
those on the train had recovered from tn
/, shock and the work of relief commenced a
3 once under Mr.. Mills personal supervis
: ion. 1t was soon found no lives were los
4 | anu JUST one circumstance cduSeu IUl
q favorable result the runaway engine ha,
= carried before it a car loaded with 16 ton
of phosphate, which fortunately ha
: stopped few feet ahead of it. This re
ceived the shock and was literally torn int
kindling wood and the phosphate scattere
- for 100 yards around. If the two engine
> had cOllded, the smoking car must hav
5. met much the same fate the phosphate ca
IS did. "Pete" McConaghy, the engineer
~ and VIM. Collins, the fireman, were foun
N without broken bones, but the first had rC
, ceived some bruises and the latter wa
is scalded about the neck and arms and CT
le about the head. The passengers of tn
" whole train were knocked from their sea
ie and received sundry bruises, but none neeC
m ed medical attention but an old lady frol
~ Harrisburg, on her way to Dover, who W;
as dashed against the water cooler, receiving
ID severe cut on the head, and it was thought,
ne broken rib. Mrs. w. G. Mitchell, of tn
re town, Mrs. Morris, of Dover, and Expire
e. Messenger Wooters were hurt but n
re seriously.
ad Mr.. Mills summoned the wrecking ira
RS from Wilmington, who, with the ClaytC
I'll force were engaged until four o'clock Il
l next morning in clearing the track az
getting the damaged engines away. III
engine that runs to this town conveyed Il
train to its destination down the road.