The Miner and Workman's Advocate. — 1865-06-10 (London, England)

APPALLING RAILWAY ACCIDENT. TEN PERSONS KILLED.  SHREWSBURY, Thursday Morning. An accident of the most frightful character took place yesterday at Rednal, a station on the Shrews. bury and Chester Railway. A large excursion train, consisting of 32 carriages, and drawn by two powerful engines, was proceeding from Liverpo)l to Birmingham. The rails had been newly relaid, and a portion of them, we understand, had not been ballasted. On approaching that portion of the line the carriages began to oscillate fearfully, the train was proceeding at great speed, and the drivers seeing the danger attempted to draw up, but were unable to do so, and both engines dashed off the line, proceeding in opposite directions. The scene that ensued baffles all description—from 800 to 900 persons were in the train, and the shrieks, cries, and groans of the poor creatures were most heartrending. The engines and a great portion of the carriages were smashed to atoms. One of the stokers was killed, and one of the di ivers seriously injured. When the mangled bodies of the pasEengers were got out it was found that seven men and women and two children were killed, and about 50 persons, including men, women, and children, were more or less injured, the greater portion of them very seriously. The bodies of the dead, who in most cases were frightfully disfigured, were removed to the goods shed, while those who were injured were sent on to Shrewsbury. The news in the meanwhile had flown like wildfire through the town, and when the train bearing the wounded passengers arrived at the station many thousands of persons had congregated there and in the vicinity, some to look after friends supposed to be among the list of killed or injured, while others were attracted thither in the hope of being useful to the sufferers. A large number of stretchers were at once got in requisition, and the great bulk of the sufferers was carried to the Salop Infirmary, but it was found that accommodation could not be had for the whole, and several were taken to hotels and private houses. Most of the medical men in the town at once went to the infirmary and offered their welcome service; and the regular staff of the infirmary were engaged during the whole of the night in dressing the wounds and otherwise alleviating the agonies of the sufferers. One person died almost immediately after being taken there, and several are in a most precarious, indeed almost hopeless position. An inquest on the bodies will be opened this afternoon at Rednal, before Mr. E. Blackburn, the coroner for that division of the county.  MURDER AND SUICIDE.—The village of Orvilliers, near Mantes, Seine-et-Oise, Franoe, has just been the scene of a horrible murder and saicide. A shepherd, named D—, aged 42, though a married man with a daughter 14 years of age, had formed an improper connection with a young servant girl in his master's family, and was exceedingly jealous of her. Two evenings since, as the girl was at work under a shed near the failn house, he approached her with a double-barrelled gun in his hand, and, after placed gt the other!ind exclaiming, "I must kill you to-day !" shot her in the abdomen. Immediateinl pieces.—tnAk:en mpTle place he aptno near sari rm Bl ararl r attempt. ei ex.pDt Meuse, France. A forest-keeper, named Paysant,i r barrel under his own ch y, pa ft-ITh% dhotphleact blew his head to ed agrdtehre heasvenjinugst. adturrain having attempted, without success, to seduce his st.ep-daughter, aged 16, and fearing that she would divulge his criminal designs, dealt her five blows with a knife on the neck and chest, and then, as she lay bathed in blood on the ground, blew his own brains out. Hopes are entertained of saving the poor girl. SOUTH WALES COAL IN THE LONDON MARKET.— During the year 1864 the quantity of Welsh coal consumed in the metropolis did not exceed 3 per cent. of the total consumption, although the district is considerably nearer to London than the north of England coal fields, and the quality of its coal is generally admitted to be excellent. Taking the aggregate total of coal raised in the United Kingdom, South Wales ought, in proportion to the quantity worked in the district, to send at least six times the quantity to London. Want of railway facilities is the solo cause of this state of things; but if two bills promoted in the present session of Parliament are successful this will not be the case long. The bills referred to are the Great Western and the South Wales Direct, and the Severn Junction—the chief object of the promoters of which is to develop the coal traffic from South Wales to the metropolis. At present the tonnage rates for coal from the Aberdare Valley to London average from 10s. 6d. to 11s, per ton, but if the new schemes are carried oat the rates will be reduced to from Gs. Gd. to is., being a reduction of 4s. per ton, which will enable the Welsh colliery proprietors to compete successfully with Newcastle coal. There is no doubt entertained that once South Wales coal is sold in London at 3s. to 4s. per ton below the present quotations, there will be a large increese in the demand, and the consuming public of the iner.opoliß will be materially beneficed by the competition that will thus arise between Welsh and North of England coal.   1111111.11111.11 r

Article type: Incident