| From the Augusta Constitutionalist |
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| July 30, 1864 |
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| Richmond Letter |
| Richmond, July 23d, 1864 |
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| ***** |
| Last night, as the Danville
train {Richmond & Danville RR} was about a mile this side of Staunton river bridge, the Express
Company's car, which happened to be next to the tender caught fire
from a spark from the engine. As the train was at the time descending
a heavy grade in the road, its progress could not be stopped, and
fanned by the wind produced by the velocity of the descent, the flames
made rapid progress, and soon caught to the baggage car next behind.
As soon as practicable, the headway was checked and efforts made to
prevent further damage, which proved so far successful as to save the
remainder of the train from destruction. Great part of the baggage
was, however, destroyed, a matter in these days of serious moment, and
a loss of about $25,000 or $30,000 inflicted on the Express Company.
By dint of diligence, the very valuable freight of the company,
comprising among other things $25,000 in gold, was saved entire, the
loss principally consisting in other things than the freight committed
to their care. A large amount of specie belonging to the Valley Bank
of Virginia, which had been sent South for safety, and was now on its
return, was melted into one heterogeneous mass of god and silver, but
the Bank can pluck this flower of advantage from the nettle of loss as
to say their notes are now issued on bullion basis. Several millions
of new issue, en route from Columbia to the Treasury in charge of a
special messenger, was also saved intact, but the imminent danger
which at one time threatened it ought to add fresh weight to those
considerations of economy and prudence that so imperatively demand the
removal of the Note Bureau back to this city from the exile inflicted
on it by that brilliant genius that, after many flickers, has at
length gone out as ignominiously and inodorously as a farther
rush light. |
| ***** |
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