| From the Richmond Dispatch |
| |
| April 7, 1862 |
| |
| Collision |
| An extra passenger train on the Virginia
Control Railroad, coming to this city, and a train of empty cars,
drawn by two engines, collided Sundaymorning about 1 o'clock, three
miles this side of Hanover Junction. The fireman on the down train a
Mr. Miller a soldier, whose name we did not bear, and a small child,
were killed. Some thirty persons were more or less injured, two or
three of whom have since died. The child was in the arms of its mother
at the time of the collision, and strange to say, was thrown against
the our with such violence as to cause its death, while the mother was
entirely uninjured. On the engine of the
passenger train were the engineer, a pilot, and the fireman, the two
first of whom jumped from the engine,
and escaped unhurt. It is proper to remark that every precaution was
taken by the General Superintendent of the Central Road, and we are
unable to say, with the statements as furnished us, where the fault
lies. Those in charge of the train were officers on the Orange &
Alexandria Railroad, and were ignorant of the stations, grades,
curves, &c., of the road on which they were running. A pilot in
the employment of the Central Road Mr. Chas Phillips, who it was
thought had sufficient knowledge of the road to conduct the train
safely to its destination, was sent with it, and to him some blame
must be attached. |
| On this road, where all extra trains are
run by telegraph, there is a standing order for no such train to pass
a telegraph station without reporting for instructions. The
Superintendent of the Central Railroad, Mr. H. D. Whitcomb, was in the
telegraph office with an operator from the time the train left
Gordonsville until the collision was reported, and, we understood, the
conductor failing to report at any station after leaving Gordonsville,
it was thought best by the Superintendent to send a man above the
Junction with a signal light to stop the train, which signal, it
seems, those on the engine disregarded.
The engineer, however, states in extenuation, that both steam chests
of his engine leaked very badly, and
allowed the steam to escape so that the signals could not be seen. We
forbear giving an opinion, as we learn the matter will be fully
investigated, when we may give some of the particulars, and place the
blame on those to whom it belongs. The wounded were brought to this
city about 10 o'clockyesterday morning, on a special train sent up for
that purpose, and are as comfortably cared for as the nature of the
case will admit. No one on the up train was injured. The engines can
be repaired at a very little expense, the principal damage being done
to the tenders, one of which was considerably mashed up. The cars were
not much injured. The track will be cleared for trains to pass early
this morning. |
|