| From the Savannah Morning News |
| |
| February 7, 1861 |
| |
| [Editorial Correspondence of the Morning
News |
| Letter from Montgomery |
| Montgomery, Feb. 3, 1861 |
| |
| Dear News, |
| Leaving Savannah at 1 o'clock,
on Saturday afternoon, ***** |
| Nothing of interest transpired
until we reached Opelika this morning, about eight o'clock, where we got
an excellent breakfast. Here we were met by the train from Atlanta,
***** |
| There has been much rain here,
and the streams are at present much swollen, while bodies of water are
standing all over the level lands. In crossing some of the streams which
were far over their banks, I felt some apprehension for the safety of
the bridges, but we passed them all without accident, and had reached
within six or eight miles of Montgomery
{Montgomery & West Point RR}, and were passing a level piece of
road without either cut or embankment, when we met with an accident
which in a less favorable place might have been very serious in its
consequences. There was a sudden shock, followed by a crash, and in a
second the brakes were down and the cars stopped. The passengers,
unconscious of what had taken place, rushed out to find the two baggage
cars, immediately in rear of the tender, thrown from the track, one
lying on its side, the other still erect, but slewed around almost at
right angles with the track, which was torn up for some forty yards and
strewed with broken axles, car wheels, bent rails, crushed cross-ties,
and the general wreck of the running gear of the cars. Beyond the ruin
the locomotive and tender were still upon the track, while the two
passenger cars, in which were some forty or fifty persons, were also
upon the track and uninjured. But for the prompt application of the rear
break by the Conductor, who was standing near the platform at the time,
the passenger cars would probably also have been involved in the general
smash up. As it was, it excited general astonishment that some much
injury could have been done to the track and baggage cars and the
passengers sustain no injury. In the second baggage car, which was
thrown on its side, at the time of the accident there was a negro man
and a horse. The negro received a slight injury on his ankle, but the
horse escaped uninjured. Several coops of chickens were on board, some
of which were broke; and while we were surveying the wreck and waiting
for the return of the locomotive, which went on to Montgomery for
another train of cars, they spread themselves over the fields, cackling
and crowing, and giving the negroes a deal of racing and trouble to
recover them. All felt that we had made a providential escape, and the
ladies especially expressed their thankfulness for their preservation.
***** |
| On investigation it was found
that the accident was occasioned by the breaking off of a piece of the T
rail, about three feet long. The next wheel that passed over, striking
the end of the rail beyond, caused the breaking of the axle, the ends of
which, raking the cross ties, tore up the track and threw the baggage
cars off. How the two passenger cars passed the gap without similar
consequences is a marvel. |
| The locomotive having returned
with passenger cars, we all got aboard and were soon backed to the city.
***** |
| Yours truly, T. |
|