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Leader (1850-1860), 13th September 1851, Edition Town of 1, Page 864, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      writing to the Ttmes % states that on passsing the points at the other end of the station the engine went on one line and the carriages on the other . How was it that this warning was disregarded ? Wednesday ' s sitting wound up with the testimony of two witnesses , one Mary Russell , the other Thomas Smith , both present , who declared that Wilmot had holdof the handle of the points . Mary Russell said : — " I was there for some time . Wilmot had his flag under his arm rolled up . On seeing Harris open his red flag Wilmot waved his till the train came near ; he jumped down from the line and took hold of the bar . He put his hands upon it and held it down . I saw that it shook very much . While he was holding it down his hat fell off . " Thomas Smith , fourteen years of age , said : —

      "I stood by the gate-post nearest to the points . I could see the policeman at the points . I am sure it was Wilmot , whom I knew . He stood on the bank near the points , just about the middle of the line , and waved his red flag . When the train came up Wilmot pressed down the bar . He held it as long as I saw him . He did not alter the position of it while I stood there . " Three witnesses were examined on Thursday : — Thomas M'Fadzen , locomotive foreman at Bletchley ; Wilmot , the pointsman ; and Mr . Bruyeres , the superintendent of traffic on the line . The gist of M'Fadzen ' s evidence is that he " had no idea the train would stop at Bicester . "

      Wilmot said he had examined his points on Saturday , a quarter of an hour before the excursion train came in sight , and found them all right . He saw the train coming " too fast for stopping ; " he waved his red flag with his left hand , while he held the points down with his right . He was certain he did not loose the points . " Everything was passed before he took his hand from the lever . " Mr . Henry Pringle Bruyeres gave most important evidence ; the main points of which are as follows : —

      The excursion train of last Saturday was not announced to stop at any station between London and Oxford . The excursion train of the previous Tuesday from Oxford to London did stop at Bicester , but the return train was announced not to stop at Bicester ; passengers returning might travel by the 4 . 30 train to Bicester , or go on to Oxford and return to Bicester . The line at Bicester is a double line , with junction points , not a " siding . " Every down train should go by the down line , and every up train by the up line . But Mr . Bruin had allowed previous excursion trains to run through , on what is called the up line ; and this fact accounted for the speed at which Carrier approached the station . Mr . Bruyeres thought fifteen miles the highest rate of speed consistent with safety

      in passing through the points ; but he said that the laxity allowed by the station-master removed all culpability from Carrier [ who expected to pass down the up line as usual ] . " There was nothing at the station at Bicester on Saturday night to prevent the train running through without accident . " As to Mr . Bruin stopping the train , he had a right to do so if he chose . But he would be obliged to give a good reason for it . Mr . Bruyeres thought that the engine , unable to turn at the points , had mounted the rails and gone on to the straight line ; that the tender took the siding , the carriages following , and hence the smash . He thought Mr . Bruin ought to have telegraphed to Winslow that the train should stop at Bicester . The inquest adjourned until Monday .

      IIOUNSBY . The tragedy of Saturday was followed up by another on Monday . Between five and six o clock on that day , an up-train of trucks , laden with coal , was suddenly brought to a stand-still at the Hornsey Btation , in consequence of the engine becoming disabled from some cause or other . As soon as the moving of the train was found to be impracticable , the station-master had the usual precautionary signals placed at the rear of the trucks , and sought the aid of a pilot engine from towards town . In a short time an up-luggage train appeared in sight , and on arriving near the station was duly stopped . Attention was then drawn to the safety of the

      Exhibition up-excursionist trains—their period of passing that portion of the line having nearly arrived . In addition to the ordinary long-distance semaphore signal , a man was sent down the line some distance behind the luggage-train with flag and lamp , and the next train that dime up wus that filled with visitors from Hull , Urimsby , Boston , &c ., which was safely stopped . . Further precaution was then adopted , and behind this third train which wan brought to a stand-HtiJl , two men were sent along the line , one to the extent of upwards of 1000 yurdw , with orders to

      exhibit the stop and danger signal , which the men said they duly complied with . While thin was going on every effort was used to move the coal trucks one way or the other . At length the station being clear , the Exhibition train from Hull was signalled to come up to tlio platform ; but the preceding trains being only a short distance u-hoad , it was necessary to detain it until they had been some way on the road . The usual red lights were out , and it is ntilted that the man , who had gone back more than 1000 yards , remained at his post . However , the Hull train hud not bocn standing many minutes ere another ,

      Several did so , and in a w locomotive of the York train came in fearful contact with the rear of the Hull carriages . The last three carriages of the Hull train were second-class ; and , as we were informed by an eye-witness , they were thrown upon one another and shattered almost to pieces . The excitement and confusion somewhat subsiding , attention was immediately directed to the injured passengers . The Reverend Mr . Snell , of Fleet , near Holbeach , in Lincolnshire , was removed in a most dreadful state of suffering . He had sustained a concussion of the spine , an injury which

      femoments the iront filled with excursionists from Leeds , York , &c ., and driven by two powerful engines , was observed to be coming up at a sharp rate . It was obvious that the long danger signals had not been noticed ; and we may mention that neither of the trains in their ordinary course were appointed to stop at Hornsey . On the cry being raised , " A train is coming behind you , move on , move on , " an attempt was made to put the Hull passengers in motion ; and scarcely nad-tne engine taken a few strokes ere another cry was given , a collision appearing inevitable , " Jump , jump .

      utterly prostrated the whole of his lower extremities . Mrs . Sarah Reynolds , of Tyler-street , Hitchin , who was accompanied by her son and daughter , also received much injury . She was pronounced to have sustained a fractured leg near the knee-joint , and fractured ribs . Her son and daughter were also injured about the face and legs . Mr . Jackson , a medical gentleman , who had come up from Lincolnshire , was found insensible . He had been seriously struck on the head , and blood was flowing from his ears . Mr . Folkes , a gentleman living in Upper Southweek-terrace , Cormaught-square , also sustained contusions , as did other parties . NOTTINGHAM . About two miles south of Nottingham there was a collision on Wednesday , ending in the death of John Taylor , a stoker , aged twenty-five . At seven o ' clock a Mansfield luggage-train , which ought to have started at half-past six , left the Nottingham station , causing the seven a . m . passenger-train for Derby to be delayed a short time , until it was presumed that the line would be clear . On the luggage-train arriving at a point where the Mansfield branch line diverges from the main line , the engine was detached for the purpose of adding some loose carriages which stood on a slip line preparatory to

      joining them to the train and carrying them forwards . Although the guard knew that the passenger-train would speedily be on its way for Derby , its time then being expired , he did not think it necessary to take steps to stop it if it were coming , or of making a clear road for it . The conductor of the passengertrain , after a reasonable delay , started on his journey , and , no signal being given , he appears to have apprehended no danger . A very thick fog prevailed at the time , so that the driver of the second train says he could scarcely see ten yards before him , and he did not observe the stationary waggons until close upon them . He then suddenly reversed his

      engine , and , perceiving that a collision was inevitable , jumped to the ground . Instantly afterwards his train ran into the luggage waggons . The shock , in consequence of the engine being reversed , and the regular Bpeed not being attained when the certainty of an accident was discovered , was not so severe aa it otherwise would have been , and the results were much less fearful than might have been expected from the nature of the accident . The driver ( Samuel Sketchley ) escaped comparatively unhurt , but his stoker was found near the tender on the ground in a

      state of insensibility , with his thigh , chest bone , and one or two ribs , fractured . He was immediately conveyed to the General Hospital at Nottingham , where he died in an hour and a quarter afterwards . None of the passengers were injured further than being severely shaken , and comparatively little damage wub done to the engine or luggage waggons . It is supposed that Taylor met with his death in jumping from the engine , his foot catching against the wheel and precipitating him with great force to the ground .

      Untitled Article

      Besides these great catantrophes several small accidents have occurred , making altogether a dreadful loss of life . On Tuesday evening , us a special train was leaving Ratcliifc-bridge station , on the Ka « t Lancashire line , for Hury , with passengers who had been to Itatcliffe races , a female- named Taylor , who had just arrived on the platform with her two duughtcrs , made a ruBh at the hint carriage but one to get upon the steps , but missed the handle of the door , and fell by the side of the train . The poor woman was dragged between the foot-board and the platform a short distance , when her legs got across the mils , and were passed over by the wheels of the last carriage . One of her limba wnr nearly severed from the body , and the other was dreadfully crushed . She was carried to a public-house near the railway , und surgical assistance obtained , but whe died in about four bourn afterwards .

      While a goods' train was coming in from Leith Junction , about half-past ten o'clock on Saturday night , a man , apparently a labourer , wan observed lying on the opposite line of railri , with life all but extinct . Assistance was immediately procured from tit . Margaret ' a , and he wan removed first to the frt « tion at Waverley-bridge , and

      then to the police-office . To all appearance , he had in a state of helpless inebriation , wandered upon the line and been overtaken by the train which leaves for Mussel ' burgh at nine o ' clock . The body was frightfully muti lated , both feet , together with the right hand , having been cut off , and he died shortly after having been dis covered . He was a middle aged man , and as yet has not been identified . As the quarter-past five a . m . train from Shields and Sunderland was passing the bridge crossing the High-street , Gateshead , on Monday morning , and an . proaching the high level bridge crossing the Tyne , it ran into two engines standing on the line . The passengers were knocked about , many of them receiving serious bruises about the head and face , though none of them were dangerously injured .

      Untitled Article

      Some minor but important matters connected with railway administration are before us . Crowded excursion trains have become so common , that more efficient arrangements for the safety of the public are imperatively called for . Take an instance . The second cheap excursion train for the season , from Southampton to London says the Standard , ran on Monday . The train was to start at half-past six in the morning , and return at night . At six o ' clock upwards of 3000 persons were assembled before the Southampton Railway-station . The carriages for the train had not arrived , however , from London at the time for starting , and the crowd was , consequently , kept outside the station until the carriages did arrive , which was not until seven o ' clock . When the station- '

      doors were opened , the crowd was so great , and so eager to get in , that the windows of the station were broken , several persons were injured , and a great number of hats , shawls , bonnets , caps , and shoes were lost . Numbers of women fainted or were taken ill , and children were nearly crushed to death . A large number of Southampton tradesmen and others allowed their servants to travel by the cheap excursion train on Monday , generously paying their fare and expenses up and down . A large posse of " maids of all work , " dressed respectably , each with a little basket of provisions for the day , were with the crowd congregated early before the station . Owing to the immense pressure of the mob many of these poor servants had their clothes torn .

      It is the practice of the South-Western railway to send convicts by the ordinary trains . " Viator " has informed the Times of this , with a view to compel its cessation . Writing from Dorchester on the 6 th , he says : — " A day or two since I wrote you on the practice of this railway comp any of sending the convicts sentenced to transportation from this town to London by their secondclass carriages , and by the ordinary trains . I find now that gome more transports will be removed to London on Thursday next , and unless you interfere by inserting this , and shaming the directors of the company , the indecency of their being sent among the second-class passengers will be doubtless again enacted . "

      Untitled Article

      THE KAFIR WAR . By far the most unsatisfactory batch of Cape intelligence yet received was brought by the Hellespont , which arrived at Plymouth on Tuesday . Bands of Kafirs have penetrated into the colony . The mail between Graham's Town and Fort Beaufort has been stopped , and the escort nearly destroyed . Major Warden has been beaten on the Orange River . And while Sir Harry Smith has been fruitlessly scouring the Amatolas , the Kafirs have been plundering and murdering within the frontier : —

      " The latest intelligence from the seat of war on the departure of the last mail , was , that Sir H . Smith was preparing for a combined movement of the two divisions of the army , under General Somerset and Colonel Mackinnon , against the enemy in the Amatolas . This was carried into effect On the 26 th of June ; their operations continued until the 30 th , and were attended with signal success . Two thousand two hundred head of cattle fell iuto the hands of the troops , and the enemy was driven with considerable loss from one of his strongest positions . The casualties on our side were , one sergeant and eight rank and file killed . Lieutenant Bruce , Seventy-fourth Highlanders ; Captain Melville , of the levies and seventeen rank and file wounded ( two mortally ) . On the in the

      2 nd , General Somerset continued his operations Amatolas , and succeeded in driving the enemy " gome of hia favourite fastnesses . Sir Harry , however , warned the colonists in the general order that a result of this successful movement might be the dispersion of the defeated Kafirs in small marauding parties within the colony , where they become most formidable , a » a fearfully has his Excellency's prediction been veriflcfl , for although General Somerset was directed immediate y to establish posts along the line of the exposed diBtricis to prevent the incursion , the ravages they committed r > - fore this could be done , owing to the email force at inn disposal , have been frightful . It appears that Macomo , with the Kafirs and rebel Hottentots who were routed out of the Amatolas , crossed the upper " spruits ol i < Konup , and thence precip itated themselves on " , colony ; and before they could be checked by a sufUCici . * force the property swept off and destroyed was imnicnai--It is stated that the whole of the fine tract of counujr watered by the Bariaans , the Kaga , the Konap , ami u Kat rivers is dovasted ; the dwellings of the » h » bitaniB are laid in ashen , while not le » i » , it is atlirmca , in * 20 , 000 Merino sheep , 3000 head of cattle , and J 00 horse have been a wept away by the enemy within the lai" » weeks . " The affair of the mail is thus described by the Cape Town Mail , dated July 26 : — ' Yesterday evening a party arrived in town « ?'™™ Z mand of Lieutenant Thackeray , of the Seventy-fow £ Regiment , ^ hich officer brought th « following »«•"

      Untitled Article

      864 © tie WLt&tltT * [ Satuhday ,

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 13, 1851, page 864, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1900/page/4/