| From the Richmond Dispatch |
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| October 30, 1862 |
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| Terrible Railroad accident -- Thirty-five Persons Killed |
| A fatal railroad accident occurred on
Sunday, the 19th instant, between the regular passenger trains on the
Mississippi Central Railroad. The down train, with eleven cars, and
the up train, twelve cars, collided one mile below Duck Hill Station.
The Grenade Appeal says: |
| The down train waited its time as
prescribed by the rules of the company, for delayed trains, when the
signal was given to proceed. Before advancing a mile, the approach of
the up train was discovered by the engineer of the former, who gave
the signal to stop, reversed his engine and
jumped off. The conductor and engineer of the train coming North also
leaped from their positions. The collision was immediate, and of
fearful effect. The train going South is said to have been moving
slowly, while that from the South was running at a high rate of speed,
making an effort to reach the station within the prescribed time. On
the down train but one man was killed, and a few slightly injured. The
engine was completely wrecked, while the
tender was driven into the car in its rear, which was demolished. The
injury to the balance of this train was comparatively slight. But upon
the other train the loss of life, personal injuries inflicted, and the
destruction of property, was unprecedented in the history of
collisions. The engine had penetrated
far into the other, and its tender was piled on top. Two flat cars,
behind the tender, filled with soldiers, were completely demolished,
the bodies of the unfortunate being almost undiscernible in the wreck,
while the trucks were piled upon each other in the most frightful
manner, and the baggage car and first passenger coach being forced on
top of the confused mass. The balance of the train, consisting of five
passenger coaches, one sleeping car, and two platform cars, were all
more or less injured, but none of them were displaced from the track. |
| As stated, the two platform cars in front
were crowded, as were the platforms of the passenger coaches, with
soldiers, who were on their way to their regiments, and were unable to
obtain seats. Nearly all of these were killed or injured. One man was
killed by being thrown from a platform car at the rear of the train.
None of the officers or attaches of the road were injured except Mr.
Kirby, the conductor of the down train, who received a slight sprain
of the ankle in jumping from his train. None of the regular passengers
were injured, with the exception of a few slight braises. Many of the
latter informed us that the concussion was so slight as to scarcely
attract attention, and upon examining as to the cause of the stoppage
of the trains they were horrified to learn the extent of damage
inflicted. The casualties were thirty-five killed, and between forty
and fifty wounded. |
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