THE COLLISION OF THE UTICA AND SCHENACTADY RAIL ROAD.

The account of which we gave in Wednesday's Commercial, was too highly exaggerated. It appears that no lives were lost. We learn from the Albany Evening Journal, that the Western train, not having arrived at Schenectady at the proper time, a special train consisting of a locomotive, tender and a few passenger cars, was despatched from Schenectady, westward. A few miles west from that place the two trains met. Fortunately for the lives of the passengers, the trains were in sight of each other some few moments before the collision. The Engineers of each train instantly shut off steam -- reversed the action, and leaped from their respective machines. This well-timed precaution deadened the speed, and the collision, though tremendous, was not as great as it otherwise would have been. The engine, tender and passenger cars going west, were utterly demolished, as also were the engine, tender, baggage and post-office cars of the train coming east. Providentially, none of the passengers in in this last train, were injured in the least. Two hundred and fifty passengers were in these cars, and their escape can only be regarded as miraculous. The detention of the western train, was occasioned by the loss of an hour at Buffalo, in taking on 80 passengers from a Lake Erie Steamboat, which arrived as the train was about leaving. Another hour was lost on the passage between that place and Utica and the train did not leave the latter place for Albany, until 12 1/4 o'clock. Just previous to the collision, this train was going at the speed of 20 miles per hour.

Milwaukee Commercial Herald Wisconsin 1843-08-11
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!