Yesterday, on the North Midland Railway, near Hob Moor, a
stoker was left in charge of an engine. In breach of his duty, he moved it over some Points"; and in breach of all common prudence he descended from the engine to hold the points while it passed over them, intending to overtake it on foot sad regain his place. The engine outstripped him, and ran away down the line at the rate of fifty miles an hour. At this rate the driver and stoker of a coal-train saw it rushing into them : when
it was within a few yards, they leaped off their engine atid rolled down the embankment—miraculously escaping serious injury. The two en- gines came upon each other as horses in a 'tournament, and dashed each other to pieces ; the wreck of the coal-engine rising over and passing beyond that of the runaway. The line was blockaded for hours ; but the preserved engineer and stoker stopped the traffic, and in a few hours the gathered offi- cials and their men cleared the line. The damage will be three or four thousand pounds. The culpable stoker of the runaway engine is in custody. Not long after the coal-tram would have followed an express-train full of passengers—fancy the slaughter !
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