Found this article in the Clinton Paper dated 12-29-1854 Railroad Accident --- One Man Killed ---- Several Wounded--- Six Cars in Fragments!! The following particulars of the rail road accident on the Great Western railroad, we take from the Decatur Gazette extra, of 22nd at: "Last evening about 3 o'clock , a dreadful accident occurred two miles east of Mechanicsburg, on the Great Western railroad, by explosion of the boiler. The engineer, Henry BITTERMAN, was instantly killed, and the fireman so badly scaled he is not expected to live. Several persons were also slightly injured. The engine was thrown eighty feet from the track; nine cars are torn to atoms. The track, for a considerable distance, was torn up. The deceased and wounded were taken to Springfield. The engineer leaves a wife and three children." Have a Great Day :-) Lacinda [email protected] Page me on ICQ # 9870890 Family Tree Project http://www.geocities.com/~lacinda2 Join the Illinois Roots, Beckham, or Roth Mailing Lists http://www.geocities.com/~lacinda2/maillist.htm Post a Message in The Forum http://www.InsideTheWeb.com/messageboard/mbs.cgi?acct=mb220110