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Show The First Railroad Accident. The first great railroad accident occurred oc-curred on the Great Western road of England in 1841. A train was rushing along when a mass of earth and stones fell from the embankment and obstructed obstruct-ed the way. Eight persons were killed and many wounded. The coroner's jury returned a verdict of "accidental death to all cases and a deodand of 1,000, an ensine, tender and carriages." The old common law provided that when any personal chattel was the cause of death should be forfeited to the king. Part of this act waa not enforced in later rears, but a heavy fine was imposed ort the owners of any chattel doing personal iniurvto the kings subjects. This law was observed as late as 1847. when parliament par-liament abolished the practice.-Detroit Free Press. |