From the Richmond Sentinel, 9/28/1864, p. 2

LOCOMOTIVE RUNAWAY. - Yesterday morning, about eleven o’clock, the locomotive “Washington,” while steaming up 8th street, with tender attached, became unmanageable when near the Main street corner of the Spotswood Hotel, and backed down the hill with terrific velocity. The engineer and two negroes who were aboard leaped off, and escaped without injury. The locomotive dashed on until stopped by coming in contact with the draw-bridge over the canal. The draw-bridge was knocked out of shape, but not giving way entirely, prevented the engine from plunging to the bottom of the canal. The damage to the locomotive and bridge is not near so serious as might have been expected from the violence of their collision.

 

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