Yesterday afternoon, as the Leeds train, which left that terminus at a
quarter-past one o’clock, was approaching Rugby, and within four miles of
that station, an umbrella behind the private carriage of Earl Zetland
took fire, in consequence of a spark from the engine falling on it, and
presently the imperial on the roof and the upper part of the carriage
were in a blaze. Seated within it were the Countess of Zetland and her
maid. The train was proceeding at the rate of forty miles an hour.
Under these circumstances, Her Ladyship and maid descended from the
carriage to the truck, when—despite the caution to hold on given by a
gentleman from a window of one of the railway carriages—the maid threw
herself headlong on the rail, and was speedily lost sight of. On the
arrival of the train at Rugby an engine was despatched along the line,
when the young woman was found severely injured, and taken to the
Infirmary at Leicester. Lady Zetland remained at Rugby, where she was
joined by His Lordship and the family physician last night, by an express
train from Euston-square. How long will railway companies delay
establishing a means of communication between passengers and the guard?
—_Times_, Dec. 9th, 1847.