of Estonia is opened on the route Paldiski–Reval (Tallinn)–Narva–Gatchina. It is connected with the Saint Petersburg–Warsaw railway in the same year. Also this year, the line is extended from Gatchina to Tosno, so connecting to the modern-day October Railway. December events December 12 – The Stairfoot rail accident in England kills 15 people December 26 – The Hatfield rail crash (1870) in England kills 8. Unknown date events Northwestern Pacific Railroad predecessor San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad begins service between San Francisco Bay and Santa Rosa, California. Joy valve gear for steam locomotives is patented in the United Kingdom. Births July births July 29 – Henry Fowler, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Midland Railway 1909–1923 and of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1925–1931 (d. 1938). Deaths April deaths April 26 – Zerah Colburn (locomotive designer) (suicide) (b. 1832). December deaths December 8 - Thomas Brassey, English railway contractor who supervised the construction of more than 6500 miles ( km) of track around the world (b. 1805). December 16 – Byron Kilbourn, president of Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad 1849–1852 (b. 1801). Unknown date deaths George S. Griggs, pioneering master mechanic of American steam locomotives (b. 1805). References Rivanna Chapter, National Railway Historical Society (2005), This Month in Railroad History: August. Retrieved August 15, 2005. Rivanna Chapter, National Railway Historical Society (2005), This Month in Railroad History: July. Retrieved July 22, 2005. Santa Fe Railroad (1945), Along Your Way, Rand McNally, Chicago, Illinois. Scripophily.com, Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway Company 1886. Retrieved August 2, 2005.