Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-04-18
Fearful Accident TO the Norwich
Steamboat Train.

.iEracious Escape Of One Hundred Passen-
gers AT about eight o'c.ock on Monday even
mg, as the New YORK. train from Boston, upon
the Norwich and Worcester Railroad, was APP
preaching Baskerville, about four miles the other
side of Webster, they came to bridge known
as tlasoD's bridge, which crosses d small tacto.
RI stream. As Tie engineer, Mr.. John HYDE,
touched the bridge, he felt II sweFve, and imme-
diately putting en- full head OF steam, attempt
ed to cross. Just as the locomotive reached
the other side the bridge gave way. The en-
CINE broke from the tender and remained upon
the track; the tender and crate-car also cleared
The bridge, but were thrown from the track,
tearing OFF rail, which went through the crate
Car and one of the crates. The second class
car broke in two pieces. aud one portion fell in
20 the river. The next car (tull of passengers)
dropped down with the bridge, but did no, reach
the water, the iimbers of the bridge supporting
II. Tie third ear was thrown upon one end
and all the seals but three broken. The car
was full OF passengers, who suddenly found
themselves thrown into a heap at one corner of
the car. To add to the confusion the car took
fire from the stove, but fortunately the fire was
promptly cxringuished. The alarm OF the pas
scngers 1T this moment, can be better magned
than described. After some order had been re-
stored, and time given to look about, it was fo;nl
u
as can be ascertalned there were about one hun
dred passengers on board the train, of whom
sixty-three. from New Hampshire and Vermont,
bound to California, came over the Nashua road,
and took the train at Worcester. At about l2
o'clock, nearly the whole OF the passengers, their
baggage having been transferred across the
river, proceeded on their journey to New York;
some OF them with slight bruises, but most of
them barring their fright, in as good condition
as when they started from Worcester. The only
person killed was brakeman, named John Gal
lsgan. lie was standing upon the platform at
the time OF the disaster and was probably struck
by tIDoers on the head and in the Abdomen
A passenger who was also standing upon the
platform escaped without bruise. Another
brakeman named John Moran was badly bruised
aud cut and it was feared, at last accounts he
would bleed TO death. His nose was partially
severed from his face. The conductor of the
train, Mr.. w. Richardson. was considerably
bruised, but was able to keep bis feet until the
extent of the disaster was ascertained, when he
was taken to Webster. The bridge in question
was about sixty feet long, and about ten feet
from the water, which Is at present eight feet
deep. The engineer has orders not to run fast
across the bridge, and 1t was only when he fe,t
the bridge going, that he put on steam, and went
across. The accident caused considerable de-
lention to trains and the steamboat train from
New York, via Norwich, had not reached this
city at one o'clock. The officers of the road are
at the scene of the disaster, making every exer-
ZION to clear off the wreck of the broken cars.
As to the causes OF the accident, which has thus
hazarded the lives of over one hundred human
beings, and caused the death of at least one,
nothing can be said with certainty, at present.
1t is hoped that thorough Investigation will be
made, and the danger of recurrence of similar
event mos, rigidly guarded against for the future
Boston Traveller.