Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1853-05-13

the road have been killed. or very seriously lhuFeu
At the time of the accident, the train was going at
the rate of fifteen miles an hour The blame rests
with the engineer, the brdgetender having display
ed the usual signals certified by several OF those
who escaped The engineer and fremen have been
arrested. Many of the passengers who have esca-
ned death, are very severely injured. Among the
Killed we do not see the name of any person from
this State There was a large number of physicians
on the train returning from attendance on the Med
ieal Convention at New York, some of whom are a.
mong the killed, whilst those who have been saved
were active in rendering professional services to the
wounded This is one of the most dreadful Railroad
accidents which has ever occurred in the U. States.
More of the Railroad Murder.
We choose to give the recent tragedy upon the
New York and New Haven Railroad its proper name
The remarks of the Philadelphia Bulletin, of Satur-
day, in which it styles all such affairs murders or
massacres, and nothing else, meets our fullest as
sent. 1t is but last year when the wife of one OF
our most esteemed citizens met her death by a
steamboat murder upon the Hudson, and the whole
community was deeply excited by the reported
death of the gentleman alluded to himself Human
life seems 10 have lost it's value in the eyes of the
employees of Northern companies, and not only the
without reserve with reference to such transactions
Railroad and steamboat murder is the great crime
of the day If one man kills another in fight, he
runs the risk of being hung and most probably pays
the penalty; whereas, Railroad Engineer or
Steamboat Captain can, by the most criminal and
murderous disregard of human life, plunge fifty or
a hundred people into eternity, without warning,
and by the most cruel DEATH and escape unwhipt of
justice. For every man killed in a fight or by pri-
vae violence, twenty are thus murdered by the
agents of corporations, without man being brought
to Justice A few examples of good old-fashioned,
straightforward hanging would have salutary
effect.
About seven o'clock on the evening Of the 9th.
the tragedy occurred about halfpast ten in the
morning, Coroner's Jury commenced their inves-
LEGATIONS. and from the evidence before them, it ap-
peared beyond doubt that the usual signal for all
right" namely-a red ball on the end of pole 80
feet nigh, had not been displayed for ten minutes
before the train came in sight. When the draw was
down, and the train could pass, the ball was kept
elevated when the draw was up, the ball was kept
down, and down displayed ntimated that the train
could not pass. In this case, the signal ball was
not displayed yet the engineer neither Stacked
speed whistled for the brakes" to be applied
to check the cars, which came ON with such impe-
tus, that the locomotive sprang clear across the
chasm of sixty feet: striking the abutment on the
other side, but little below the level of the rails
The creek, which is the draw forms part of the
harbor of Norwalk, and is thirteen to fifteen feet
deep at high water.
! The Legislature of Connecticut, at its session of
Saturday morning. appointed special committee to
investigate the causes of the disaster. The commit
! tee consists of Senator Hyatt DR.. Beckwth Mr..
Bissell and Mr. Hasey. They are instructed to re-
pair at once to the scene of disaster to collect facts
and report officially.
bill was also introduced, imposing fine of S1O.-
600 every railroad company for each person kill
ed upon their road, and heavy penalties for all acct
i dents proved to have arisen from careessness.
A thorough investigation of this affair is to be
had.
1t was also resolved to appoint Board of Rail
way Commissioners with extensive powers.
We append the accounts given by passenger on
board the train, and of the engineer of the steamer
Pacific, which had just passed through the draw
They will be found worthy of attention
STATEMENT OF Mr. THOMAS H1cks-N1r. Thomas
Hicks, the artist, in the first with Miss King,
of this city. They occupied seat within four of the
rear end of the car the right hand side facing the
engine. Mr. Hicks describes the scene as follows -
The seemingly going at the usual rate,
when without warning or intimaton of any kind, he
behed the front part of the car rushing towards him
in Fragments the passengers tossed in the air like cha
dashed up against the top of the car and thrown about
in hurricane of destruction. In instant he found
: Miss King gone from his side and himself crushed
under the partially fallen roof Of the car and
ded by choking atmosphere, in the midst of shape
less Of ruins, dead bodies every hand and the
darkened car rapidly filling with water. He began
feeling among the wreck and under the water for his
companion, but she nowhere to be found. He
continued the search till The water had risen to his
chin, time which he judged TO have been about ten
minutes, when, desparng OF her recovery he look
about for mode of escape. Just behind him, at the
corner of the car he behed aperture through which
he cFawled out upon the top. Here he fingered with
view 10 the search for his companion; when he
was accosted by some one, who asked him for whom
he looking He described the lady's dress when
his nterlocutor informed him TO his nexpressibe as
constituent and qualification that she had lust gone
nj upon the track.
He asceained afterwards that the front of the car
was stove to atoms by the conclusion, and that the
top of twas split open literally, on the side where be
sat- and this occasioned that side of the roof to fall
1t also appeared that during the instantaneous process
OF splitting open the top of the and the fall of the
ceiling, Miss King, without any knowledge or agency
OF her own, had been projected through the crevcc up
on the top Of the And here, without even having
been wet, but with a severe wound in the face, she
found herself with another precipated upon IT
which passed her and tumbled over into the river be-
side the wreck of the first Her escape and the man.
ner of it especially miracle. Mr.. Hicks called
out, when he discovered the means of escape to those
in the Car, if SO be there were any living 10 hear,
pointing to the way of getting out. But he but
one person avail himself of the notice, or escape in