New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-05-11

70 me Depot anu polhi ~ Iest
west abuent Of the railroad bridge is nearly north east
As the bridge crosses the channel at right angle or
nearly 60 the road from that point to the bridge neces
sariy very much Along the line Of that curve
there buildings which hide the bridge and ball from
view, as heretofore.
The Express Train to which this accident happened does
not stop Norw2lk- the other trains do This train left
New-York at O'clock it, usual hour At Stamford was
about eight minutes behind the time. Little If any line
could be gained between Stamford and NorwaIk &C
count Of the grades and was about the number Of
minutes behind time at Norwalk II was under the mAn-
sgement Of Charles H. Comstock conductor and EdWd
W Tucker as engineer The rules and regulations OF the
Company do not make the duty Of the conductor to OBJ
serve the signals look out for danger upon the road but
that responsibility rests upon the engineer who has charge
Of the locomotive The engineer T. however subordinate
to the authority at the conductor in relation to the time and
manner in which the train shall be run.
When this train emerged from the cut aforesaid, the
absence Of the ball from the pole upon the bridge was
observable and could be observed most Of the distance oil
thirteen hundred feet from that point as heretofore
stated The engineer at his post the conductor IN
the second passenger car and unOccuped-the taking oil
fare between Stamford and Bridgeport the only places ~
which the train stopped being the work OF few minutes
only The absence of the ball signal was not noticed
or If noticed was not needed The train descended the
Grade and passed the Depot, and around the curve
near the commencement Of which the absence of the ball
WAS again observable for the distance of fifty feet at the rate
Of not less than twenty miles per he and obviously with
ont snv regard to the condition Of the bridge When had
reached within three hundred and sixty feet OF the draw
and in sight of it, two sudden sharp alarms OF the whistle
were blown; the engineer, fireman and brakeman esped
from the train and rushed with unbrOken speed into
the openng at the draw There was not sufficient
time to break up successfully, and the places 81 which
the Engineer and Brakeman jumped of indicate that 1t was
imperecty attempted if at all From the time whenthe
whistle was blown TO the time when the locomotive entered
the opening there could have been interval OF more
than eleven IN seconds The engine and tender were
about 40 feet long weighed about tun and passed in its
descent quite across the opening of sixty feet striking
against the pier on the other side The tender followed its
after end being thrown by the momentum over and for
ward so that il fell bottom up the engine and against the
pier The first baggage brought up against the pier
upon the top of the tender all being thrown to the opposite
side Of the opening The second baggage which con
tanned smoking apartment in which were several passen
gers followed next but got cant and being strongly bull
fell off little broken TO the north side OF the draw and
most of them in il were saved.
The 6r passenger car plunged into the opening its for
ward end crushing in as fell and struck upon the baggage
car and its after end falling into the water below On the
ton Of this fell the second passenger car buryng IN the
FRAGMENTS and in the water the occupants Of the first pas
seneer car About onethrd Of the third passenger car
was broken of and hung the edge OF the bridge the
other part remaining upon the track and staying the course
If the two cars which were behind.
In the confusion incident TO the OCCASION and in cOnse
erce Of the departure Of those who able to leave
= has not been possible to ascertain the number Of those
were Tins in an instant buried the water and broken
FRAGMENTS of the cars but is supposed that one hun
drd mus have been plunged into the opening including
those in the smoking car
We find that all the dead herein before named were OF
the number; but have not been able from the nature
f tho case to 6nd and have deemed necessary to
cd which of them were killed and which drowned.
We further find that every engineer and conductor
iii, road furnished by the.Company with printed time
fable and Instructions applicable 70 the same. And we
find that the engineer ard conductor on this train had been
60 furnished The instructions particularly applicable to
| this bridge are as follows
An train must run with care in approaching NorEak
River Bridge Trains going east from Norwalk Station,
nil, move around the with exceeding care and
dctors Of trains out Of lime cautioned abou, crossing
b bridge They will be held responsible for the safety Of
their trains.
The immediate cause of this disaster the negligence
and recA lessness OF the said engineer.
1st In running ind the at rate not less,
family than TIVE nty miles hour when, under crcgm
stances should it have been half that
Cd In not discovering that the ball down imme
diately after emerging from the cut.
Sd In not looking for he ball at the highway crossing
east of the depot
4h In relying he SAYS ne did, upon the flags OF the
switch tenders when he well knew that they
SIGHT Of the draw snd had nothing to do with it,
9Th In not running slower than usual wen the
track was wet and slippery'
In addi to all this he well knew that the draw
required TO be very frequently opened
In not discovering that the ball was down. think he
WAS guilty of gross negligence In running around the
curve at such rapid rate and under such crumst nces
we think him guilty OF the most criminal recklessness
At the same time do not think the entire responsible
ity of this disaster rests pom him.
As we have before observed the rules of the Company
do not make il duty the Conductor 10 observe the
SIGNALS nor are we prepared to say that they should
His other duties and his position the are such that
the duy imposed upon him, would probably be very i'm.
nersotly performed; aud may well be doubted whether
ANYTHING would be gained by way of safety passen-
if the engineer could feel that there was another with
whom he might divide the responsibility
At the same time forbe the expression Of our
oninon that every careful and prudent Conductor will
when not otherwise necessarily occupied endeavor to sea
whether the signals are down not In this instance he
admits that be did not though not otherwise particularly
occuped But he must have known that the train was on
This occasion and habtraly driven round the curve west
Of the bridge in utter violation Of the rules of the COMPANY
and this he might and should have put a stop to.
Nor do we think the responsibility of this occurrence
stops here.
The proof before the Jury abundant that the ordna
nv speed of that train around the has never been less
than twenty miles hour and it is incredible that the
officers of the Company should not some of them have
known that the train did not in the language OF their rules
move around the curve with exceeding care"
We further find that, for the protection of trains an
ureachpg from the East and OF all trains from the W.