The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-05-14
THE DAILY DISPATCH
THE NoRWALk TRAGEDY
VERDICT or THE JURY.

The New York and New Haven Railroad
Grasses the harbor OF NoF~sih d. Sou"' II
walk. one thousand and eighiys t 'ee' e's. ~.
-, 80 ,,o,n bridge. In the bfdse over
Tho channel of the harbor, and one nunueo
ara 6ftv .,hfee feet from the "e@, a"" III
there is a draw, which Fe'o"e1 -.
go, a central abutment, and leaves, ~nen
upoh J,1,a,,ss ,t sixty feet each. This
ope"' 80 ,nde, The care of William Hafiofd,
:, ne erspoyment OF the company as
- VI ,enIey. By the regulations oil the COM
nans il was his duty TO open tne ara" ior
ssa,a of boats and vessels when they
sas;,od IN PASS without reference To the time
,.Leo trains were due. 1eis being supposed
- IN accordance with the paramount rights
~ those in the legitimate use OF navIgabie
waters, and it was equally the duty OF those
having the management Of trains up on the
road 10 ascertain, before attempting TO pass
the hridse. and before they approached so
near ina, the train could not be stopped,
whether the draw was in a condition Tor them
to pass or not.
and in consequence of the departure OF those
who we're able to leave, il has not been posi-
HE TO ascertain the number of those who were
Tins in an instant buried in the water and bro
ken fragments OF the cars, but il is supposed
that over one hundred must have been piurg
ed into The opening, including those in the
smoking car.
We ind that all the dead hereinbefore NAM
ed n numbef1 were Of the number; but
we have not been able, from the nature OF the
case, TO find, and have not deemed il necessa
nv to End which of them were killed and
which drowned.
We further find that every glneer and con-
ductor on the roads is furnished by the Com
pany with printed time table, and instruc
nd We ind
that the ems ineer and conductor on this train
had been so furnished. The Instructions par
ticuiary applicable TO the bridge are as fol
lows:
"All trains must run with care inapproach-
ing Norwal X River fridge. Trains going east
from Norwaik Station, will move round the
curve with exceeding care; and conductors OF
trains, out OF time, are cautioned about cross
ing the bridge. They will be held response
bic for the safety of their trains"
The immediate cause of this disaster was
the negligence and reckessness OF the said en-.
gineer.
lst In running around the curve at a rate
not less, certainly, than twenty miles On hour;
when under no circumstances should it have
been half that.
2. In not discovering that the ball wa
down Immediately after emerging from the
cut.
Sd. In not loot ing for the ball at the highway
crossing east of the depot.
4ih. In relying, as he says he did, upon the
flags ofihe switch tenders, when he well knew
that they were not in sight of The draw, and
had nothing TO do with it.
5ih. Ia not running even slower than usual
when the track was wet and slippery.
La addition TO all this he we'll knew that the
draw was required to be very frequently open
ed.
In not discovering that the ball was down,
We think he was guilty of gross negligence -
In running around The Curve, at such rapid
rae, and under such circumstances, we think
him guilty Of the most criminal recklessness.
Al the same time we do not think the en-
tire responsibility of the disaster rests upon
him.
They then state how the ball signal is ar
ranged to give notice that the draw is OPEN
At the first point it is visible. it can be seen for
distance of 300 feet; it is then partially OBJ.
secured, and cannot be seen clearly for 100
feet: it is then clearly visible for 800 eet il is
again obscured for 100 feet and then visible for
distance of 400 feet; being 1900 fee flom the
place where it is first visible. From this
point the ball is obscured until the depot is
passed. Having passed the depot it is visible
for so feet-at this point the train is 1000 fee,
from the draw-and is visible and remains Sc
when the locomotive comes within 564 feet Of
the draw.
They then 60 on to say:
AT the time Of the trag ~dy the draw was open
and the draw tender was just about to close
il. 1t had been open fifteen minutes before fol-
the passage OF the steamer Pacific. The bal
was lowered before the draw was opened; wa.
dDwn when the train tba
where It's absence could and should have been
noted-and remained down until the train ar
rived and plunged in.
The Train was overdue at the time of theoc
currence, about eight minutes; but as the draw
tender was acting pursuant to his directions
the Jury dc not lind that any blame can attacf
to him and i1asmuch as the regulations o
the Company were in this respect in accord
ance with the paramount right of those en-
gagged in navigation.
"When the train had reached within three
hundred and slxty-nine feet Of the draw, andlir
sight OF II, two sudden, sharp alarms of lht
whistle were blown; the engineer, fireman ant
brakeman ieaped from the train, and it rushed
on with unbroken speed into the opening al
the draw. There was not sufficient time 10
brake up successfully, and the places at which
the engineer and biakemen jumped of. indi
III
From the time when the whistle was blown
10 the time when the locomotive entered The
opening, there could not have bt en- an interval
OF mere than eleven Qi) seconds The en-
CINE and tender were about 40 feet long,
weighed about % tons, and passed in its des.
cent, quite across The opening of sixty feet,
striking against the pier on the other side.'
AS We have before observed. the rules of the
company do not make ii The duly of the con.
cuctor 10 Observe the signals, nor are we pre-.
pared TO say that they should. His other du
lies aud his position ia the cars are such, tn
ihe duty, if imposed upon him, would proba
bly, be vtry Impeffectly performed; and il ma,
we'll be doubted whether anything would b,
gained by way OF safety to the passengers. i
the engineer could feel that that there wa
another with whom he might divide the resDon
sihiiiy.
AL the same time we cannot Corhesr H.
preston OF our opinion, that every careful on,
prudent conductor will, when NOT o,ber,. -.
necessarily occupied, .ndeayor to saa ''tn use
me s'ghai IS down OR not. In this instance
ne admits that he did not, thonph NO, IN.
VIE particularly occupied. Butbe mus, ' W.
s snS s maj me train was, on this occa s;on
a on n"hHualiy, driven round The cprys ,aes
VI 'He bridge III utter violation n H. 80, "'s
and II