The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-05-07

yesterday morning, but being too late for the ocsc
tain they went in tbs eleven O'Clock train for bridgeport
DEPARTURES FROM THE HOWARD.
| HuDgsFford, New York.
| Dr.. Graoy, Springfield.
Miss willard, Springfield.
| DR.. Hockbridge, Bath, Ne.
| Dr.. Daniel Thompson, Northampton, Mass
Edward Sharks, Waterbury.
Dr. John Benson. waterville, Ne.
INCIDENTS OF THE DISASTER.
The engineer and the watchman at the bridge do not
In their account - to tho signal the engineer asserting
tnst the DALI which served as signal up, signify
ing that al was right, while the other maintains that
was down. Tho engineer and fireman have both been Ar
rested
Mr.. Fuller, the baggage. master was aware but too
Late Of the danger and stesded himself to receive the
he was taken out boat from his perous situ-
ation From the manner in which the cars wore thrown
over It was impossible to get at the dead bodies until
holes had been cut in the roofs At tho time Of the &C
cident 1t high water.
Among other touching incidents, a gentleman and
Lady who among the saved got separated In the
confusion and each imagined for some time that tho
was killed.
Statements Of Passengers.
ceved the following communications from two passen-
GERS
STATEMENT BY A PASSENGER.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK HERALD.
NoRwAIK Nay 8, 1863
One of the most terrible and fatal accidents that your
paper has chronicled occurred here this morning
about fifty minutes past nne by which no less than
fifty souls have been sent to eternity. started from
New York about eight O'Clock, In company with great
many of my friends for Boston, and all passed of in the
usual manner until we neared Norwalk, where the
bridge was left open, and melancholy to relate three
cars and the engine precptated into the river
distance of about thirty feet from the bridge The CON-
cussion in the last very violent and it was not
until leaped opt Of 1t that knew the extent of tho
awful catastrophe, which bafaed description. with.
out any delay, hurried to the edge Of the
bridge, and there to my horror beheld sosne that
shall not forget until the day I die. The engine was
stuck deep the mud the far sde and was followed
by baggage, smoking snd two passenger cars, al of
them berg totally submerged beneath the surface Of tho
water. The engineer Mr.. Tucker hada most miraculous
escape with his e but the conductor Nr. Comstock,
did not fare 80 well He in the smoking car at the
time and escaped out Of the door into the rivers there he
was pulled under water three times by the drowning
tures but eventually succeeded in reaching the shore in
. very exhausted condition. his head being severely
bruised his face disfgured and his wrist dsocated
The melancholy and heart rending portion Of my story
yet renainslo be told. Both Of the passenger cars
sid before, wholly submerged In the water tho
tide being full high at the time and the loss Of life
of very great There were in fact only about six
seven persons who escaped with their lives; all the
rest amounting to nearly nfty persons, were droTn.
-. -. m. s..... 49,. -, -4aoking car were
-. '"ss.s curious to say, not single life
,. " he Baggag master, Mr.. Fuller, who was
ported as dead, had very fortunate escape few
seconds before the accident took place. knowing that
something wrong he to the door Of his car but
could not get out. He then braced himself firmly In the
car and prepared for the crash which took place in
few seconds The being broken he escaped through
the wreck uninjured, with the exception of deep cut
across the
As soon as possible the bodies Of the unfortunate beings
in the two passenger shed up and laid out in
the depot and engine room where an anxious crowd OF
spectators endeavorDg to identify the bodies These
killed for the most part men-many of whom were
medical men who were returning from the convention
held In New York few days ago. Men were engaged
up late hour last evening in removing the bodies
from the wreck The excitement In the town is intense,
and of opinion that the accident caused
by the negligence of the engineer who was properly
warned by the lowering of ball. that the bridge was
up aHe however never neeueu the sna anu uIOVo tno
cars at the rate Of about twenty miles hour into the
midGle of the Norwah river The passengers in those
cars which were pitched into the river not inur
ed in the least The most curious portion Of the account
is that only two or three persons injured while
not less than fifty souls were without any warming hur
red before the throne of their Maker. young married
couple from New York. who were proceeding tAe ho-
ney moon, were both drowned, and were laid out
side by side in the depot. The eight O'Clock
train from Boston passed through here about
four o'clock the bridge having by that time been safely
repaired. The cars from New York crowded with
passengers containing the friends and relations Of the
killed. Many bitter tear shed by them the
corpses of those who for the caressness Of the
managers of this road, would be alive and happy but
now are numbe ed with the dead. The Indignation of
those passengers who saved beyond descrip.
ton several of them alleging that the engineer should
be hung and others saying he would be shot This town
is about foryour miles from your city, and stands
the banks Of the Norwalk river, up and down which
steamboats, continually plyrg. This melancholy
cident occurred in consequence Of seamb at being let
through the bridge when the train about due, thus
precpitang the right into the bed of the river.
This unfortunate accident will deep in many
hearts all over the New England States, those who
we're lost we're chiefly persons residing in the Northern
and Eastern portion Of the Union. VIDI
ACCOUNT BY PASSENGER FROM BOSTON
TO TH1 EDITOR OF TIM HERALD.
The dreadful casualty which occurred on the New York
and New Haven Railroad yesterday morning. will have
caused thrill of excitement horror and indignation To
spread throughout the whole community. Railroad acc
dents in this county are God knows too rife for us
to wonder at their occurrence but question ever
there has occurred in this any other country
fatal and deploable in its results and loudly calling
for legal and social denunciaton. was one of the pas
sengers who left Boston yesterday morning. BY the ex
press train which started at the hour as that from
New York, which had so melancholy progress. When
we reached New Haven casually learned from some
dlers about the station that dreadful accident had
occurred at Washington, and that thirty persons
had fallen victims. This intelligence spread feeling Of