Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-08-19
verdict of the Coroner,s Jury.


State Of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
Providence SC. An inquisition taken at Cum
berland, in the county of Providence, on the
twelfth and sixteenth days of August in the year
of our Lord eighteen hundred and fifty three, be-
fore Geo. l.. Dana, one of the Coroners of the
town of Cumberland in said County, upon view
of the bodies Of Thomas Brown, Bemis Rogers,
William Fullerlove, Jonathan Rogers, VIM. w.
Wood Mrs. - Plant, Peter Plant and AL
exander Charesworth, there lying dead, by the
oaIhs of six good and lawful men, who being
sworn and charged 10 inquire lo said State, when
how, and by what means, the said Thomas
Brown, Bems Rogers, William Fuelove, jon
athan Rogers, VIM. W. Wood. Mrs. - Plant,
Peter Plant, and Alexander Charlesworth, came
to their deaths--upOn their oaths do say,
That the afore named persons came TO their
deaths by the collision Of the morning train of cars
from Uxbridge, and the morning through train
from Providence. That the said collision hap
pened on the morning of August 18th, 1858, on
the Providence and Worcester Railroad, between
the village of Valley Falls and the curve north of
the Boston switch, in the town of Smlth6eld, and
that the said bodies were brought from thence TO
the public Hall in Cumberland, by persons TO the
inquest unknown.
That said collision was the immediate result of
the culpabe carelessness, inexpeTience, land want
of Judgment, Of Frederick w. Putnam, the con-
ductor of the Uxbridge train: in leaving the sta
ton at Valley Falls, when by his time he had
but four minutes 10 reach the Boston switch,
which we say was in disregard of the Railroad
Compan, s orders and instructions; in not pro-
viding himself with a suitable and correct watch,
his watch proving TO be two minutes behind the
true time, and vet it had been set with the Com
pany clock in Providence the night before the
collision took place.
We blame the managers of the road for APP
pointing so young and inexperienced as
Mr.. Putnam TO be conductor of the Uxbridge
train, one Of the most difficult, if not the most
difficult, train to manage on the road, and one in
which was involved the greatest risk of hnman
life.
We blame the managers for not ascertaining
that every conductor was provided with a suitable
and correct watch, TO run their trains by; and for
not ascertalning the reason why the Uxbridge
train, since it had been under the charge of MIR
Putnam, had almost invariably been behind its
time, and applying the remedy
We say that the train from Providence in
which were the President If the Railroad Compa-
ny, the Superintendent, and an experienced Con-
ductor, should have started from the Boston
switch, the very second the signal was given; by
so doing, it might have reached, in the one min
ute which it was delayed, point on the road
where it would have been in sight from the Val.
ley Falls station, and this great calamity would
probably have been prevented; which delay we
consider attributable TO the conductor of the Prov
idence train, in permitting the engineer, fireman,
and brakeman, to be absent from their places
when the signal to start was given.
Finally, We say thai the whole arrangement in
regard to these trains is bad.
There is no necessity for crowding these trains
towards the Boston switch, so near upon the time
of the train from Boston; that the Special Rule
In regard to these trains, at this point, is INSULT
Gent and that some signal, north of the curve,
and in sight from the Valley Falls station, should
have been used, to warn the Uxbrldge train of
the approach of the train from Providence. The
use of such signal would have prevented this
sad catastrophe.
In witness whereof, the said jurors have here
unto set their hands, the day and year above said.
NATHANIEL c. DANA, Foreman.
EDWARD STUDLEY.
BENJAMIN FESSENDEN.
WILLIAM ELLSBEE.
LYMAN POND.
DANIEL II. MILLER.
In witness to all the above written, the SAID
Coroner hath hereunto sci his hand and seal, the
day and year above written
GEO. L. DANA, Coroner