Litchfield enquirer., 1853-05-19
RNa NnrEaIk Dlsasfer.

dent, and which. makes the whole mum" ber yaxaat:f fvs. Of this number, nine resided in New York city, five in other parts of the Stale. and twenty four in N. England. There are included two cIer~ gymen, eight physicians. sixteen women and two children. The engine has been raised and the wreck of cars entirely re- moved. and no more bodies discovered, so that this, must comprise the whole number of lives lost the engineer, Van Wick, and one or two others remain in a critical state, but the rest of the injured are recovering. Ike Railroad Company a,e disposed to settle with those injured and the friends of the de- ceased. without resorting to legal meas ures, and have already adjusted some ot their losses. The Coroner's Jury rendcF> ed their verdict on Tuesday, After re- capitulating the main features of the catastrophe. they say:
 The immediate cause of this d sasfer was the negligence and reckessness Ol the said engineer.
 1, In running around the curve al rate no. less, certainly, than twenty miles an hour, when, under no circumstances. should
 il have been half that.
 9. In not discovering that iEe ball was down, immediately alter emerging irom the cut.
 3. In not looking for the ball at the high way crnssing cas. of the depot.
 4. In relying, as he said he did, upon the flags of the switch tenders, when he well knew that they were not in sight 0i the draw, and had nothing 10 do Mlih ,!Iu il. al when the track was wet and slippery.
 In addition to all this, he well knew that the draw was required to be frequently opened.
 In not discovering tha; the ball was down. we think he was guilty of gross negligence. in running around the curve al sucl: a rapid rate, aud under such circumstances we iIlnk him guilty of the most criminal reckessness.
 Al the same time, we do no, think the entire responsibility of this disaster rests upon hun.
 |. As we have before observed, the rules of the Company do not make il the duty of the Conductor 10 observe the signals, nor are we prepared 10 say that they should. !, His other duties and his position in the cars are such, that the duty, If imposed upon him, would probably be very imper> feclly performed; and |: may well be doubted whether anything would be gained by way Of safety 10 the passengers, # ,be the engineer could feel that there was ans other with whom he might divide the re- sponsbiliy.
 At the same time. we cannot forbear lLe expression of our opinion, that every care ful and prudent conductor will, when not necessarily occupied, endeavor lo see whether the signals are down or not In this instance, he admits that he did nnr, though not otherwise particularly occupied. Bul,he nust have known that lhe train was, on this occasion, and habllually driven lEtnnd lllo curve wee, oE tlte bridsein utter violation of the rules of the Company and this he might and should nave put stop 10.
 Nor do we think the responsibility of this occurrence stops here.
 The proof before llIe Jury was abundant hat tue ordinary speed of that train around he carve has never been less than twenty mics an hour, and it is incredible that the officers ot ihe Company should not some of hem have known that ihe train did not, in le language of ;heir rules, "move around he curve with exceeding eare.'"
 We further find-lAa,, for the protection h trains approaching from the east, and # all trains from the west stopping at the baE signal was sutficlen, in> asmnch as trains starting from the depot II Norwalk will not attain much speed before coming in sight of the bridge, that hey can be easily stopped if the draw should be open but, for trains coming from he west which do not stop at the depot he signal YVES insufficient.
 At the meeting held at Norwa,k, the following resolutions were presented and unanimously passed:
 Whereas. A great public calamity oc cured on Friday fast al lhIs place, surpass. ng all others which in this State have pre- 'eded II, by winch many mos, es,imahe ives We're los, to their families, lhelr kin | lred' and the Society in which they lived ''o'h'ns in deepest mourning the hear,i stones of New England and our Country therefore by this meeting.
 Be tt Resoloed, l That we tender to ,he r 'elaIlves ot the deceased, wherever they nay be, our deepest sympathy, ard express 'ur iervenl hope that they may find, each | and every one of them, consolation in looks Ing |" lha, Being beinre whom it becnmes "s "'i 10 bow in humble recognition of His power.
 Resolred, 9. That we leave to the Cor. one:'s Jury 10 find upon whom rests ,hc | sad responsibility of ,he late casualty, our ch'ef duty being to bring before ,he Leg stature the necessity of more effeciualIy for the security of the future.
 Resolced, S.. That memorial br preses, ed to the Legislature of this State. now in 'ess'on' praying for the enactment ol such avs as shall, so far as huma i;,resoh, can