The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-05-18
Mourning.

Mourning.
Ihe papers come to US, with sad and
fearful accounts of the mortality occasion-
ed by the Railroad accident on the New
Haven Railroad.
Americans have learned to respect hui.
man liberty. When, in Gods name, will
they learn to respect human L1rEr The
old world could teach US lessons, in con-.
~nection with life upon our great thorough.
fares.
The New York Tribune gives some of
the fearful details
"The drawbridge, where this awful &C.
currenco took place, is about $50 yards
from the Depot, and the signal cannot be
seen therefrom.
Tho accident occurred at about 10 o.
clock yesterday morning ; and from all
the testimony the Engineer seems to have
been guilty Of the grossest negligence.
The draw-bridge had been opened to
admit the passage of the steamboats, Pa.
ciic, and the signal was accordingly low.
cred. The Engineer neglected 10 take
notice Of the signal. and the train of two
baggage and five passenger cars came on
at tremendous pace-wiihout s~lackening
speed in the leass-to the bridge, which is
SIS feet across; and so great was the mo-
mentum that the engine leaped across the
gulf and struck its fore part against the a.
butment ON the other side.
The engine. two baggage cars. and two
passenger cars, were hurled into the river.
which was at high tide. The distance
from the level Of The Road to the water is
about twelve feet the depth Of water about
the same. The forward end Of the third
passenger car was smashed up, and the
hinder part prevented the remainder Of the
train from sharing the same fate.
The scene beggars description. Men,
women and children. who a few moments
before were anticipating the fortunate ter
min alton Of their journey and meeting with
anxiously expectant friends. were in the
~twinkling of an eye launched into eterni-
ty and DC souls were hurried before their
Maker without a moments warning.
The instructions for the signal manage
ment are as follows: When the bridge is
open, and trains are not to come along.
the signal is lopered out of sight. When
all is. right. the signal a large red ball) is
raised on a tall pole, and may be seen at
the distance of half a mile. but cannot be
seen from the depot. At night the signal
is lighted inside. The bridge is situated
behind a sharp curve, and cannot be seen
from the depot. The distance of the depo,
from the bridge is about $50 yards.
The engine and baggage cars complete.
ly fill up fi,e gap of the channel at the
bridge The passenger cars are drawn to
the bank OF the river, and are complete
wrecks. Most Of the dead were taken out
before f9 O'Clock Nj. The total number
Of passengers on board the cars was GIG
besides the servants Of the Company.
Prom the evidence at the inquest, and
thing about the matter, we learn that the
signal ball had been lowered fun Is min.
utes previous TO the accident. We could
not learn from any passenger or citizen Of
the place. nor from the evidence addaced
at the inquest, that the whistle for stacking
speed had been heard, as is usuafin going
through q town ; on the contrary, the speed
was greater than usual. This would seem
TO countenance the report that was current
in Norwalk TO the effect that at Stamford.
the Conductor told the Engineer to drive
like heb through Norwalk, as two men
wanted to get off there, and he would see
them damned first.
Great gloom hangs over the scene ofthis
wholesale murder. The people gather in
groups and speak in saddened whispers,
telling some new incident in this dreadful
tragedy. A young couple who were mar.
ried in New York last evening, were GO
ing to spend their honeymoon in Boston,
when their happiness was shattered. and
the unfortunate bride with her jewels and
robes still on her, met with a watery grave.
There are many incidents of the most
heart-rending nature. that. had we time or
space, we could relate /; but the following
must suffice. A young gentleman by the
name of Robinson asked us if we had
heard OF the safety Of Mrs. and Miss Rob.
inson-(we had just espied their names
from their dead bodies)-he was the son
and brother Of the 1--we hapless ladies. We
told him the truth Ire was almost crazed.
The scene at tire car.house and bag
gage room was most solemn and impress
sive. Never shall we forgetit. Forty-six
OOotCS vi inO az WOub0Le oiIu WV IIttiC
children were laying around! The agon-
lied features, some covered with horrible
Commissions, or deep gashes-the foam is
suing from the mouth and nostrils, the
clenched teeth and hands, and the wet gar.
ments, forming a fableau most horrible.
The friends or relatives Of the deceased.
wandering from corpse to corpse, and ca
gerly seacling for the features of some low
ed one, rendered the scene not unlike that
OF a field ofbattle.
Uarien Ship Canal.
Maps, representing the surveys for this
Canal, have been received at the State De-
pariment in Washington. The company
is now ready to commence operations and
90 ahead with the work. The Canal is TO
he between the porfs of EScaSe and San