Litchfield enquirer., 1853-05-19
Connecticut Legislature.
 MAY SESSION, 1853.
Remarks of Dr. Beck with.
0f Litch6eld. on tbe subject of khe late
 Railway Disaster, in h1e House, Nay

0f Litch6eld. on the subject of the late
 Railway Disaster, in k1e House, Nay 7M.
 MR. SPEAKER :-I rise to second the resolution which has been advocated with so much truthfulness and eloquence by the gentleman from Sharon, (Mr. Smith, and fully concur in the sentiment em- braced in the resolution. that the recent railway disaster at Norwalk, most imper. atively demands thorough and impartial investigation; that it may result in such legislative enactments as may prevent a re-occurrence of such wholesale destruc- ton of human life. So oft repeated of late, have been these catastrophies, tha! almost every breeze which sslutes our ears is loaded with fresh victims of suf> feriug humanity. Information, few days ! since, was received of sad accident in New Jersey, which was soon lost in the more serious accident in Michigan. While these tidings are still sounding in our ears they are forgotten in the terrific re- suits of the more recent catastrophe, so extensive that the details are not yet fully developed. Enough is already known to send chill of horror through our land, and the profession to which I have the honor to belong. mourns the loss of some of her brightest ornaments. One. who belonged to this city, who had been distinguished for eminent usefulness and those virtues of character which en. noble humanity, and had been invested with the Highest honors of the profession is instantly deprived of life. Fairfield County, also. has sustained an irreparable loss, in her Beach and Massachusetts. in her Smith, Gray, Bartlett, and other sons.
 A meeting had been held in the city of New York, of the American Medical Association '; it had brought together at least seven hundred members of inc pro. fession-the largest body of Physicians which ever assembled in Convention. It was composed of the elite of the profes. sion-embracsd the delegated wisdom from the schools and Medical organiza. tions of 20 of the 3l States of the Union. And the Empire City. through its Mu. nicipal authorities, its Medical organiza- tions. and it's individual professional wealth, had determined to outdo in tho sumptuousness of its entertainments al
 the other cities of the Union. It was
 also, "a feast of the mind, pure ban
 quet of the heart" Important matter
 and immense interests engaged the atten
 ton of this coDgregated assembly of dis
 tinguished members of the profession
 At length the convention closed it's labor
 ard it's members are widely scattered C
 resume again the fields of labor and use
 fulness, and to meet on the threshold o their homes the loved ones, who, impa } tiently chiding the slow passage on th' dial of time which marks the hour fo' th' arrival of the railroad train. But in thu
 midst of their high hopes and joyous an licipations. the startling intelligence | received that the train bringing to thsi
 homes. the delegates of the Nationa , Convention, has been arrested by terri !, ble accident, that fifty or sixty person have been buried in the ruins of the carl
 and then submerged beneath the surge of the arm of the Sound.
 Is it surprising that such a repor } should excite consternation in the com munlty-where the strong man has n , advantage over the infant of days, or tn 3 aged veteran ? and to add to the horror g of this affecting scene, those who wer i; not destroyed by the collision and GOT : cussion, fnd watery grave. lis haE s to die in the midst of friends-to say tf s l parting word, and wrap the drapery e our couch around him as if he woald ], down to pleasant dreams" but sudd' $ death, far, far from friends. has tenfo