Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1853-05-13
Most Terrible Accident on the New
Haven Railroad.
NoRWALK, Ct, May 6.

q The railroad train which left New York
st 8 o'clock this morning, ran OF the open
drawbridge, BY which so or 80 persons
were killed or drowned, aud as many more
badly wounded. ,-
The cause of the accident is attributed
solely to the engineer, in failing to observe
shat the-signal was given that the bridge
was open, until too late to save the train.
A red ball is erected on tall poll on the
draw. When this is displayed from the
top Of the pole, it signifies that all is right;
but if the engineer can't see it from point
about q quarter Of a mile distant, where
there is sign on which is written "Look
out for the draw" with a hand pointing
in the direction of the ball, he must stop
It is shown in evidence before theCoroner
that the ball was down from ten to fifteen
minutes preceding the arrival of the train
The engineer is named Edward Tucker,
and has had long experience. He was
injured about Is months ago by Il railroad
collision, fer which be was not blame
worthy, and was enabled to resume his
occupation only about a month since.
The train consisted of five cars, and con-
tanned lis passengers. 1t is thought by
the conductor, that had the rails not been
vet by the falling rain, thereby preventing
an efficient actions of the breaks, the dis
aster might have been avcrted. Upon
heading the bridge, the fremen and en-
gineer leaped from the engire-the latter
fell down an embankment, injuring him
self severely. A bystander describes the
scene when the locomotive plunged into
the abyss, as terrific. For an instant it
was in mid-air. Then, with crash, it
disappeared, with the tender, from sight.
The Boston baggage car piled on to this
in an upright position, the top nearly even
with the track on the bridge. The smoking
and mail car, containing the postoffice,
fell next. The first passengers car sunk
and filled with water. 1n this the princi-
pal loss of life occurred. But few were
in the smoking car, aud not one Of them
were killed. The second passenger car
turned over, but most of its inmates esca-
ped. The third car broke in the centre,
but hung by the connecting rods on the
edge Of the bridge till the rods were cut.
The water over which the bridge is con-
structed, forms part of Norwalk harbor
and was from ten to fifteen feet deep when
the accident occurred, which was about
Eve minutes before ten o'clock, at nearly
high water.
Numerous boats Immediately surrounded
the wreck, and the survivors were taken
ashore and removed to adjacant houses.
Scarcely one was able, unaided, to reach
the shore.
Fifty cofins have been purchased by the
Railroad Company, and bro't to the sta
tion. The dead bodies as they were bro't
in were marked, and placed in them.
Upon those who were recognized, the clo-
thing on them at the time of the disaster
was allowed to remain, while those who
were unknown were stripped, their valua-
bles placed safely away, and upon their
persons clean linen shrouds were arranged.
The wounded are distributed in various
houses-some twenty in number-in the
village.
The locomotive was under such head |
way when it ran of. that 9efore it reached
the water 1t strucL; the aJu,mcnt on TIC op-
posite siae-a distance # about si.ciy feet.
The tender, baggage car, and two mail cars
came next. Two passenger cars went into
the opening of what had preceded them
the third broke in the middle, and half of
it went down.
The scene was horrible in the extreme:
persons gasp;ng in death, mutilated bodies,
hands broken, some who ..had apparently
only been stunned, drowning in unconsci-
BUSINESS of their condition. One young
man had splinter of some two inches in
diameter driven directly through his tenn
pies. Others had their faces so mutilated
as to present no human scmblance.
Mr.. Thomas Hicks, the artist, was in
the FIRST car with Miss King, of New York
city. They occupied a seat within four of
the rear end of the car, on the right hand
side, facing the engine. Mr.. Hicks de-
scribes the scene as follows: The cars were
seemingly going at the usual rate, when,
without warning or intimation of any kind,
he beheld the front part Of the car rushing
toward him in fragments, the passengers
being tossed in the air like cball, dashed
up against the top of the ear, and thrown |!
about in a hurricane of destruction. In
an instant he found Miss King gone from
his side, and himself crushed under the
partially fallen roof Of the car, and sur
rounded by a choking atmosphere, in the
midst of shapeless mass of ruins, dead
bodies on every hand, and the darkened
m, ,,r.l1,, Gill; H. lara,, /