Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1853-05-20
THE NORWALK RArL ROAD DHsAs-
TEN

THE NORWALK RAIL ROAD DISAS-
TER.
The papers filled with details of the late rail
road slaughter at Norwalk, Connecticut. The
number of lives lost we believe to be not less than
sixty. We extract from the New York Evening
Post, the following:
PARTICULARS OF THE ACCIDENT.
The Express train from Boston, on the New
Haven rail road left the Canal station in this city,
at O'Clock Friday morning, and at the upper
station the locomotive was attached, making the
train then to consist of two baggage cars and three
first class passenger cars. The baggage cars pre-
coded the passenger cars, and in the rearmost bag
gage ear was the smoking apartment This train
proceeded usual until it reached Norwalk for
ty-tive miles distant at half past 10 clock where
it did not stop, however, but went the top of
its speed. Half mile to the east of Norwalk is
bridge small stream having draw for
the passage of vessels. The bridge is about 100
feet in length and erected in the most substantial
manner, with very heavy abutments and braces of
iron and immense timbers. The width of the
bridge is sufficient for trains to pass each other
The draw portion of it is sixty feet in length
On the eastery side of the bridge is erected long
pole, some forty feet high, upon which is placed q
large red ball; with pules to hoist and lower, as
the occasion may require. This is the signal for
all trains to stop when taken down by the master
of the bridge. 1t can be observed for mile, eli
thcr on the cast west side of the bridge by the
engineer of any train. Iii rule of the road that
the speed of the engine should be slackened as il
approaches this draw. But this rule does not DIP
pear to have been observed.
The signal for safety had been Withdrawn full
ten minutes before the train approached, but heed
less of the warning, the engineer, Mr.. Edward
Tucker is said to be his name, dashed on at the
rate of nearly thirty miles an hour, until he reach
ed the open draw; when such was the momentum
with which the train was proceeding that the en-
CINE sprang across the ehasm of sixty feet, dash
ing against the abutment on the opposite side but
little below the level of the line of rails. The draw
had been opened to permit the steamboat Pacific
from Norwalk for New York to pass through, and
she had barely passed as the train dashed in
The engine was followed by the tender, which rest.
ed upon it, the first baggage went partly upon
the tender and partly alongside, the second car,
containing the smoking apartment, went alongside
the first baggage car and two of the first class cars
were dashed among the wreck of those which pre-
ceeded them, while the bottom of the last car was
broken in two cross-wise, the forward part being
dragged into the submerged ruins, leaving one
half the bottom and the entire sides and roof upon
the track. The water in the channel which
the draw is placed is from ten TO twelve feet deep
ut high water.
THE SUBSEQUENT SCENE.
those who were present, for the excitement, the
confusion, the cries and groans appear TO have de-
prived every one of his consciousness. The cars
were so broken that those who had not sustained
any injury from the collision, instantly stroyc to
escape through the windows and broken roofs, and
it is wonderful that under the circumstances so
many succeeded in their efforts. 1t is supposed
that all in the last car escaped.-those who were
dragged forward on the broken floor being thrown
on the top of the wreck escaping with few brui-
Those who were in the cars proceeding the
last, all immersed in the water, but far as
can be ascertained most of whom were rescued
The moment the accident occurred there were
strong and willing hands which manned small
boats fortunately lying near, and by their efforts
the rescue of the saved effected. Many of
those in these cars sustained Commissions of greater
or less severity. But few of those in the smoking
car escaped, and it is the opinion of DR. Mclean,
of Norwak who in attendance, that most of
those who lost their lives were killed by the crush
ing of the car.
The engineer jumped from the engine Just be-
fore reaching the gap the fireman eapcd off just
as the engine was going into the river Both ara
somewhat injured.
All the citizens of Norwalk were early on the
spot, and most active in their endeaN ors to
rescue the unfortunate sufferers The sides of the
cars were broken in with axes and many lives
were saved that had not assistance been prompt
" rendered must have shared the same terrible
fate.
The uufol tunatc sufferers who were not drown
ed or killed. were taken to the houses of the cii-
zens and most kindly cared for. The ladies of
Norwalk were most interchangeable in rendering as
sistance to the wounded.
One reporter writes as follows The scene Mt
the car house and baggage room was most solemn
and impressive. Never shall we forget it. For
ty-six bodies of men and women, and two little
children, were lying around The agonized fea-
lures, some covered with horrible Commissions, or
deep gashes--the foam issuing from the mouth and
nostris, the clcnched teeth and hands and the wet
garments, formed tableau most horrible The
friends relatives of the deceased wandering from
corpse to corpse and eagerly searching for the fea
lures of some loved one, rendered the scene not
unlike that of a field Of battle