New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-05-10


times discovered the draw open after stopping al Nor"a
and have stopped in time 20 prevent accident nave .f
heard that train has come within few feet OF the da"
and been stopped without accident the express train hAa
stopped the depot the accident would nOi nave hsP
pened have observed the customs Of me u I'm
FOR five years-ever since the opening OF Tue I'M
he las often thought that other and better reslH1I'
might have been made 20 prevent accident II j. conhy
remark by the people Of Norgak, that some tccleli "V-
happen from the speed at which trains pass this depot
! A. L. Beard sworn. NOrwalk-l reside on eievA.ca
ground about 20 or 90 rods from oHdge hA'e 80
Ofthe trains that stopped here stop again oeIofe IeAs nc
draw wa. In nv w1odbouse when heard Two quick STAT
Blow Of whistle almost blended mo one ine Ct an ' AZ
most Immediately iooWea-J OF ont dd
not hear il on this day; had heard people say ihat me *
press train did not slack speed on approaching So"t,
but he has often seen slacen at the cui ABOVE ne on
heard neope say that accidents would happen from ths
rand rate at which il went through not perhaps rom
crossing bridge but from people who might be IN the way
II might be stopped before reaching the bridge from P3s
the dfp6 be present al the scene Of the accdeh no
assisted in scuing and also in taking care OF the properly
ofhe deceased should think accident tho
Engineer oareessnes know the tram must nave Desn
the other side Of Darien which 81 miles from tins deP'
Al the time the ball lowered always supposed the Oa
signal was efficient enough; never heard any Complaint
from any person that the signal was not suhcient .
Hon. Thomas b Butler Norwak-Ih- ball Is hrst visi'
bic at the north east end OF east protection wall az Tue CUT
th MONT il 40 feet from end Of draw the bal Is
distinctly visible for 300 feet from that wall toward the &c
pot it then partially obscurtd by trees Tor distance o.
100 feet; II IS again distinctly visible for 300 eet II IS
aoaip partaly ObcuTed for lUO ct IS again dsthc!
visible for distance of 400 feet il is again partially 90
by trees for 100 let ana tneh eOlAy hu
den by buildings for the distance OF 2JO eet ana unu
WON come upon the highway north east Of the depot az SIN
upon the highway il is visible for about % eet ana aSa
obscured by buildings for distance oi 90 lee' anu
Won AZ that point come in sight of ball aud draw
his point is 564 feet from the opening OF the draw
the north end of the draw when Is opened may De seen
some feet farther off the west corner OF the bnck pot
terry where stated to have been blown Is 1863 feet from
draw; the well 80 feet from draw the west abutmen
of bridge from draw is % feet the commences OIO
feet from draw we measured upon the rail with 50 feet
chain and mark ed each chain made allowance for the ee
walton of the engineer; have been upon tram when
stopped the open draw but ain not prepared 70 say
that il through any neglect OF the parties having
The Jury then, on motion adjourned until O'Clock
AFTERNOON sEssIoN-2I O'CLOCK.
Mr. g. T. lSfmonds, Superintendent Motive Power Of
New Haven Raroad-I see that the engineers have their
instructions receive them from the Superintendent they
printed notce he could not say positively that gave
this engineer those instructions, but positive he had
them; think asked him he had them the time tables
furnished the engineers contain all the instructions for
crossing bridges, &c new furnished the engn-
GERS this morning he had not with him the furnished
Them before this last one but thinks they substantially
the same had looked them and did not discover any
essential difference this last time the engineer has been in
the employ the Company about two months he has run
ON Western roads has known him engineer for the
mast eight wears give all my men verbal instructions at
different times do not recOllect giving him in particular
any positive instructions has given him special instruc
tiOns about the bridges some SIX weeks SINCE ne mas Deen
on all the trains they have several extra men, who are their
best men, and kept extram he an extra man lhave
been working engineer about 10 years IN Oggy weather,
and when there is little rain il is very slippery on the
track but in very wet weather does not make much diff
ference the morning of the accident there was little rain
and very slippery this may be safely passed at 30
miles an hour if no bridge with bridge 10 or - miles; at
10 or 70 miles per hour with good track dryack 1t could
be stopped down that grade in 500 feet men all at
the brakes 600 feet in ordinary cases like this would be
as short distance they could hold up IN there are not
engines road powerful enough TO stop train IN
double its length when gong AT 10 mites per hour ne
should think that this engine reversed from what he
had seen of it, ndirom what the fireman had told him he
Thought that an engineer might be neglectul of his duty
Tho
negligence Is not the duty OF Conductors to look
| after signals, though they sometimes do so; on this
train the breakmen generally look out for signals the en-
getr and conductor can communicate with each other by
the signal bell il a conductors business to see that the
engineer keeps time the printed instructions GO NOT
specify at what rate Of speed the express IRAN snail proceed
over this bridge and round this curve we sometimes
off track ana break q al to pieces aud at another
time do srarcey any damage ne should think the engine
ngb have cone over the draw in the way she did il going
no faster than 10 miles per hour he should think the APP
peaance Of wreck Indicated at least speed OF 10 miles
ner hour there are three breakmen, including the way
baogaoeman he did no. know where these were; he
had very busy he should think this number OF men
was sufficient he should nothink similar accident would
occur here again for time this disaster would be
warning; he thought the signals were suhcent hethoug
he sbOud be willing trust his life and limbs on tins road
although the road had been very unfortunate he thought
the lives of persons of more consequence than the
wages Of man to keep constant look out dd not tnk
similar accident would occur aganin three years perhaps
Eduin HAIL. Norwalk-I the bridge when the
train coming did not see go down did not hear
the whistle SIS passed the saw two persons Jump
off on TO the em6ankmen before they to the bridge
/ saw one leap from the locomotive.
Aaron Saunders Norwalk-I was at the fish market at
the time heard the cars the market fifteen twenty
rods from the bridge Iheard the whistle but think
close the bridge they going about the usual speed
have seen going faster that morning she gong
al q pretty good gait.
M a. Sired Norwalk-I went down the track sun.
day morning the purpose of asceraning what points
could see the signals about twOthird of the distance
from the depot turned round and thought the signal
walked few PAGES further and turned again and found
was deceived IT was brush tree could see the signal
plainly about five eighths of mile from the bridge
went down again TO where inst what thought
was the signal and could not il well in cloudy
weather this object likely to be mistaken for the signal
NV conclusion is that the signal is not sufficiently high
cannot be seen now SO well when first erected owing to
the growth OF intervening do not think the
mems are sufficient for the safety of passengers when the
srans are running at full speed;
Mr. Nathan R0beyfS, Norwak-l was ON the dock al TIA
time of the accident saw leap from the train should
think that was going at 20 miles per hour should think
the speed was the usual did see the kemSn
apply the brakes they blew the whistle twice; when they
blew the train 10y the well which Is about 6O feet from
the bridge he went with boat he could he
Jaw the ball lowered and should think that It had been
down 10 minutes at least recOects very distinctly seeing
the ball lowered before pin was started IN the bridge
Cant paskam former brdgeman remarked that he dd not
think they would open the bridge before Inc uuh came
Pfiqadey T. Coe sworn-I stood within egh rods Of the
bridge al the time along he saw something IKE
bundle issue the train and went south SIDE OF bridge
and saw large mSn lying there much cut &c did no
see the brakeman apply the brakes the train was going
full as fast as usual, should not say faster.
Harder T. Smith Superintendent OF Danbury ami Nor
walk RarOad-Should think 10 miles per hour TIN,
bridge and round this curve, would be sale speed oat
shopd not think faster one would be safe if their drec
ons allow faster speed than TO or l2 miles per hour they
are ouiy Of could not habiualv neg
ec instructions without being discovered by his OH ers