Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1853-05-14
THE LATEST NEWS.
INTO THE NOR
WALK CALAMITY

The coroner's inquest has brought out much
,es,imony in this tragic affair Edward Tuck.
:, the engineer in charge ofthe ill-lated train
n The New Haven railroad. swore positively
before the coroner's inquest at Norwak, on
sunday, that he saw The signal up when he
came in sight THE bridge. while there is over.
,gbelming proof that the signal can only be
.aen by the engineer for few seconds, AMI
"a be sure Of that sight he must be on stead
y lookout; seeing the signal and running eight
miles an hour, ins.ead oftwenty on Friday.
the rule on approaching bridges and villages,
there would be no difficulty in stopping tie
train by the brakes acne. The New York
Mirror, however, learns from gentleman who
came from The scene of the massacre on Mon
dawn II = 'lh.n tree had lately been trim
med 20 a. ~ resemble the signal ball, when
seen from distance; and that the jury are dis.
nosed to think that the engineer is honest in
asserting his belief that he saw the ball.
Capt Ira Ford, citizen of Norwalk, test
fed to the ball having been down when he
saw the train COMING. and the bridge tender,
VIM Hartford. says he low cred the ball fifteen
minutes before he saw the train coming, and
adds: had just started closing it when saw
the train; stood ON the bridge when Capt 10
seph Bixbie called to me to open the draw; |
lowered the ball, laid it on the bridge, then
went to the East end of the bridge to start tn
draw, to let the boat through; after he called
he was not ready. and had to wait; the ball
was down during all this time; as soon as the
The captains boat (the Paciic) was through,
went to the North end of the draw to see If |
could not get small boat through without
having TO open the draw twice, and then saw
tie train, the train was more than due when
the first boat went through am ordered by
the company To give boats the preference
when trains are due; don't think the small
boat got throughput can't tell as was much
excited; | was looking out for myself little;
TIhear tie train coming, Itcould not open tie
droW.
The engineer, (Edw. w. Tucker,) in add
ton to his asserting positively as to seeing the
ball up. says he believes the train was going at
the rate Of fifteen miles per hour past the Nor
walk depot. sounded the whistle the mo
ment saw the draw open: the brakes We're
not applied for if they had been think the
train might have been stopped before going off
the bridge; the engine might have gone in, but
not the cars; never read while on the engine;
HAD no paper yesterday; can stop train in
twice its Lengths was behind time eight min
utes when passing Norwalk.
George Elmer, fireman, sworn.-All know
about it is that the draw was open and we ran
off; did not look at the signal; it is not my du-
ty to look for it;the engineer halloed to me and
saw the draw was off, he whistled near the
bridge. we were going as slow as we ever do
around that corner;the engineer blew no wills
tie to brake the cars; We're going from fifteen
to twenty miles per hour; did not see Mr.
Tucker read;I saw him put his head out of the
window just before nearing the signal and sup
pose he was looking for it.
Charles H. Comstock. conductor, sworn
The engineer sounded the whistle after turn
ing the. curve. and the brakes wrre on; the
train was going at the rate of 10 or IL miles
per hour; think it might not be possible to
stop the train after turning the corner.
The Superintendent of the road gives the
engineer the hig hest character for trustworthi-
ness, so far as proved by previous services.