The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-08-05


ming At the rate Of fifteen miles an hour arrived At the
bridge. sitting In the forward passenger car, about
one quarter the distance from the rear Of the car when
felt ,hs engine apparently strike something Looking for
ward through of the windows beheld the baggage
dazzling into the chAsm, which sixty feet
deep. Immediately clutched the window and brAced
myself for the expected shock In moment the paseen
ger car in which was was following lhe baggage
into the water the seats began TO fly in every direction
one struck me N the head and neck, loosenng my hol
and driving with great force 70 the opposite side Of
the car, where, fortunately, got my arm into another
window, and held on firmly until the crisis was over
When the struck the bottom the seats and oil the pas
senger except myself driven by tho force Of the
crash which tremendous 70 the 10 yer end Of he Car
and into the rho front end Of the broken
to atoms for about opehlrd lts length the rear ca
pitching in behind ana striking the bottom Of tn,
car which preceded It, and which stood nearly
perpendicular upon It's end in the water crushing still
Farther the forward passenger car and causing IL to fan
back directly the top Of the car which then stood
at an angle OF some ninety degrees, one end restog
agsinst The abu,ment Of the bridge. then made my
way cut Of the window 70 which was cngrg and whch
twenty feet above the the water,
the edge Of which lowered myself down by Of
the windows. Here found the passengers, shattered
timber broken Seats baggage, &C., In one aGalgauased
mass, which completely CT 'ked up the chasm. ime
datey fastened TO render whatever assistance could -
my fellow passengers, which work OF DO little dS
fculy and DANGER owing 70 the position Of the Fragments
OF the broken The which utterly de-
8es dcscrpon the shr,eks Of The wounded the Of
the dying and agonzed Of help from oil oasrters
were enough TO dsant the brsvest Each one vas TOO
much bruised himself to render any assistance TO hs
fellow sufferers lying around in every direction. Never
fhrlr,o thoua
alter washing their own wounds, aud andng them
selves st alive, rendered every possible assistance
to the iess fortunate. until all in whgn life was
not yet extinct snatched froa their Tc-.ious
situation. l noticed young lazy iyiag partially
under water, with q large piece Of timber across
"as bent in the water in such way tia. jus, hcr
ara shoulders we're visible; on removing the imber
relieve others found to my great joy thu. she Bill:
alive and almost entirely uninursd One mao, who fell
under the tender OF the engine bad leg broken
ana was entirely covered Will raobsh he Tor a1ne
time WILDLY sh,ieking for help before could ascerain
whence the sound pr oceeded At length crawed
portion of enc Of the broken ciearoe
away the wood and broken portions Of The TENDER until
discovered him just above the ~ Of she water sue
ceedius after much labor extricSting him from hi.
dreadful position Upon enteT-,g Toe rear car sc 5000
succeeded IN raising the dead boos of Mira Cooley tue
conductors wife, and Der mother, Mrs Cuyer Uooo rue
sight OF the bodies The CONDUCTOR although severely
jureo himself fell upon tina, of hs wife, uttering
frantic ard hearrending excam OF grief, We
were obliged TO drag HIM away iorcibiy and lead him
sshere Renamed upon the scene of the terrible acc
cent until about eleven O'Clock in tho evening wnep.
there being living to relieve, being some VIVA,
lame and exhausted, ! was helped into the
schsg6coke for our relief and was con to the hotel
IN the village. the wounded mad already been By
the car TO the hoel and private houses OF scnsg
where every kindness and attention sho them.
have 70 hesitation 10 ptopouncng every tmoer OF the
bridge "a rotten or badly decsyed. Iexamlned IL tho
, zee Of timber tbs ~ss not entirely decayed a.
formed by the farmers OF the neghoorhood that the rail
road managers hsa been repeatedly warned by them
selves and the employees OF the durng the past
that the bridge was most unafe and dangerous conG
ton In conclusion, desire 10 notice the ~orthy
comuendab able spirit MAMIE s.ed by Mrs. Johnston aud ner
soD OF Albany IN assisting to extrcse the wounded aud
in relieving their suf;trings. JOHN D. DEX Ger.
Er. Dexter states tina. he took the dimensions OF the
brcge. and foun them to be folio Of bridge
sixty feet; height OF abatmspts forty two Feet depth
water al the time Of the accident from eight
Mr. Dexter has aso furpihed the folio wing
Of names ano resdence OF the killed and wounded
john c. Payne OF Dayton, Ohio, instead Of Montreal,
Carada
Alex. Forbes, Of East Hslberry, Canada
Thomas Eaibert, OF ths city.
David Ruese Killed, ia aon OF widow RUSSELL Of Ferry
street, Albany.
Mr. Prentice of New York city, injured slightly about
the head and body.
Char, Perry, who was wounded, was his way home
TO Illinois nom CaremODt, H.
TIE coRoNER's INVESTIGATION.
From the Albany journal, August 4
The following testimony, taken upon the Coroners in
vestgations to this terrible accident Important
showing the condition of the bridge when the accident
happened
George wilkns sworn-Reside 10 Schaehtcose oc
cupator carpenter have worked set railroad bridge
eome Blk DAP worked on II yesterday (toe 2d getting
reaey to rase new bridge Whist was the coalition
Of the old bridge? A. They thought safe
stand there great while the bridge ceceyed 10
places the cords most aia ,ted; tho
nmbers which runs from aoutment 10 abutment, we're
much decayed at the ends but were better iion
little way from the ends these tim aefs OF white pine;
know that Mr.. James Cooley has called William Wae.
the Superntendents attention condition Of ths
bridge several times; suppose Mr. Cooley charge Of
the work Of erecting the new bridge tniux the bridge
bas been built about six years. DO not think
there has been timber enough furnished ny the Goa aDy
TO keep the bridge in safe repair calculated TO have the
new bridge dooe today length Of the bridge sixty FIVE
penter; work for the Albany, Vermont aud Canada Rail-
road was to work yesterday the romhamnock BRIDGE
putting blocks under the ends Of the cords; the OF
the od CORDS were decayed as aeo were the old blocks
should think they were so decay ed that they
over and above sae have noticed anr in Crossing tns
bridge, ind should think the bridge Bottled oou
inches when trains crossed shook considerably and
thought II ought TO be attended to- raised end the
CORDS up for the purpose Of putting in new blocks which
bridge since the Dew blocks were put in,
Jsrnes Cooley s.orn.-Resde in Albany; am carpep.
.ef have hen 70 work on the bridge six days
do not consider that the bridge safe; to
CONCLUSION tia orlcge was not safe week or txo
ago. considered unsafe from the fact that the ends Of
the lower CORDS were rot,ed badly.
Albany, Vermont and Canada Karosd see TO the repair
pg the track FROM Albany TO Eagle nri1ge; ran ,u
gravel Train over this briggs ' ak o'clock yes
erday crossed II four or tive times with loaoed and un
loaded cars; think gravel train loaded az heavy as
passenger eAn ucsiced nothing unusual N crossing this
Y5oge; considered itgasc; bad rot examined it, judged
was safe fson running over ~ have been under tne
bridge, and have noceC that cord rotten, chose
to The ahasneat; did not ooz at any of the coraa;
noticed this decayed cord about week ten days ago.
Charles A. Jcnes sworn-Tas engineer the trau;
left Schagbtcoke at twenty eigh. past Blk had
proceeded atont Of mite the acct
eent occusred our nstrrcons slov crossing
bidFes bad sisckered up rome; tell fast
we're eoing not over ten miles per hour when came
near eaos TO sne bridse to slack up, oticed ihs, The
VAN Go not SLOW as usual; the bfakemen are habit
Of putting On TIE brakes without waiting or Tie whstle
| then shsted down brakes; the engine had nearly
crossed the bridge the forward trucks being she su
mens felt thas the bridge was giving way the engine
jumped, throwing me back and as / had hold
Of tho throttle, It put oc all steam the cousliur
between the tender and engine broke, the tender
weht downs we had four cars in the usintwo bage age
md tyo kDn Tho