Litchfield enquirer., 1867-09-12
Terrible Railroad Accident.
SEVEN LIVES LOST.

SEVEN LIVES LOST.
 By far the most serious railroad accident that ever happenedin this county, or in the State, except the Norwalk disaster, occur red on the Naugatuck road, in Plymouth, on Thursday evening last.
 A little over half the way from Thomas ton station to Fluteville, small stream called Leadmino Brook, which takes it's rise in the edge of New Hartford, empties into the Naugatuck through it's eastern bank. A few rods from it's mouth, this brook is crossed by short railroad bridge, with an abutment on the lower side and trcstle-work on the upper, leaving about two car lengths between. At four 0 clock, Thursday afternoon, this brook was no higher than usual, but from five to seven, it rained terrifically, raising the water moro than ten feet to within two feet of the bridge itself, and so undermining the abut- ment and the trestle-work under the bridge as to make it incapable of sustaining the weight of train.
 It was near eight when the evening train arrived at this point. Honry Abell, the engineer, slackened his speed before reach ing tho bridge, but the headlight of the engine showed that the rails were in thcir proper place, and he went on. As soon as the engine struck the bridge, he felt it set tic, heard the tin,bers crack, and it stopped short on the trestle-work, injuring him slightly. The baggage car smashed entire Y through the bridge, broke it's couplings als that Conductor Beers who was in the first car, supposed it had gone to the bottom of the river, Had the train becn running at ordinary speed, the two passenger cars would undoubtedly have followed it into the river. The baggage car swept down the brook in the darkness, to the river, and then swiftly down the latter, the men on it crying for help, and those on shore follow ing at the top of their speed. It went over Thomas dam, a low obstruction about three quarters of mile below the bridge, foatcd down by the village of Thomaston, and finally grounded in the shallow water just above Terry's dam, fall fifteen feet high, where the car and all on board would cer- tainly have been destroyed. At the time of the accident, sixteen persons were in the car: the baggage master Lucius Skin ucr, express agent Egbert Sperry, 8 boy; and gang of twelve track-repairers, with their overseer, John Softly. Five of the trackmen were taken from the car at Terry s dam; and the remaining eleven of its original occupants either swan ashore or were drowned. Among the former was the baggage master. MT. Skinner, the boy, and five of tho trackmen were drown ed; and the bodies of all have now been recovered MT. Skin ner was 8 resident of Winsted, had been ten years an agent of the Adams Express Co, but had resigned to take effect on the lst of October. He had conducted his bu- siness in remarkably faithful and accu- nte manner. He leaves wife and two sons His life was insured. Egbert Sper- ", the boy, was a son of Egbert W. Sper- " of Wolcottville; tho trackmen were all residents of that place. All the bodies re- covered, except that of MT. Skinner, show serious injuries received, probably in the fall of the car.
 On Friday, coroner's inquest was held, and the following verdict rendered.:
 State of Connecticut, County of Litchfield, Ply mouth, September 6, 1867. The undersigned ju- r0rs being duly impannelled and sworn, to inquire into the causo and manner of the death of Lucius skinner, Egbert Sperry, Patrick Roche, and James BombaFy, whose death were sudden and untimely, and the cause and manner of which was unknown, having viewed the bodies of said deceased, and considered the evidence given us, do, oaths, say, that the said persons came to their death by accidental drowning, caused by the cars of the Nsngatuck railroad being precipisated through a bridge, which, in the minds of the jurors was an insufficient structure. Whereof we subscribe our n&znes:
 (Signed,) F. J. whittemore, foreman; D. A. srt Aieott, Chaunccy Bidwcll, A. C. Shelton, Aaron 1nosnas, J: M: Peek, Ira N. Bevans, David Shelton Sohn N. Wood, jurors.
 The Hartford Couant and Press censure Inc railroad company in the following se- we're terms:
 For years the money that sbor,d bo,.o ho0,, o,,, ployed in rendering tho Nauratrct sago Iaa hna, useu eo swell the scini-annual dividends of inc so9aPsny; a P The wretched character of tho track f s, ana ronlng stock has long been notorious among Railroad Commissioners, we are informed have no even contemplated the necessity of taking meas. ures to make the managers fulfil more Dronerlv the duty which they owe to the public.
 The Waterbury American, on the contra ry, justifies the conduct of the Company. and makes the following statement:
 The facts in the case are that the truss work of