Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-12-19
The Sor,hfieid Catastrophe.

Bridge, near lnal pIaOei nv "n'NA '
positions of the engineer, Abbott, AS
sistant Superintendent Locklin, Bridge
Master Tenney and others were TAKEN
We have room this morning but for the
testimony OF Abbott, and shall give the
others day by day until concluded
FRANCIS ABBOTT.
OF Mortified, being duly sworn, says
NV age is 46 years. My occupation Is
that of engineer. Have been In the em-
pillow of the Vermont Central Railroad
Company for IA years. l was running
the construction train st Mortified on
the 18th of December, inst, that carried
the workmen from their dinner at North
field village to the "Harlow Bridge, so
called. The Harlow Bridge was burned
the Sunday morning before | commenced
running this train last, Monday morning.
Monday and Tuesday ran up about eight |
times each day. Wednesday, ran up
three times before the accident,-the
time of the accident was the fourth
time. tits about two miles to the bridge
from Mortified depot. 1t is up grade
to the bridge. backed up the train TO
where the bridge was, each day. The
train consisted of one passenger car, the
engine and tender, was detailed by
the managers OF the railroad to perform
this service, Was running the Train IN
the usual way had done before, when
the accident happened. There was no
protection put up st the abutment OF the
bridge to prevent the train running on.
There was about 80 men on the
train at the time of the accident. Mr.. IL.
Tenney, (master bridge builder,) Daniel
LYMAN, Sidney Bliss, James Farrell and
two other men, did not know, were all
on the engine with me when the train
went up and at the time Of the disaster.
think we left Northfeld depot about
quarter past one O'Clock, p. m. Mr..
Tenney got on to the'engine and told me
to ring the men up and get them aboard
as soon as | could, said he wanted me
to carry that lot up and come back and
get some more that had not eat their
dinners as quick as could. The men
got aboard and / started. might have
run part of the way at the rate OF 70
miles per hour. I did not whistle break
up the train, did not ring the bell. The
brake upon the engine was in working
order, don't know how it was on the
car. There was no conversation going
on, on the engine going up that | re-
member of till we got most up to the
bridge. When I got to where l made a
practice of easing off the steam, turned
around and opened the furnace door.
Sidney Bliss spoke to me and asked II
the engine did not work in her frame. |
told him she did. Some one on the other
side of the tender said then "hold on"
cast my eye out of the window and
saw was getting nearer to the bridge
than was aware of. shut the steam
| of and reversed her Immediately. The
brake was worked on the engine by my
fireman Gas. Farre), and another man
| did not know. When they applied the
brake frst, think l wss about twice the
| length of the train north of the shaaty
when reversed the engine. Was run
ming not more than eight miles per hour
when Z reversed the engine. Think tht
shanty is not more than the length O.
the trein from the chasm
The passenger Car and the tender wen
over the abutment, the shackle between
the engine and tender broke and de
tached them from the engine. The en-
CINE drivers went within three feet
the end of the rail, and the enc Of tn
rail was about two feet from the edge o
the abutment, or chasm, | jumped Of
before the engine stopped and all on tn
engine did the same. | was the las
man that left the engine. The car wen
down endways and the tender followe
it, The car layEight side up waen / GO
: up. | left the engine when the tende
: wes going over. jumped Ga the cas-
, side, Mai. Tenney said nothing to m
about running after we left the depot, nc
did any one else. | think / asked Tel
> ney d Questionin regard to some lumbe
t going up, but en- not positive. When
t reversed the engine, the drivers sli
Z along on accoInt o. the rails bein
frosty. 1t is against the rules of tn
road for passengers to ride ca the engir
T, on regular trains, but | do not consid(
e it SO on this train. Mr.. Tenney had tn
o control of nae in the mode CT runnin
= the train at this time. | was subject t
his orders as / understood Mr.. FL.
Locklin, the Assistant kSuperintenden
l. was on the passenger car at Il
= time of the accident. Mr.. Dewey, :
hand under Tenney came to me Tuesds
noon and told me to run them up the,
4 as soon IS / could conveniently. II
engine was in good working order at Il
= time. took the machine year az
n last May. / had small collision at E
sex junction last summer. WGs not
Is cided who was to blame, no parties we
i hauled of. I hsve never been hauled {
of the road for neglect of duty. 1 WI
al discharged one fall on account OF hal
ID times, not for any misconduct, think
1868. Never YVES spoken to for fast ru
L ming on the road. l had eaten dim
h Wednesday. Have run as an engine
d four years altogether. l had eaten n
dinner on the machine that day. / d
h not leave the depot that noon: did Il
- same the noon before didlnot go to al
81 other place that noon. Don't think
e. made any reply to TeDney when he to
d me to run up as coon as / could al
?. come back and get the others Us soon
/ could. The hands could not all 9
dinner at once at the hotel as unde
IL stood. Mr.. Tenney had never told +
l. anything Of the kind before. unde
r