Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-12-19
The Nor,hii.id Catastrophe.

Bridge, near that place, AZ whleh the ue-
positions of the engineer, Abbott, AS
slstant 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.
or Mortified, being duly sworn, says
NV age is 46 years. My occupation Is
that OF engineer. Have been In the en-
ploy of the Vermont Central Railroad |
Company for IA years. ! was running
the construction train at Mortified on
the 18th of December, inst, that carried
the workmen nom 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. It's 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 teuder. 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 Off.
There was about 80 men on the
train at the time of the accident. Mr.. Il.
Tenney, (master bridge builderO Daniel
Lyman, Sidney Bliss, James Farrel ana
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 20
miles per hour. 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 l re-
member Of till we got most up to the
bridge. When got to where | made a
practice of easing off the steam, L turned
around and opened the furnace door.
Sidney Bliss spoke to me and asked II
the engine did not work in her frame. l
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 I was getting nearer to the bridge
than was aware of. shut the steam
of and reversed her Immediately. TIE
brake was worked on the engine by my
=, fireman fJas. Farrel), and another man
, did not know. When they applied The
brake frst, think l was about twice the
length OF the train north Of the shaaty
, when reversed the engine. Was run
e ming not more than eight miles per hou
: when Z reversed the engine. Think tn
shanty is not more than the length o
the train from the chasm
4 The passenger car and the tender wen
u over the nbutment, the shackle between
the engine and tender broke and de
tached them from the engine. The en-
CINE drivers went within three feet G
the end of the rail, and the END Of tn
:, rail was about two feet from the edge {
the abutment, or chasm. Jumped o
before the engine stopped and al on tn
d engine did the same. | was the las
!. man that left the engine. The car wer
down endways and the tender followe
it. The car lay right side up when &C
D. I'D. left the engine when the tendt
re wes going over. l jumped on the eaE
es side, Maj. Tenney said nothing to n
shout running after we left the depot, nj
did any one else. l think asked Tel
f. ney d questionin regard to some lumb'
Mt going up, but an not positive. When
st reversed the engine, the drivers sli
ia along on account OF the rails beir
frosty. 1t is against the rules of Il
road for passengers to ride ca the engiI
y, on regular trains, but l do not consid
he it so on this train. Mr.. Tenney had tt
so control of nae in the mode CT runnin
or the train at this time. | was subject
his orders as | understood Mr.. FL.
Locklin, the Assistant Rsuperintender
n was on the passenger car at d
T. time of the accident. Mr.. Dewey,
ir- hand under Tenney came to me Tuesd,
noon and told me to run them up the
Va as soon as / could conveniently. II
engine was in good working order at q
,r- time. took the machine a year q!
ito last May. had small collision at Z
- sex junction last summer. Yves not d
LIE cided who was to blame, no parties we
H. hauled of. I hsve never been hauled
of the road for neglect Of duty. I W
oil discharged one fall on account Of ha
nc times, not for any misconduct, think
1858. Never was spoken to for fast ru
ming on the road. had eaten dim
cn | Wednesday. Have run as an engine
nd four years altogether. I had eaten I
dinner on the machine that day. / d
cb not leave the depot that noon; did t
- same the noon before did not 60 to a.
~ other place that noon. Don't think
re- made any reply to Tenney when he to
sd me to run up as soon as could al
ar. come back and get the others Us soon
I could. The hands could not all 9
dinner at once at the hotel as / undo
ZIG stood. Mr.. Tenney had never told I
ra- anything Of the kind before. / undt
.he stood from him that he was in a bur
&C TO get the men back to their work. TIL