The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-09
NAUGATUCK RAILROAD ACCIDENT
Full ParticulorS-Eight Lives Lost
Four of the Bodies FOund-Verdiet OF
he COrOner1a


The Naugatuck Railroad accident of which
the telegraph, always laconic in its utterances
and limited to facts, hard facts, sometimes very
hard facts, gave photographic summary yester-
day morning, proves to have been an occur
renee of uncommouly harro wing interest, as
well from the manner Of the casualties result
ing as from the number of deaths thereby in
cure d. No accident has happened upon an
Eastern road for several years which has Gre
ated in its immediate vicinity O sensation so
painful and general. About two miles from the
small town Of Thomaston the Naugatuck Rail-
road crosses considerable tributary OF the
Naugatuck river. A Junction between this tri-
butary, which is OF considerable width at this
pCint, and the Naugatuck, taxes place about
half mile south of the scene OF the disaster.
The facts of the occurrence are as fOlloV VS.
Late on Thursday night, or rather carly on
Friday morning, just as the engine had nsaeA1
the bridge that structure, loo SOC cd o,,oloI,I, b
tpe .WeignV oi '' ne ram, and not having been
subjected TO critical examination since the
heavy ain of a few hours before, suddenly sank
in that portion occupied by the baggage car.
The car coupling was torn asunder instantly,
and the vehicle itself, containing sixteen per-
sons, of whom fifteen were employees of the
company, sank suddenly into the river, and was
WbIEled over and over and away by the swollen
flood. The force of the current acting upon the
baggage car, already at its mercy, swung 1t
round with sufficient momentum to draw the
forward passenger Cur from the track and head
IT down the stream in the wake of the vehicle
already submerged. At this point, however,
the coupling of the passenger car gave way,
aud the inmates were saved by fortunate acci
dent from participation in the fate OF the sixteen
VINO had gone before. The passenger car was
thus left with the forward and swung round at
right angles from the track and in about three
feet OF water; and, saving night anq~DruHes
the passengers escaped unharmed. Meantime
tie -baep1ge car, with its fated sixteen, was
swept down the river with singular velocity
the stream being swollen to SIX or eight feet
more than it's usual depth by the giving way of
dam, known as Wilson's dam, about three
miles above the bridge The vehicle, made q
Whrligig of by the current, in ten minutes had
passed the junction of the stream with the
Naugatuck, and still continued Aoundering in
the current. Two miles further it was swept
along with dizzy rapidity over the dam at
Thomaston, and mile further after that
leap, until it finally grounded one mile below
the village and three mules from the scene OF
the occurrence. So rapid was the motion OF the
current and so swiftly was the car hurried
along by the Let, that men on foot with the
utmost running we're unable to keep pace with
it, and horses were Impressed into service to
enable the rescuers to follow IN easy wake OF
the shTiekiDg sUtierers. During the singular
voS age three persons, all tackmen, were
gaining the shore; and when at last the unfor-
! tunate impromptu craft was made FAST hve
| others, also trackmen, who had chung to the
| debris throughout its dreary voyage down the
| river and over the Thomaston dam, were taken
| off with sundry bruises, but not seriously hurt
Only one passenger was hurt out of the fifty
on uOdtu the lIhln, anu III THAT hlnRle case Jut
| injury was slight and consisted only of harm
| less cut upon the head. The engineer, Henry
Aben was considerably though not seriously
bruised, the eng ne being thrown from the track
and lett cliuging TO tx abutment OF the bridge
| The immediate cause OF the disaster-thC
remote though principal cause being the insult
cheney of the bridge as a structure for its pur
pose-was the carrying away by the freshet of
dam known as Wilson'S dam, about three miles
above the spot VIII re the accident hap )ened
At the tin G Of the occurrence, therefore, tht
stream, as stated bY Mr.. A. S. BuTs, conducto
OF the train must have been some eight or nine
eet hpher than usual, and had been beatinl
with all the momentum OF water suddenly le
loose and struggling TO find its level ae ainst tn
insufficient piers Of the bridge, which, Jhougl
the newest and safest on the road, was after al
not safe
The conductor was in the 6rst passenger ca
when the accident took place, aud, on gettinl
! out ana seeing the baggage car gone, states tina
he supposed that u bad sunk to the bottom-i
having within three minutes from the momen
2 o the accident been Hept far out Of sight. TIL
I scene as the car swept down the stream, th
8 UNHAPPY mariners Who clung thereto sbriekin
J fuT help, and the Hitting OF men on shore to an
I fro with lanterns and shouting anon one TO tn
! other at the top OF their voices, must have bee
I thesis for pen painting which, to have vii