The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1873-05-08
PRouprScr, II /, April 20, 1878

give my loyo to all inquirer trends.

Providence Il /, April 26, 1878.
NJ. Edaor:
1t is my pleasure to once more com
pile" few Proyidential items for the
"out-oftown" department Of your pa
per
Nothing especially calculated TO
furnish news" is transporting here
now. We have had q few days of ex.
citemeut since last wrote you, how
ever. You have, Of course, had ex.
plict accounts of the terrible disaster
on the Providence a. Stonington r. R.,
and supposing such to be the case, it
may not be well for me TO enter into
any special or minute details Up to
the time Of writing dead bodies have
been recovered from the wreck, all
burned nearly beyond the point of re-
cognition. Besides these, % wounded
have been brought to this city for
treatment, at the r.. l. Hospital, some
with limbs broken and fractured and
others with face and form horribly
mutilated. The accident occurred a
few miles out Of this city, at small
station known as Richmond Switch,
about 4 o'clock Saturday morning last
The train was a fast, night express,
known generally as the "Stonington
Steamboat Train" which runs in con-
nection with the Stonington line Of
steamers to New York, between Bos.
ton and Stonington, via. Providence,
At the time Of the disaster the train
was running at the fast rate Of 40 miles
per hour. Just past the Richmond
Switch Station, a bridge crossed a
small mill stream, which at the time
was swollen high by the heavy rains OF
last week 4 few rods above this
bridge stands mill aud dam, the lat
ter Of which gave way TO the increased
pressure of the water and rushing on
the waters undermined the abutments
Of the bridge and swept it away, Icay-
. Ing chasm 80 IT, wide. into which
the doomed train plunged. without a
moments warning of the danger. Sd
great was the speed Of the engine that
( it,leapod the space, and imbeddcd itself
I in tbo opposite bank OF all the cars,
| 10 number, only two remained on the
track, iigc being preoipitated into the
|Hycr, and entirely demolished. 70 add
I n the horror the cars took fire from
tho overturned stoves and lamps, and
I the poor wounded wrciches unable e
escape. we're burned to a crisp. Tho
engineer and fireman were instantly
killed and were only known by th6
positions they occupied, they being
burned beyond all hope Of recognition
The stone work Of the bridge las stood
Coz 80 years without repairs. which
/ fact pes pie think win bring the ston
jugton railroad corporation into th'
trouble of showing up whyioro
Economy is good thing to be sure
bus It is bad virtue for a railway
company 70 practice % that extent a'
60 leave gudoue things that should
have beeu done etc, etc, and thus
place 20 jeopardy lhe lives 81 th5s,
who pay for passage ever their deal
falls Mr. Railroad Commissioner Ste
/ ples organized board Of inquiry. and
tive evidence taken was placed undel
seal to be acted upon by tho hay
F Legislature
The Supreme Court has f3r twt
weeks past been dealing oe, justice t.
mur1erers one Hughes has gone
over the river TO reside f9F Ito, ia
the staas Mansion u State CAaaty
90 those who slay, co, aud slash, AID
+ az manners q wicked tAiags Hughes
kicked hs wiic 10 death, and a. VI
caa't haag here be took TIE next best
we had board TT life with plenty q