The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-04-21
Another Railway Horror.
A Passenger Train ln Connecticut
PTec1pitaIed into a Creek.
The Wreck Takes Fire and Many
Peraons Burned TO Denth.

dreadful accident occurred to the steam
boat train on the Stonington & Providence
Railway, this morning. The steamboat
train from Stonington Tor Boston, fell
through the bridge at Richmond switch
Six cars were burned and fifteen persons
arc supposed to DO killed. Nine bodies
have already been recovered from the
ruins. The accident was caused by
Greshct. The engineer md fireman were
burned to u crisp at their post.
BosToN, April 19.-A dispatch from
conductor Gardiner says the train was all
burned but the smoking car and another
car. About fifteen or twenty persons
were burned to death and quite number
wounded.
SroNINoroN, Conn, April 10.-The
steamer Stonington arrived here at about
2 o'clock this morning. There were
about 40 passengers who took the $3.50
train from this place for Providence and
Boston. At the Richmond switch, a dam
across a small mill stream had been car
ried away, letting the water from Ennis
pond, which supplies the power Tor the
grist mill, down upon the Railroad
bridge, located about 300 feet distant,
completely washing it away. No one
lived near the pond, so the breaking
away of the dam was not known until the
train was thrown into the chssm. One
OF the iron rails on tho opposite side OF
the track was driven completely through
the engine. William Guile, the engineer,
and George AlridgC, the fireman, died ut
their posts, and their charred remains
have been taken from the wrecked en-
gine. The former leaves family.
The killed arc very much dislgured.
Seven bodies have been recovered. Con.
ductor Orrin Gardiner escaped. Thomas
Nolan, through brakeman, was seriously
injured in the thigh, while the other
brakemen escaped with slight injuries.
Tho killed as far as recognized, in addi-
tiR to those mentioned, are Albert Allen,
Providence; Jerry Cameron, Boston, and
John Callihan, New York. There are
about thirty.fve wounded, somc Of whom
are seriously. 1t is thought that several
bodies have been washed down stream,
as the flood was probably at Its height.
The engine made fearful leap, passing
over the stream and embedding itself in
the opposite embankment. Three passcn'
ger cars only were burned-two frst'class
cars and ono second class The other
three cars burned were what railroad men
call baggage fats. Tho three cars that
contained the baggage and express crates
wero what prevented greater loss OF life.
Tho bridge has been repaired and they
arc again running trains.
Conductor Gardiner was jammed in be.
tween the seats by the shock, but avcrted
q double disaster by Immediately calling
out for some one to so back with sig
nal Of danger for tho mail train which
was Just behind, and approaching ut
rapid speed.
Jonas Halstrom, d passenger, gives the
following account Of the accident: Flo
was on the lett hand side of tho rear end
OF tho car, and in front OF him, on the op.
posite side, near tho stove, were two
young men, apparently from 90 to 25
years Of age, and directly behind them
Benjamin R. Knapp, Jr., Of Boston. Hal.
strom, Immediately after the shock, heard
the young men and Knapp call for help
to extricate them as they were wounded
and held fast by the splintered portions Of
the preceding car. On reaching Knapp
it was found that one oI his legs was in
jured, and Halstrom and several others
set about to extricate him and the two
young men. Suddenly q volume
of flames shot into the car door
and instantly tho mass Of splinters were
on fire, the flames rushing through tho
cor as quickly as though the wood had
been q lot of hay. Tho rcscuers had
barely timo to relieve Knapp from his po.
sition when they were obliged to fee for
life, and the two unfortunate young men
were lett to meet their terrible fate, and
burned TO death In a very few minutes.
With these exceptions, none Of the other
occupants In this car arc known to have
perished, though quite number had mar
row escapes. Just before tho fire burst
into tho car, Halstrom and others were
engaged in prying up the stove which i'm.
priSoncd two young men who wero seated
beside 1t. The bridge whero the disaster
happened is between thirty and forty feet
wide, and the depth Of the chasm about
twenty Icet Nearly forty rods above
this point is grist and saw mill on
PawcatucS river, and supply Of wa
ter for the mills is received by
means of the dam. The storm swept
away the dam, and the water in the
stream below rose to height Of ten feet,
carrying away the railroad bridge and
abutmcuts which were found about fifty
rods below. The rails at either end OF
the bridge were lett sticking up and when
the train came dashing along the engine
and tender leaped the chasm and landed
on the opposite side, and Immediately
behind werc two crate cars which plung'
ed into tho opening followed by the sec
ond class passenger car containing num-
Der o! Gmigrants and party OF sailors
belonging In Boston, who were returning
from New York. As this car piled upon
the crate cars 1t was splintered into kind
ling wood, and the persons inside
were tumbled into tho river and with
one exception were saved uninlured.
In the rear Of this was car which con-
tanned but two passengers and Thomas
Nolan, the brakeman. The next car was
occupied by quito number Of pssscn.
gers, and was the ono in which Halstrom
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