The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-24
RICHMOND SWITCH SLAUGHTER.
The Testimony at the Official Interrogation
Statements by the Conductor and Others on
the Inflated Train-Horrors Of the Acct
dent-The Bridge and Mill Dam
Inspection No security-The
Inquiry Closed with DE
cision Reserved"


Railroad Commissioner for this State, was COM
menced to-day. $685. eg8e mHe
THE TESTIMONY.
Orrin s. Gardiner testified-Have been conductor
on the New York, Boston and Providence road for
the past eighteen years; generally run boat
train; was on the train on Saturday last; we had
an engine, tender. three mats OF crates, one second
class three first class and one smoking car;
had an accident that morning at Richmond
Switch; 80 far as know seven bodies have been
recovered; think twelve or fifteen persons were
injured; three iats, second class car and two
first class cars destroyed; at the time OF the
accident was about four feet from the front door
OF the rear car; we were running at the usual rate
OF speed; my first movement was to show red
signal to the rear train; then went forward and
found mixed up mess; the morning was misty
and dark; 1t must have been about $40 O'Clock;
three cars were on the track, and one end OF one
seemed TO be over the bank; did not see nat cars
should Judge they were bottom up under the water;
don't know that saw any OF the train men until
they came with the injured men; four OF us were
uninjured; the fire spread very rapidly; one car
was telescoped; judge that the nre caught in Sec
ond class car; how l cannot say, but deck hand
showed me his shoe and said 1t
BURNED FROM THE FIRE IN THE STOVE;
got an axe from the wellroom at the station, also
coal h0d to bale water; used the axe on the side
OF car to cut man out; did not succeed because
the flames drove me away; Mr.. Brown, the through
baggage master, was at work rescung passengers,
and came near being burned; he got out several;
have been over this bridge in daylight within
short time; all the employees and myself worked
hard to get the passengers out.
WALKER s. MONROE,
brakeman and lookout for baggage on the steam
boat train. said he was in the rear smoking car
the time OF the accident; saw Mr.. Gardiner
thrown into the air IN the car; he shouted,
"Nhere is the red lightf" told him, and he asked
Where Is the white tghty" Mr.. Gardiner handed
me red light and MIR. Durham white light; l
jumped OF, ran back and signalled the
lack TO Richmond switch; went to q
eats got tea, bread aud cake and carried them to
some of the wounded; went te the wrecking train
carried hem to them; saw Mr.. Gardiner er' doing ling
fl' he sud; he seemed to be everywhere doing all
that Was possible.
Frederick Beales, brakeman, testified similarly
THOMAS srRAaUE, CONDUCTOR
OF the night mail Train, testified as follows WAS
on my train on Saturday last; stopped some fifty
rods from the wrecked train by signal light; saw
ington and get Mr. Matthews, me Superintendent,
doctors and such help as could; went back and
first went to Mr.. Matthew's house; Mr.. Matthews
me to tell Mr.. Prouty, the agent, to get
all the help ne could when ! left my
and tell the watchman there to get what doctors
he could; at Stonington we got help. and together
Sex the ana ~ te car y Mr. Mat
gether we mad q tram made up on this train we
mad mattresses maj pillows tmeers &c; we must
train; we went Immediately to the scene OF the
accident.
John N. Shay engineer OF the night mail train.
corroborated the testimony Of Mr.. Sprague.
Virgil Q: Hudson, house surgeon at the Rhode
Island Hospital testified Ten persons were
IN wv n;a tAet Gofu
day afternoon from the disaster at Richmond
Switch; four were brought on mattresses, and the
other six were able to walk into the hospital with
slight help; Judge from their appearance that
everything had been done for their comlort that
we now have seven OF the wounded in the nos.
pital; five have been discharged.
Lewis =: smitn, Joseph uimstead, John keough
superintendent, conductor and employees did all
they could for the passengers.
THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES INSPECTION ORDERS.
A. >. Matthew'S Superintendent OF the Stoning-
ton Railroad, testified :-Gave orders to the bridge.
men to examine the bridges and report to Rae
when any thing is oil ORDER my instructions are
to send men over the road every day, including
Sundays; they go over IT with handcar, and II
anything is wrong they fix It, II possible report
at once; never knew OF any instance where these
orders were dsobeyed; think there is more
water In the stream than ever before; this bridge
was fifteen leet between the walls ut the water
line and sixteen feet open; the stone foundation
was good; me bridge was probably built in 1884 or
sidered the mason work to be very substantial,
and that 1t would resist anything within the
bounds OF reason the wood part was composed OF
hard pine stringers two rail tmbers, SX16 inches,
bolted together under each. over span of sixteen
feet between the walls; no recent repairs
have been needed, to my knowledge; have been
to Richmond Switch since the accident; the stone
work is washed out, being undermined; the mill
never was any trouble before at this bridge from
the rush OF water; the only alteration / should
by the experience gained from this acct
dent; had 1t not been for this accident would
build similar bridge over IKE stream: think
there is not usually strong current In the stream
the country about the pond Is nat; the pond flows
back a long way; since the accident have run an
iron rod down eight feet and struck stone at the
fallen abutments;
HOW THE BRIDGE WAS EXAMINED
William f. Dewey, repairer OF bridges on the
Stonington Railroad, along the whole line from
St0nington to Providence, testified as ioows:-
Examined the bridge at Richmond Switch a fort
night ago particularly; found the bridge sale as
far as stone. wood and iron could be, in my
pairs were required went over and under the
bridge; there was from one to two ieet OF water
ana not much OF q current; saw no more water in
usual; the woodwork has been on the bridge Tor
three or four years; rebuilt the bridge at that
time from new stock, and 1t was thoroughly re-
built; should build another bridge in the same
manner II it were not Tor this accident; the chasm
ton OF the bridge Tell in.
STATEMENT OF THE MILLDAM OWNER.
George N. Ennis sworn, testified Am owner OF
property now; there was no greater quantity Of
water In the pond this Spring than formerly; the
dam was built with stone wall on the back side;
dug to a hard pan for the foundation; the wall is
four feet thick at bottom, tapering to two feet at
top; primed 1t with boards on the lower side to
stop breaks; backed them with dirt fifty feet
AT bottom and twenty at tep, with drive way;
rip-rapped the wall on the water side to protect
the dam when the wind blew; the mill gate was
left wide open and the wheel gagged: was about
the dam nearly every day; saw the dam few days
before the accident: 1t seemed TO be all right tine
|
the strongest part OF the DAM the pond was about
forty acres In extent, OF an average depth OF six
feet; never had break In the dam before: have
doubt some person started the water by dredging
q ditch across the dam.
James q. Kenyon. miller, testified IRAN the mill
where the accident occurred; the water In the
pond on Friday and Saturday was about the same
as usual; left the mill on Friday about hall past
i've O'Clock; left the mill gate open and considered
everything perfecflY safe there were unusual