The Portland daily press., 1873-04-21
TERRIBLE RAILWAY DISAS.
= TER.
The SfOningtOm Steamboat Train
Through a Bridge.
THE BRIDGE CARRIED AWAY BY
FRESHET.
Ten Cars Wrecked and Six Burned

PROVIDENCE, April 19.-The steamboat train
connecting with the New York boat at Ston-
ington, which left the latter place for Boston at
O clock this morning, met with a terrible ac-
cdent about fourteen miles this side of Ston-
| ington, and thirty-one miles south of this city.
The train left Stonington at five minutes past
| a. M, thirty minutes late, owing to the
| delay to the steamer Stonington caused by thick
weather on the Sound. t,.-5f
The scene of the accident is, as described be-
fore, Richmond Switch, little thirty foot
bridge across the Pawcatuck River, forty or
fifty feet above which were grist and saw
mill, the dam to which had been swept away
by freshet but a short time before, as the
Shore Line train bound for New York passed
over the bridge safely but two hours before the
arrival of the boat train. +Ir.. ~
The train was made up as follows Engine,
tender, two crate cars, second class passenger
car, baggae car and four frst-class passenger
cars, in the order named, the smoking-car be-
ing in the rear. The crates were loaded with
bananas; the second-class car had crew of
East Boston and North End sailors, who were
returning from New York, to which place they
had taken vessel a few days ago. liz 2
The first passenger car had but two Occu-
pants, the second and third were nearly filled,
and there were but few in the smoking car.
According to Mr. Jonas Halstrom and 9TH
ers, who were upon the train, it was moving at
the rate of thirty-five miles an hour at the time
of the accident. The engine and tender leaped
the chasm, landing on the opposite side, the
tender turned rear end up against the cab. The
crate cars struck the tender and fell back into
the little stream, and their freight foated down
with the smaller torrent.
The second-class car went down into the gull
ly nearly whole, and the forward end was SUBJ
merged in about eight feet of water The bag
gage car was splintered to atoms, coming in
contact as it did with the second-class car pre-
ceding it, not piece of baggage being saved
whole. -rD - ~-,
The first passenger car was shivered into
kindling wood as it telescoped into the next,
filling the latter full of small bits of wood up to
its centre, where stood the stove. The last two
cars were comparatively uninjured, and were
rolled back from the train as soon as it was dis
covered on fire forward III
BOSTON, April ia number of passengers.
survivors of the wrecked Stonngton train,
reached Boston this afternoon, among them
several of the wounded None of them ap-
peared to be seriously injured except Nolan the
brakeman who was taken to his home in Cabot
street. rr.es
The following, all sailors, and residents of
East Boston. who went from here to New York
in a ship last Wednesday, are among the
wounded: Thomas Burke, injured on head;
James Todd, on head and legs; Edward Mes
senger, on head; William Finley, head and
legs; George II. Brennan, head and legs; John
Hollngworth, head and shoulders; John Car
tin, head and ribs hurt and injured internally.
Conductor Gordon and the baggage master had
Just gone back into the smoking car when the
acclQenC happened. lne CONDUCTOR was Jamm-
ed in between the seats by the shock, but show
ed great presence of mind by Immediately call
ing out to some one to go back with signal of
danger for the mail train which was just be-
hind them and coming at rapid speed. Some
one of the unframed Immediately rushed back:
No one yet arrived in Boston can give list of
the dead or the number killed, but the general
estimate is eight to twelve. Ht eg54
BosToN, April 20.--All the injured by the
Stonington Railway disaster who have reached
Boston are doing WELL About three hundred
men were employed yesterday in rebuilding tue
bridge and getting wrecked engine and cars out
of the chasm, and the work was continued TO-
day. Meantime trains are switched to tenn
porary side track and proceed without deten-
ton.
The killed as far as recognized are Albert
Aiien OF providence, Jerry Camerer OF Boston,
John Callahan of New York, and the engineer
ceiVeo In relation to the killed and wounded.
statement of an Officer of the Road.
SToSINGIoS, Ct, April 19-T have just re.
turned from tue scene of the disaster So far
only five passengers and two emnIovaas have
been found killed The cause of ny ooo;da,,t
is very plain. The dam, $50 Yards oho1a tha
bridge, gave way and precipitated n;ie ,fu rmo
Der against the abuttments of the brdno I'LL
formed another dam, and the oyerAoSSo Witch
mined the abuttments Tho brjdge bos uluer-
20 foot span. The wounded, mostly emmy um,y
have been sent to the hospital in Proyidenca
The engineer died at his post with his hanSs -,
the throttle valve. There will be no fnrth on
interruption to travel.
tSigned) tt ID. S. BABCocK.
Vice President,