The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-07-14
A RAILROAD DISASTER.
THE WRECKED TRAIN.


TRAcK-THE KILLING OF THE sUPERIN-
TENDENT AND NARROW EsCAPEs-PER-
sONAL NARRATIVES OF THE sCENE-THE
STORY OF THE STATION MASTER.
The terrible disaster at Stony Creek Conn.,
which has been given already by telegraph,
proves to have been most remarkable one
in some respects. The New YorR Herald
correspondent writing from New Haven
on the 9th inst, says: The greatest excite
ment prevailed in the city this morning
caused by the announcement that train of
six cars had been thrown from the track at
Stony Creek, distant about eleven miles
| from New Haven, and that large number
of persons, OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
the number, had been killed. The tele-
graph Office was at once besieged for partic-
nlars of the affair. and later it was as
certaned that the report, so far as Mr.. VIII
cox WIS concerned, was true, and that seri-
Gus injury to body and limbs OF large
number of passengers had taken place.
President William ID. Bishop and Superin-
tendent Reed, of the New York, New Haven
| & Hartford railroad were fortunately in the
city at the time the despatch was received,
and they at once sent wrecking train with
men and tools to the scene, Mr.. Reed accom-
panying to see that all was done promptly.
Arrived at Stony Creek they found a scene
of destruction which pen is hardly sde-
Quate to describe. A locomotive was stand
ing on the track, and by the side of the track
near it, fifteen feet below, were
baggage and smoking car and
| four passenger cars, literally torn TO pieces,
and large numbers of men, women and chill
dren striving in the vain attempt to free
| themselves from the debris. The work of
clearing away the wreck was begun without
delay, and seventy-five persons. with broken
| legs arms, ribs, and all terribly bruised,
were taken TO tho depot at Cedar Greek.
Superintendent Wilcox, an efficient railroad
man, highly esteemed socially in this city,
was instantly killed. He wag standing on
the baggage car at the time of the accident,
lost his balance, fell, and the car fell upon
him, killing him instantly.
THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT
came from misplaced switch. Passenger
cars bad been left at Stony Creek on Sstur
day, and this train, bound for New Haven
from New London, and due here at thirty
five minutes past seven, stopped at Stony
Creek to receive passengers and take these
cars. 1t will be understood that the Short
Line has but one track. The cars stood on a
turnout, and the train backed down to the
cars. Switchman Beach had attended to his
duty, and when the train moved on the for
ward truck of the last car struck the end of
a worn rail next the end of the switch
rail- causing the switch to open again. In
a moment the wheels of the car, forward
and back, were running on the ground,
speed of the train increased. The train ran
IN this way a distance of $50 feet, when a
trestle bridge, approached by sharp curve,
was reached. This curve caused the hinder
car to cant to one side, roll from the track
and fall fifteen feet to the marsh below. The
second followed and so on until six cars
were detached from the locomotive, which
remained on the track uniDjured. Judge
! Harrison, of Guiltord, arrived az Stony
Creek, at ten o'clock, and, in the capacity OF
I coroner, summed jury of inquest, who
inquired into the cause of the accident
and the death of Mr.. Wilcox
They rendered verdict in accordance
with the facts and censured Mr.. Beach. the
switchman. for not attending more carefully
to his duties. Mr.. WilcoX's remains were
TERED. For the space of five hours nc
trains could pass the scene of the accident
as the tender of the locomotive. one of the
heaviest on the road, had been thrown from
: the track and hung to the bridge, in part
, supported by the iron coupler. 1t was with
difficulty that this pOnderous mass of iroI
could be lifted back into position, owing Il
: the rarrowness of the bridge. This after
| noon, however, all trains running reg
I ularly again. the Boston express being
only about fifteen minutes behind time
A correspondent writing from the scene o
, the disaster says: No more
COMPLETE RUIN
of a railroad tram could be imagined thar
that now lying on the marshes of Ston.
, Creek. Your reporter has Just returned
! from the spot, and by the aid of lanterns
5 carried by willing hands, he was enabled h
: see this wreck of matter" Indeed i
i, seemed fitting that silence and the sombr
mantle of night should cover the tragic
u prologue of the day. You will have alread,
S received the details OF the loss of life ant
= the many casualties attendant upon thi
n Hast railroad blunder, but nothing car
Z describe the utter destruction OF the train
a The cars lie in all forms, some withOu
n trucks, others stove in, splintered will
a great gaping doors where windows one
g ! were and iron work piercing battered floor
o like spears. How the human freight ave
? escaped with but such a trifiing record o
! ''killed' is the greatest mystery, but tn
/ number of wounded, bruised and bleeding il
4 New Haven tonight and in the farm house
4 surrounding Clinton, Madison, and Guilfor
q may be set down as nearly 200. AS the stor
/ of the disaster. however, will be told i
n another place 1 can only now give the Her
# aid some particulars which may not hav
. reached you by other channels. Upon al
r irving in New Haven this evening l sough
9 Captain Ry!ands, the conductor of the i'll
!. fated train. He gave me his meagre but tel
n rible experience of that sudden dash froI
~ the track. He said: Il was sitting in th
v smoking car. when / felt a strange motion
% and, as rose and looked back, discovere
" the people III cOnluslOn Like HdSn Sa'
It the last car 60 over. / sprang tor the door
!. but could only grasp the seat, and soon W
e were all pell NELL turned over on the marsl
n AS soon as l could scramble out, littl
If bruised. but not much hurt, saw the awfI
"a sight of the maimed and bleeding, and poo
As Wilcox dead" Upon asking him for a
Al opinion as 20 the cause of the accident,
said he could not give any; that he suppose
the coroDer's inquest had settled that
askedthe baggage master, Edward Barrow
who was on the train, how he escaped. H
replied:
BY MIRACLE.
Of l was standing by Mr.. Wilcox, our superb
20 tendent, when | saw him jump for the be
lv