The New York herald., 1874-07-07
A VISIT TO THE SCENE OF DIS.
ASTER.

Description OF the Wreck-StOry OF the
Conductor-A Meagre but Terrible Ex-
perience-Statement Of tho Station
Master.
STONY CREEK. Conn.,, July g. 1874
NO more complete ruin OF railroad train could
be imagined than that now lying on the marshes
OF Stony Creek Your reporter has just returned
from the spot, and by the aid OF lanterns, carried
by willing hands, he was enabled to this
"wreck OF matter" Indeed 1t seemed fitting that
silence and the sombre mantle of night should
cover the tragic prologue OF the day. You will have
already received the details of the loss OF life
and the many casualties attendant upon this
last railroad blunder, but nothing can describe
the utter destruction OF the train The lie In
all forms, some without trucks, others stove in,
sp.intered with great gaping doors where windows
once were and iron work piercing battered doors
like spears. How the human freight ever escaped
with but such trinng record of skilled" is the
greatest mystery, but the number OF wounded,
bruised and bleeding in New Haven tonight and in
the farm houses surrounding Clinton, Madison and
Guford may be set down as nearly 200. AS the
story Of the disaster, however, will be told in
another place can only now give the HERALD
some particulars which may not have re ached you
by other channels. Upon arriving in New Haven
this evening sought Captain Rylands, the con-
ductor of the ill-iated train. He gave me his
MEAGRE BUT TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE
Of that sudden dash from the track. He said d:-'T
was sitting in the smoking car. when felt
strange notion and, as arose and looked back
discovered the people In confusion. Like fash
saw the last car go over. sprang tor the door;
but could only grasp the seat and soon we were
all pell nell turned over on the marsh. AS soon
as l could scramble out, little bruised, but not
much hurt saw the awful sight Of the manned
and bleeding, and poor Wilcox dead"
Upon asking him for an opinion as to the cause
OF the accident. he said he could not give any
that he supposed the Coroner's inquest had set.
tied that.
asked the baggage master, Edward BarrOws,
who was on the train, how he escaped He re-
piled,
"BY A MIRACLE.
I was standing by Mr.. Wilcox, our superintendent.
when saw him jump for the bell rope and he
shouted to me the last carts ofr.' saw then
going and made dash or the brakes. had just
reached the iron ratings when the car turned
over. but it landed me my feet in the marsh
little shaken, but not hurt. Wilcox had reached
the door and, think, attempted to jump, bat the
car crushed him."
Chauncey McCreary is a brakeman on the train
and jumped like the baggage master and was not
hurt. New Haven was full OF the sufferers and the
city was a state OF 1everish excitement, but my
duties called me to Stony Creek, especially as
thought 1t best to see william Beach, the railroad
agent and station master there, who Is the man
charged by the Coroners jury with being the
CAUSE OF THIS SORROW
in 80 many homes. 1 found him, and give his story
in his own words. Will premise by saying that
Beach is an American, of perhaps forty years OF
age, married, with one child. He looks like tem-
perate man, and has a snug little bouse, in which
racid tta m roilx pooc
said:-
STORY OF THE STATION MASTER.
81 have been in the employ of the company for
ten years and at this place four years. am tee
totaler, q temperance man. l attend to the duties
OF q station master. can telegraph little, and
do so between the different points. This morning
our superintendent, WILCOX, jumped of the tram
and said, Beach go down to the SWITCH
jumped on the cars and rode down to the
Bridge. about 1,5OO feet, suppose, to the lower
switch house. went In and turned the switch so as
to let the train back up on the siding to take on
two cars laying there. Then The train moved on
and the first thing heard sort Of jingtng noise.
looked out and saw the hind car tumping into
the marsh. Then one alter the other went down.
NV switch must have been right or couldn't get
ont of NV switch house. Then the brakeman, Ed.
Barrows. came running back aud halloed. GO
back: telegraph New Haven for wreckers.'
went back and telegraphed and that's all know
about t and is what testified to before the Cor0-
ner's jury to-day"
"why did they render a verdict against you ~
asked.
"a don't know" he replied. 'The engineer and
some of the passengers testified suppose agains t
me-"
HAS any action been taken yet in the matter ~
s.None that know Of" replied Beach, 81 shall
not run away"
Such is the story gathered from the lips OF the
actors in the sad drama. This little hamlet has
been
FILLED WITH THE SUFFERERS
all day long, but they have nearly all been re-
moved to their homes at Branlord, Guilford and
New Haven, while there is mourning in
Madison and along the line of the Shore road,
for wilcox, who was much esteemed. The trains
are running regularly tonight as Mr. John Fuller,
the supervisor OF Bridges, has had a wrecking
train at Stony Greek all day, but the battered
and splntered cars lie transversey in the morass
and Will have to be broken up for kindling wood
nII