The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-25
AN APPALLING RAILROAD ACCIDENT

AN APPALLING RAILROAD ACCIDENT.
A Wrecked Sleeping Car Burns-A Father
and Son Perish in the Flames-Four Pas
sengers Badly Bruised and Cut-Is There
not a Third Passenger Burned 7-Several
Passengers Escaped, but Partially Dressed
Clearing the Wreck Statement Of Sleep
ing Car Conductor Mooney.
The accident at South Wallingford so
briefly mentioned in Thurs lays GLOBE,
and the particulars of which were not OBJ
tainable on Wednesday night, proved to be
the most shocking misadventure in the
whole previous history of railroad travel
ing in Vermont. A number of years back
there have been disasters of greater extent
but none perhaps so frightful.
AS has been stated, the 10 p M, train
night express for New York-over the
Harlem Extension railroad, left Rutland
half an hour late, with the caution from
Superintendent Burdett not to try to make
up time. This train, Frederick Wilder,
conductor, at II p. M, or few minutes
after, was approaching the South Walling-
ford station at a moderate speed. 1t dee,
not stop at South Wallingford unless
tagged or it has passengers to alight. This
particular train would have passed without
stop. II was composed. of only baggage
car, passenger coach and the Wagner
sleeping car City of New York, No. 81.
Within 800 yards of South Wallingford
depot, the railway nears the east bank Of
Otter creek, and halfway farther on the
marble saw mill Of w. G. Kelley stands
with q raceway running north parallel
with, and about forty feet west Of the
track. The Harlem Extension road bed il
ten OF twelve feet higher than the banks of
the race or of the creek. Near the mill is
q dump pile of waste marble that banks up
part OF the space between the road and
raceway, perhaps fifteen feet deep.
AT point 1870 feet north OF this dump
pile, the rear six-wheeled truck of the
sleeping car, caught by broken rail on
the west side of the track, left its guides
and diverged toward the mill race. The
rear end of the sleeping car swinging far
Their and farther to the west was carried
down the embankment with such an in
creasing velocity that when the trucks
reached the banks Of the race it was
wrenched loose from them, turned forward
on its side, aud came 10 a stand elung with
the roof against the dump pile, the front
end resting ON the track, the rear end down,
spanned downward across the mill race.
The rest of the train came to a stand still
with the passenger car partly off the track.
The stove in the sleeping car, Baker
heater, which warmed the car by hot water
pipes, was overturned. Immediately the
FIRE began to kindle, and in two minutes, it
is estimated, the car was in flames.
There were in the car the train conduc-
tor, Wilder; sleeping car conductor,
Mooney, the porter, and 1t is supposed,
ten passengers of which nine can be &C.
counted for viz Hon. F. e. Woodbridge,
an ex-member of congress, of Vergenpes
c. H. Bissell, senior proprietor OF the
Sherman house, Chicago; William r.
Bissell, his son A. p. Pitkin of the firm
of Pitkin, Bros. & Co., of Hartford, Conn.,;
Francis ]. Tierny and wife, resident of
Montreal on his way to New York A. M.
Gilbert, of Chicago; Mr.. Chittenden and
w. w. 8. Chapman. manager of the Mer.
chants bank Montreal.
Three or four of these emerged from the
front door and the remainder, with thu
exception of William r. Bissell, were
helped out of one Of two windows in the sids
of the car lying uppermost part of then
from a window about the center OF the car
and the remainder, except w. r. Bissell
from a window near the rear end. Young
Bissell was caught by some of the debris IL
the car and, unable to extricate himself
called for help. The elder Mr.. Bissel wa
almost the first man out of the car. III
was dressed with the exception OF bis Goa
and boots. Hearing his son Call for help
be rushed TO the car nearest the part II
which he lay and called out "for God
sake get an axe" Mr.. +. G. Bailey, VIII
works in Kclleys mill, ran up to the mil
and got one, he was not gone minute
but before no returned Mr.. Bissell ha'
climbed to the top of the car and re-entere'
ono of the windows, the fire had burst on
and all was still. Thus persisted G. ii
Bissell in q noble and fruitless effort +
save his son.
C. H. Bissell, who persisted with his so
In the burning car, was about 40 years
age, native OF central New York--Gen
eseo, 1t 10 said. lie had formerly live
many years in Vergennes he was nephe'
OF Rev. II. F. Leavett, formerly OF Vel
gennes, and married Ella Bixby, daughte
of WIN. II. Bixby of Vergeqnes. For
number of years he has been in the hot'
business. He kept the old Mattsson bous
In Chicago, and, since the fire, has bee
manager OF the Gardner house, and, NOR