Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1878-02-02
4 RAILROAD DISASTER.
Particulars of the Terrible Accident Near
Tarifyilie. Conn.
Especial to the Chicago Tribune.l

Moody and Sankey eXcursion-traln accl-
dent on the Connecticut Western Road,
near Tarifville last night, was exager-
ated as to loss of life, yet the affair was
a terrible one Over 800 residents of
Winsted, Canaan, Salisbury, and other
places in the western section OF the
State had visited the Moody and Sankey
revival meeting and embarked for home
after service, leaving Hartford by a
special train of eleven cars and two
locomotives. The party had enjoyed a
rare feast of religious communion with
the great eyangelists, and little did they
imagine the fearful catastrophe so close
at hand There was no warning
nothing to lead to apprehension Cross
ing
THE PENNINGTON RIVER BRIDGE,
one mile from Tarifiville the train was
Just entering upon the trestle work
stretching across the meadows when
an ominous crash was heard ahead of
the train. The west span, 100 feet long,
on the Howe truss principle, had yield
ed to the overweight of two engines,
and, parting near an abutment, caved
into the stream, crushing through six
inches of ice with which il was COW
cred. The first engine cleared the
woodwork of the bridge proper, and,
turning over, landed bottom up, ire
trievably damaged. Its mate went
down, enwrapped in the wreck of the
bridge, both landing upon solid ground,
but the baggage-car crushed through
the ice into six feet of water, and de-
posted lis dozen occupants in
THE ICY FLOOD,
mixed up with the myriad of splinters
into which the woodwork was shattered.
The first passenger-car was next crush
ed to half size. Swinging around at
right angles, into its weakest spot, the
side, came like catapult the heavy
front platform OF the next car, the rear
end of which renamed upheld against
the central pier of the bridge. The
fourth ear. striking its predecessor,
swung OF diagonally, and pitched head
foremost into the chasm. This ended
the crash, for the remaining cars were
saved from going OFF by the ends of the
two cars resting against the pier rs de-
scribed. In a moment the shrieks of
women and groans of men rang out up
on the piercing cold air
THE sHRIEKs OF CRUSHED, MANGLED
BEINGS,
struggling to oBtain release from the
meshes into which the shock had hurled
them IN the ends of the overturned ears.
The unhuit FASTENED to help the endan-
gered. and additional aid came from the
villagers of Tariffville, who were arous-
ed by the noise of the crash. 4 merci-
full Providence preserved the passengers
from the usual terrible feature of fire
originating from lamps and stoves, but
the occupants OF the first two cars We're
brought face TO face with death by
drowning, as the ears forming their
prisons settled gradually down into the
water and sand. Measures for relief
were wei organized by a few leading
spirits, and soon the workers hewed and
tore away timbers with a viii until,
IN LESS THAN TWO HOURS,
every car was cleared of its living oecu-
pants, the wounded being borne away
TO the river bank on sledges hastily I'M
provised from saplings and car-cush-
ions, snd thence to the genial warmth
of the ears which had remained on the
track, and where friends We're ready to
minister TO their needs. kilograms
were dispatched to Hartford and Win
sted for aid, and special trains arrived
soon after, Hartford contributing a /
dozen surgeons under the excitement |
occasioned by the report that at least
fifty deaths had happened and wounds
were innumerable. The worst injured |
were removed to hotels and private |
dwellings, people throwing open their
doors and offering every accommoda-
ton. Two hours later the members of
the party able TO travel were sent home
by 4 special train over other roads af-
fording connection beyond the break.
Meantime
SEARCH FOR TIE DEAD
began, and five corpses OF women were