Connecticut western news., 1878-02-28
Thursday Morn'g, Feb. 9S, 1878.
THE TARIFFvILLE JURY OF IN
 QUEST.
THEJURY FAII. TO AGREE.

arrive at verdict. The jury assembled at g o'clock and were dismissed at 1l.2O. The twelve members were unable to agree, there being four dissenting voices on the signing of the document. Eight of the jurymen then affixed their signatures to the accom- psuying report, the four who refused to sign being N. w. Holcomb. foreman; c. 2. Case, B. H. Enc and J. Barnard. These members in the minority will probably sub init s report of their opinions, but cannot state when said report will be written. Jus. tice Woodtord did not accept the report of eight as a verdict, but simply as report.
 THE REPORT.
 State of Connecticut, County of Hartford, ss.: Simsbury. Feb, 1878.
 To Frederick G. Woodtord, Esq. one of tue Justices of the Peace in and for said County of Hartford:
 We the subscribers, duly impaDelled and sworn according to law jury of inquest to inquire of the tuse and of the manner oi the death of George P. Hatch, there lying dead, the cause and manner of whose death are unknown, co present a true verdici thereof, and on our oaths declare that the said George P, Hatch came to his death by scslds and injuries by the breaking and fall. ing of the bridge of the Connecticut Yves tern railroad across the Pennington river near the village of TariHville in the town ot Sims5ury on the night of January l5, 1878. And we further present and report that the breaking and fall of sad bridge took place whilst an excursion train composed of two locomotive engines weighing respectively twenty-eight and thirty tons with tenders and eight passenger and baggage cars and two lighter cars (freight cabooses), all fill ed with passengers, was in the act of cross Ing the bridge; that sad train was slowly and quietly moving across the bridge at rate of speed not exceeding six or eight miles an hour that said engines had pass ed over the first or easternmost span of said bridge, and were passing over the second or western span. the forward engine having just reached the western sbutment, when suddenly snapping was heard and sense of sinking experienced by those in charge of the engines and baggage cars and by the occupants of the forward passenger cars then . fearful crash and fall of the bridge, carrying with 1t engines, tender, baggage and three passenger cars causing the death of thirteen persons and Wounding and in turing many others.
 We might stop here but the peculiarly painful circumstances and mourDful results of the disaster, involving the lives of so many persons and the happiness of so many families seem to require of us a more thoI- ough investigation and exhaustive report of its remote as we'll as it's proximste causes.
 With thls in view and for the purpose of ascertsining if possible where the responsi- bility rests we have had before us large number of witnesses. not only persons who were on the train or connected with the rail- road but experts and scientific men, bridge builders and civil and mechanical engineers from various parts of the country In this and adjoining States, and after hearing and considering the evidence we have arrived at the following results:
 l. We are of the opinion that DO blame or censure can be justly charged upon the conductor of the Inflated train, or any of those associated with and aiding him in run ming it, but on the contrary we have before us abundant evidence of the constant care- fulness and watchful solicitude of Conduc- tor EImore, Superintendent Jones and their subordiuates on that eventful night.
 2. We have not the least evidence to lead us to believe that the bridge had been tempered with for the purpose of wrecking the train, or for any other purpose.
 8. We have not sufficient evidence to lead us to believe that there was any derail- ment, either of engines or cars, but on the contrary, all were moving along smoothly, when sudden crash of the bridge was heard and felt, with a simultaneous sense of sink ing.
 4. We are of the opinion that placing an additional engine on the track in advance of the tram, or the uniting and running two engines together, when deemed necessary, is not at all censurabe, but that. in the Ian guage of . witness of large experience and intelligence Any bridge that would not carry two locomotives ought not to carry one"
 D. We are of the opinion that if the ma. terisls of the bridge, at the time of it's con struction, were of suitable quality, quantity and proportion to fulfil all of it's require ments, they had, at the time of the disaster, become deteriOrated; that the iron susp,n- sion rods, from being overstrained, or from some other cause, had lost their tensile and sustaining power that the timber of the chords, from many years exposure to the action or the elements, without covering or paint, had become weakened by decay, to such an extent az to render the bridge un- safe and unfit for the purpose for which it was constructed; and that the disaster was occasioned by the heavy train passing over Q bridge thus rendered dangerously weak and defe ctive.
 6. We therefore find that the respons- bIlity of this sad disaster largely rests upon the directors of the Connecticut Western Railroad company, and that they are deser- wing of censure for allowing the use of a bridge for railroad purposes after It's mate rials had become defective to the point of danger and for permitting so many years to pase without covering. strengthening and protecting the same, in such manner as not to jeopardIzs human life.
 In conclusion From this standpoint of disaster and of death we present and declare that in the construction and management of railways, it is time to take new depart ure that in their construction the eternal principles of nature's laws should not be vi- from the 6ehest odls Fo ffs f5&es9 6pef e alive, should at all times be held to strict accountability upon the directors especial ly rests 6 weight of responsibility which they cannot shake off they have assumed duties which they cannot shirk. These du- ties are not fully discharged by attending only to the financial affairs of the compa- ny. It should no longer ''be considered an interference on their part if they meddle with the dolrgs of the Superintendent in the management of the road, and offer some thing more than suggestions" To them is committed the most sacred of all trusts the freight of human life For it's safe transportation they should be held account able; and this disaster should remind them that eternal Uigilance IS the price of safety
 All of which is respectfully submitted In witness whereof we have hereunto sur- scribed our names, at Simshury, this 23d day of February, A. D., 1878, the remain ing jurors dissenting.
 LUC1Us 1. BARBRR,
 ERWIN CHASE,
 NOAH HosKINs,
 ASA HosKINs,
 E G. CURTIss,