Litchfield enquirer., 1878-01-24
THE TARIFFVILLE DISASTER.

The disaster at TariffvIlle, on Tuesday night of last week, turns out even worse than the first reports indicated Thirteen deaths have already resulted; others are likely to follow and the list of maimed and seriously injuredis longer than that of the dead. Tuesday all the inward bound trains on the Connecticut sWes- tern railroad brought passengers to Hartford at reduced fare, to attend the Moody and San- key meetings at the Rink Between five and six hundred persons availed themselves of the opportunity, and started on the return trip shortly after nine o'clock, p. m.; in train of ten cars including one baggage and express ] car and too cabooses, drawn by the two loco motives, the Salisbury" and the "Tariffyille." ]" Half mile west of the Tariffville station, and nearly thirteen miles from this city, the rail en bridge of the Howe truss pattern, composed of two spans, each one hundred and sixty -fdssI feet in length. The bridge is elevated about ten feet above the river at it's present stage Of water approached from the east by an embank- ment and from the west by long trestle work across the meadows. The train reached this bridge about quarter past ten. The first lo- comotive had cleared the west span and enter ed upon trestle work, when the entire span. gave way, breaking off immediately east of the heavy stone pier in the center of the riv-I CT. AS the structure gave way the first loco-s motive was hurled violently over and imbed-. ding itself in the ground wascompletely wreck ed. The other engine and the baggage car went down with the wreck in an upright po-3 sition, and the side of the heavy truss fell over upon them. The first passenger car was hurL ed around and sank to the bottom of the riveri lying nearly in parallel direction with the stream. The second passenger car went down end foremost upon the first car, smashing the larger portion of it into kindling wood, the rear end of the car resting upon the bridge. The next car occupied a similar position, but 1 swerved more to the left and therefore did not rest upon the car in front of it. None ofs the | remaining coaches left the track The crash | produced bv the fall, and the cries of the wounded and dying speedily brought assist ance, but the trst-comers worked at a great l disadvantage. The cars had broken through the ice, which rendered it difficult to approach the passengers
 The train seems to have fallen into water between five and six feet deep. The seats in the fallen cars were all wrenched from their places and were tumbled to the bottom with the passengers Thewater put out the fire in the baggage car (the only one in the train), thus saving the additional disaster of confla- grafton Both engineers were badly hurt, but the firemen escaped with slight injuries
 Geo. Hatch, engineer of the Salisbury has since died, chiefly from being scalded by tfe steam escaping from the engine drum Messrs. Elmore, the conductor, Jones, superintendent, and three passengers in the baggage car all seem to have all escaped unhurt The chef Five young men from New Hartford, on tir platform of first car, were all killed. This car was wrecked by being struck by those follow ing, and people entangled in. the debris were drowned. Those who were not crushed soon made their way out and the arrival of help from the rest of the train extricated the wounded. In few moments the citizens were alarmed by the ringing of the Tariffville bells; a large number hastened to the ruins, and the bodies were drawn on improvised sleds to the Tariffville shore
 At half past one, Wednesday morning,a re- lief train arrived from Hartford; and, about three o'clock the train started for Hartford, 1x,;o los, rl New Hartford. In every car were men and women with their heads bandaged, or arms in slings; some of them had been terribly scald- ed. In one passenger car the bodies of three dead women were laid on seats, their faces cov- cred with handkerchiefs, In one baggage car were two more bodies of women on the floor There had been no opportunity to lay them out and they were just as they had been taken from the wreck. Thepallor of death hadchang- ed their features into something horrible to view. The one most terribly wounded was the Rev. Mir. Thomas from Winsted A couch | had been arranged for him on two seats. He had suffered the fracture of both limbs, and severe internallnj uries. He bore his pain with heroic fortitude, conversing calmly about the catastrophe aud describing how he crawled out of the wreck. He made his way through the roof of the car to the ice and then towards the shore where he received aid. Many of the survivors described how they stood in wa ter up to their waists helping others out. At Tariffvile they secured change of clothing. There was subdued feeling among the pas sengers, and no violent demonstrations of grief and despair The calmness exhibited was re- markable. President Camp passed through the train, condoling with the wounded and giving words of encouragement. They were all anxious to get home, and preferred to eE- dure the long roundabout journey to remain. ing in Tariffville, although they would have been kindly cared for there The wounded had been attended to by physicians who had come on from Winsted earlier than those from Hartford could reach the scene of the disas | ter.
 We give below the list of killed and wound ed as far as has been ascertained. The wound ed are reported at 46, of whom we give only those seriously hurt.
 Winsted. Miss Minnie Allen, daughter oi Henry Allen of the Huribut bank Misses Mary E. and Hattie A. McCarger, school teach. CTS. 't' F5.
 Neac Ha,tfrod - Benjamin Gilks; George Pinney Henry Murray; William Gilman Elias E. Gilman Howard E. Warner, ticket agent at Canton
 Miss Janet Warner, of East Canaan; Engi neer George P. Hatch, of Hartford; Mrs. William Jones, of Lakeville; Austin Adams ol Canaan,
 l s SERIOUSLY WOUNDED.
 Wiaasted d-Rev. VIII Thomas, Methodis minister, both legs broken and side injured
 Warren A. Pinney, badly in side and head
 Mrs. Francis ". .Pinney. ay1ai4l aa @ il1ss
 Bm-kAampsted. Dwight l. Case, postmas ter; Mrs. D. L. Case, considerably scalded
 Frank 4. Case, hand crushed m
 Canaas. Humphrey, badly hurt 1T the head; Mrs. M. s. Spaulding, badly injured on head and limb.