The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-06-20
WALLINGFORD HAPPENINGS
THE TERRIBLE ACCIDENT AT THE
WARD STREET CROSSING,

The Proposed Cycle Path Improvement
Goes to Insane Asylum-South Coll
ony Street improvements - GOLD
Glory''-Other Notes.
There was another terrible railroad
horror at the Ward street crossing
early Saturday evening and a young
lady named Lena Tasmer was killed
and her head was completely severed
from her body by being dashed against
mail crane. The story of the acct
dent is as follows: Mrs. James Tasmer
of Cook Hill and her step daughter
Lena were returning from visit to
her brother on Cherry street, and at
tempted to cross the track just as
the limited express was going
south that passed the station at
7:49 o'clock came along at a fifty
mile an hour speed. The engine struck
the horse, which was thrown under the
wheels, and carried down to Marshall
street, and was literally cut up into
mince meat. The wagon was smashed
into pieces. Mrs Tasmer in some mir
aculous manner was thrown from the
wagon and escaped with only slight
bruises. The daughter was thrown
against the mail crane by the engine
and her head was severed from her
body. Both arms and legs were brok-
en- and other injuries sustained. The
train was moving at such a
rate of speed that it was
nearly down to the bridge before
1t was stopped and backed up. The
unfortunate victim was about TWEEN
ty-one years of age and has for some
time been employed as servant at
Mrs McC1ure's on East Center street.
The crossing has for some time been
known as regular death trap, and is
unprovided with either gates or watch
man. About year ago, June %, there
was another similar accident there,
when one little one was killed and sew
eral others badly injured. John Hauf-
man and Frank Russell were also bad
ly injured. At the time there was in
tense excitement over the accident, and
it was supposed that some method,
such as putting up gates or otherwise
protecting the crossing would be TAX
en- at once, but the matter quieted
down and nothing was done.
A horse belonging to a plasterer
named Russell was killed at the same
crossing yesterday morning. The ami
NAL broke out Of a pasture alongside
the track and was run down by the
morning express.
The committee appointed to look af-
ter the proposed Improvement on the
bicycle path from the North Haven
line south met Saturday afternoon and
went down the path and noted the
wants that are needed and it was de-
cided to begin at the hill south of Ed
ward Tolles' rest and widen the path
from three to four feet in places, cut
away bushes that obstruct the view of
the path and put on fine crushed stone
where it is needed, and put the path in
as good condition as can be done with
the available funds in hand. Work
will be started to-day and pushed
ahead as fast as possible.
Daniel O'Connell, for some time past
an inmate at the town farm will to-day
be taken to Middletown and placed in
the insane retreat.
The various petitions asking that the
work on the improvements on South
Colony street be begun at an early date
have been numerously signed and will
be presented to the court of burgesses
at it's next meeting tomorrow evening
"a tall flag staff was raised Satur-
day at the town farm and "Old Glory
was flung to the breeze amid the
cheers Of the inmates.
Mrs. j. J. Blair and children will
leave June 20 for Sea View, Mass, t.
spend the summer.
w. B. Hall spent Sunday at North.
nmpton, Mass, where Mrs. Hall and
child are visiting.
Miss Jennie Campbell was in North
ampton Saturday attending the re.
union of the '95 class of Smith college.