New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-07
TO DEATH IN TROLLEY CAR.


o'clock this afternoon the Stratford ex-
tension Of the Shelton Street Railway, when Q
loaded car went off the trestle over Peck's
Mil Pond. at Oronoque. about six miles north
Of Bridgeport. and sunk in the fats 40 feet
below. Thus far thirtysix persons are known
to be dead. and several more were injured.
Only two persons are known to have escaped
unharmed. It is believed that there were forty
three passengers on the car but the indicator
removed by a conductor Of another car
ard spirited away. that at present II Is i'm
possible TO state accurately the number aboard
The scene Of tho accident is midway between
Shelton and Bridgeport. The was north
bound. running toward Shelton. It IN
charge OF John Carroll conductor Of Bridge
port, who was among the killed. and a motor
man named Hamilton. OF Bridgeport. He es-
capped by jumping
The trestle is 40 feet long. made Of iron with
stone foundations. ard was not protected by
guard rails. South Of the trestle is an incline.
which the car ran down at rapid rate Of
speed. After II had run the trestle for about
ten feet, the trucks LEFT the rails. and then the
car continued on the tics for about seventy-fve
feet, when II went off the trestle and dropped
into the pond below. overturning completely and
turning up on end. When the car struck. the
motor. which weighed four tons. and the heavy
trucks crushed into IT, instantly killing many
Of the passengers.
Drs. J. c. Lynch. r. W. Ivors and j. NJ. john
son, OF Bridgeport. who were passengers on a
short distance behind. were quickly at the
scene. and rendered all possible assistance to the
injured. Word was sent TO Bridgeport, and
three amhulances and police wagon were hur-
ried to the scene. and the injured were taken
TO the Bridgeport General Hospital. number
of other conveyances were also pressed into
service 10 convey persons to the hospital. Med
ical Examiner Coggsweil. OF Stratford, I'M
provised morgue in the main room OF the Town
Hall at stra,tord. and IN a short time twenty
three bodies were laid out, awaiting !dentihca-
ton.
The accident was witnessed BY Miss Frances
Peck. who lives abou. four hundred feet from
the bridge She was upstairs at her home as
the car was passing. and she says that It was
running at an unusually high rate OF speed
Frank Cramer who was bathing near the
bridge. states that the passengers were all
singing and IN the most Joyful mood as they
passed near him.
The road which Is practically controlled by
the Bridgeport Traction Company, was opened
for traffic on Thursday. President Andrew
Radell was in Derby when he received news OF
the catastrophe and he Immediately drove to
The scene. He was Frustrated when he saw the
extent Of the disaster.
THE DEAD.
The Identified dead are:
BANKS. s.. Shelton.
BLEW Mrs Frank and two chldren-Soy ard girl three
and hve years old respectveiy-StTatfora
BRADLEY Elias F.. selec.ran. ard wife. Milford
BRENNAN Mrs. Patrick. ffty years old. Bridgeport
CARROLL. John. conductor. Bridgeport
coGswELL Henry B[tegsRor, sn, nng Wsrt,ops Rail
road and member Of Bridgeport Board of Education
coTTER Wla% na sS.sSe sSt9yh'' years 0'
nopI,sE rrv,ns twenty three years DID, Bridgeport.
CALVIN. Daniel. Ansona
HARVEY. william H. thir,y-seven years old. Bridge
HARVEY Mrs. william. Bridgeport
HOLMES Mrs Arthur Bridgeport
uorCpKIss Joseph Bridgeport, engineer Of the y,rs
Department
xpAvr Frank twenty-five years Old Bridgeport.
MCCULLOUGH. william stratford'
M'nERMoTT PATRICK. fny years Old Bridgeport
MDONALD. Mr.. Bridgeport
MT.IIY Thomas thirty years old. Bridgeport: dentt
fcation not positive
OSBORN william stratford
PITT Alfred twenty-five years OLD bndsspon-
RING Peter. aged twenty-esht bridsepo'-
RUGG. Mrs J. H., stratford
1,oOMEY Bessie aged twenty-five. Bridgeport
| WELLS Orlando B., age sxty-three' SHOEMAKER
THE INJURED.
Among the seriously injured at the Bndsspese
Hospital are:
BRENNAN Margaret. scalp wound
FARRELL. Margaret right leg ampu'a'eo so0's hn's'
will probably die.
HAMILTON George. scalp wound. injury to leg
UIIJERcUs. Frederick scalp wound bruised about
HOLMES. Arthur Bridgeport confusion ABOUT ood'' -"
KRAFT Frank Bridgeport injuries about head and back
oLBIN: Matthew scalp wound cut and bruised ssne'-
PITT. Mrs Sidney A.. Bridgeport. right leg fractured
The undertaken at Stratford was informed al
| most Immediately after the accident and he
utilized all sorts OF conveyances to carry the
| dead bodies 70 the mprovsed morgue. Nearly
| the entire medical force OF Bridgeport respond
| ed TO telephone calls sent in, but, when the doc-
tors arrived they were able to render little as
| s,stance as so few escaped instant death. The
car after turning up end soon settled over
on its side and there was little difficulty In re-
moving the bodies OF the dead as we'll as assist.
| ing the wounded
| NO CAUSE FOR ACCIDENT KNOWN.
The cause OF the accident will probably not b
| known until after Coroner Doten conducts an
! ,rvest,eation The motorman, Hamilton, who
| escaned death IL suffering from such a severe
shock that II was impossible to learn anything
! from him tonight President Radell stated that
II was impossible for him to account for the ac.
c,dent Immediately after his arrival at the
scene he made a thorough inspection of the
| tracks on the trestle. and he could see nothing
wrong. and the cars were running over the
! ,restle as usual soon afterward. He denied that
! the cars were run at high rate OF speed. and
| asserted that every possible precaution had been
| taken to prevent such an occurrence. Seven In.
| spectors were put on to watch the running Of
| the cars and a time allowance OF half an hour
was made. and extra cars put on to provide fo'
this.
one theory advanced Is that faulty construo-