Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-08-08
TROLLEY CIR HORROR
Twcnty.nine ExcI'rsionis's ''Hrl q 10
Death From a i'IidEe.
A CONNECTICUT DLSAS liz
occurred Near bridgeport, ana II 4"
Yet ,Irlxr.7v9r ,'uat ti"'F '"c
eident Hnppened-Whnt the
Motoruan Says.

pany twisted. N'iL "liu ' .
into kindling wood, lying in the n''' ~
peck's millpond. at Orono4ue' apo"' n,N
mile. north of here, is the only visible
Indication of frightiul calas'rophe
whom % lives were lost and about
dozen people seriously injured from tue
car tumblng OF the t'cstle which ci'ss
ed the pond at this point.
The disaster was the most serious
which has occurred in this state III near
ly half century. The horror OF 'lle Si'
uation can yet be scarcely renllZeu' anu
hundreds are visiting the scene ana ma
much to comment upon in the uhlof'"-
nate opening Of the new extension from
Stratford to Shelton. Already steps nave
been taken by the friends of the dead
and injured to bring suit against the roau
for the largest pos. ible amounts.
The list of the dead includes: John
Carroll bridgeport. conductor; Mrs. Ar
thur Holmes, bridgeport; Mrs. Joseph
Rugells. Stratford: Joseph Hotchlllss,
Bridgeport; o. b. Wells Bridgeport;
Mrs. Frank Balou and two ehlldron'
aged S and years. Stratford; William
Fl. Harvey and wife, bridgeport Daniel
| Calvin and John Calvin, AnsonlA; BESSIE
| Toomey, Bridgeport; Srlertman Inns H.
Bradley and wife, Milford; Sydney n.
Pitt, Peter Ring. Henry &. Cogswcll,
Irving Dorls. Patrick McDermott and
wife. John +. Flynn, Thomas McNaily,
Bridgeport; Willis Osborn, Stratford;
Margaret brennan, Mrs. Mcoonald'
! Bridgeport; Howard Baldwin, Strattord,
and two unidentified men.
Preparing Fog Inquest.
| Coroner Doten is making arrangements
to conduct an investigation into the
cause of the disaster MS soon as possible
Sheriff Doaan was sent out to llnpanel Il
coroner's jury, and it is expected that
work will he begun ut once.
The cause of the accident is the chiet
topic of conversation. and all kinds OF
theories have been advanced and dis
cussed.
Engineer w. w. Starr. who superin
tended the building of the bridge, stated
that the bridge was perfectly safe Ii
! every respect In his opinion. after q
thorough examination, the motorman be
came Lew i.dp"cd as the ear commerce &c
to travel fast down the incline, and. find
ing himself in ii dangerous situation, lost
! his head and turned the current on III
stead of turning it off. Light Stringers
about three inches high and within foot
of the rails, run along the trestle, and. II
his opinion. these We're sufficient to pre-
vent car from falling off unless it hac
attained an unusually high rate of speed
Of Iln
urged, from the fact that for ten feet OF
more on that part of the trestle whIci
the car passed over no heavy cuts in the
ties are apparent. but for some little dis
tancc before the bridge is reached ther,
are signs of the earth having been tori
ND near the rail, such rs would have beer
caused by the rough edges of the broker
fange coming in contact with the earth
There is. however. considerable conlilc
of opinion, and the trucks are so bhdI!
smashed that it will be a difficult matte
to determine whether or not this caused
the accident.
The NtitOrmnn's story.
Motorman George Hamilton said in thu
Brid~tport hospitals: Il do not regard my
self responsible for the accident. ! WA
moving ut IL hi-h rate Of speed, but l d.
not think it was dangerous. or cours,
when felt the car humping along tn
ties on the bridge | was frightened an,
tried to turn on the brake. ! think
did, but | am not sure. ] don't know
whether | reversed the current or not
When | felt the car falling. jumped
struck the ground and knew no more un
til was lifted up and placed in Il vehicle
My life was probably saved by my fall
ing in The soft mud. | do not know
what made the car leave the tracks,
While Hamilton thus recited his con
ntction with the dreadful disaster he mp
peared at times to Slightly wander in hi
mind. 1t seemed to those surrounding
him that the horror of the situation ha
scared his brain.
Clifford Calyerly, who was one of
camping party near the scene of the Al
cident and who was one Of the fl st t
reach the death hole, said: Il did not Sc
the car coming down the grade towar
the bridge, but | heard the high keye
buzzing of the motors. They so,nded a
if the car was running 20 miles an houl
| think the car was undoubtedly RUM IL
at Il dangerous rate Of speed"
Miss Frances Il. Peck, whose home
near the bridge, was an eyewitness o
the catastrophe. She heard the car con
ing, und the passengers We're singing
She says:
"The car was coming down the grad
at Il terrific rate of speed. 1t was com
ing much faster than other cars hu
come. 1t was jumping up and down IL
either end
William Kelley's escape was almos
marvellous He was standing on the run
board ut the front of the platform, as tn
car was very crowded. He jumped jus
before the car toppled over. AS he tell
it:
81 leaped as far out rs I could an
went straight down, feet first thougl,
never would strike the earth, but whe
: | landed | sank in the mud and waite
almost to my thighs"
Blames the MOtOymnn.
Attorney Allen W. Page. secretar
and treasurer of the company, says tina
, the motorman was either disobeying o,
ders by running too fast, or, finding hin
self in dangerous position became cor
fused, and instead of turning off the Gu,
rent made the contrary motion an
turned ii On full.
The statement that the road was undo
the control of the Bridgeport Tractio
company is denied by the officials q
that company, who assert that il ha
never been purchased or acquired eve
by lease. The Bridgeport Traction con
! pany's interests, they claim, will no
. De affected in any mahnci ny the acc
y, dent. 1t is claimed that the railroa
, commissioners had not yet examined .
Z accepted the road, although they ha
Y been notified that it was completed.
' The patients at the hospital are all re
, ported in n very fayor,bln condition A.,