Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1899-08-10
SPEOP[E ARE KILLED.
Trolley Car PIuuges into a Mill
Pond Near Bridgeport, Conn.,
JUMPS TRACK, DROPS 40 FEET

BRndEroRr, Conn, Aug NEARLY
forty persons were killed by an acct.
dent on tho Stratford extension OF
the Shelton Street Railway company
at o'clock yesterday afternoon, when
a loaded trolley car went Off tho
trcstle over Peck's millpond at Oro-
noque, about six miles north OF
Bridgeport, and sank in the fats forty
feet below,
Thus far thirty-six people are known
to be dead and several more injured.
Only two persons are known TO have
escaped unframed.
II Is believed that there were forty
three passengers on the car, but the
indicator was removed by conductor
Of another car and spirited away, SO
that mt present ii Is impossible to
state accurately the number aboard,
The scene of the accident Is midway
between shelton and Bridgeport, The
car was north bound, running toward
Shelton, II was in charge of Conduc-
tor John Carroll Of Bridgeport, who
was among the killed, and Motorman
Hamilton OF bridgeport, who escaped
by jumping.
Tho trestle is 4iO feet long, made OF
Iron, with stone foundations, and was
not protected by guard rails. South
OF the trestle Is an incline, down
~ hl al, tho cns VIVA NJ N hi,.h ,oto 80
speed. After II ran onto the trestle
Tor about ten feet tho trucks left the
rails ann then the car continued on
the ties for about seventy five feet,
when 1t went Off tho trestle and
dropped into the pond below, over.
turning completely and up-endlng
When the car struck, the four-ton mo-
tor and the heavy trucks crushed into
1t, instantly killing many Of the pas.
Sengers.
The accident was witnessed by Miss
Frances Peck, who resides about 400
feet from the bridge, Sho was up-
stairs at her homo as the car was
passing, and SHE says that it was run
ming at an unusually rapid rate.
Frank Cramer, who was bathing near
the bridge, states that the passengers
were all singing and in the most joy
tul mood as they passed him,
The road, which Is practically con.
trolled by the bridgeport Traction
company, was opened for traffic last
Thursday
All Of the persons killed sustained
fractured skulls, william Kelley, OF
Bridgeport, who was in company with
Miss Farrell, escaped death by jump
ing from the car AS he felt 1t swaying
to the fats below, Soon afterward
the car toppled over. lie sustained
severe shock, but was otherwise unin-
jured, lie stated that the cars were
not running unusually fast, but that
tho cur was swaying considerably
when IL struck the trestle, and he
realized the danger, and knew his
only safety was in jumping. George
Willis, OF Shelton, was on the high
way, not more than 100 feet from the
scene, and witnessed the car topping
over, lIo said that there was one un.
earthly shrek rs 1t went down, and
after that silence.
One OF the pathetic scenes was that
Of lifeless baby reclining in the
arms OF dead man, the infant APP
pcarng to be smiling and asleep, The
a.year.old son of Mrs. John II. Rugg
was frantically appealing to his dead
mother His sister, years old, had
her left arm broken.
All the bodies of the Bridgeport
dead and n low unidentified were TAX
on TO the morgue at Bridgeport
1t has been ascertalned that forty
fares were registered, and these, with
the young children that did not have
TO pay, the motorman and conductor
and an extra motorman, who was be-
Ing taught, make the probable num-
a. 4