Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1899-08-12
IS PEOPLE ARE KILLED.
Trolley Car PIunges into a Mill
Pond Near Bridgeport, Conn.
JUMPS TRACK, DROPS 40 FEET

BRIDGEPORT, Conn, Aug. NEARLY
forty persons were killed by an acct
dent on the Stratford extension of
the Shelton Street Railway company
At clock yesterday afternoon, when
4 loaded trolley car went off the
trestle over Peck's milIpond at Orc
noque, about six miles north of
Bridgeport, and sank in the flats forty
feet below.
Thus far thirtysix people are known
TO be dead and several more injured
Only two persons are known g have
escaped unframed.
It is believed that there were forty
three passengers on the car, but the
Indicator was removed by a conduct
IF another car and spirited away. so
that at present it is impossible to
state accurately the number aboard
The scene of the accident is midway
between Shelton and Bridgeport. The
Ear was north bound, running toward
Shelton. 1t was in charge of Conduc-
tor John Carroll of Bridgeport, who
was among the killed, and Motorman
Hamilton of bridgeport, who escaped
by jumping.
The trestle is .44O feet long, made of
iron, with stone foundations, and was
not protected by guard rails South
Of the trestle is an incline, down
which the car ran at high rate of
| speed. After it ran onto the trestle
for about ten feet the trucks left the
rails ann then the car continued on
the ties for about seventy five feet,
when it went off the trestle and
dropped into the pond below, over
turning completely and Impending.
When the car struck, the four-ton mo-
tor and the heavy trucks crushed into
it, instantly killing many of the pas
sengers.
The accident was witnessed by Miss
Frances Peck, who resides about 400
feet from the bridge. She was up
stairs at her home 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
full mood as they passed him
The road, which is practically con-
5rolled 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 it swaying
TO the fats below. Soon afterward
The car toppled over. He sustained a
| severe shock, but was otherwise unin-
jured. He stated that the cars were
| not running unusually fast, but that
The car was swaying considerably
when it 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. He said that there was one IN
earthly shrek as it went down, and
after that silence.
One of the pathetic scenes was that
Of lifeless baby reclining in the
arms of a dead man, the infant ap-
pearing to be smiling and asleep. The
3-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 a few unidentified were TAX
IN to the morgue at Bridgeport
1t has been ascertained 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-
Der on the car forty seven.