The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1899-08-12

Bridgeport, Conn, Aug. 7.--Neariy 20
persons we're killed BY an accident on the
StratfOrd extension Of the Shelton Street
Railway Company Sunday, when loaded
trolley ear went on the trestle over Reck,s
mill pond at Oronoque, about ak miles
north Of Bridgeport and sank In the aats
20 feet below. Thus far 20 persons are
known to be dead and several more in
iured.
Only two persons are known 70 have e.
capped unframed II b believed there were
- passengers on the car, but the indicator
was removed by the conductor Of another
car and spirited away, 70 that at present It
i impossible TO state accurately the NUM-
Der aboard.
The scene of the accident Is midway b.
tween Shelton and Bridgeport. ne ear
was northbOund running toward Shelton.
1t was in charge Of conductor John Car
roll Of Bridgeport, who was among the
killed, and MOtOrman Hamilton Of Bridge.
POrt. who escaped by jumping.
The trestle d 40 feet long, made Of iron.
with stone foundations and was mot pro-
tected by guard rails. South Of the txestIe
for about 10 feet the trucks left the raiIA
then the car confined on the ties about
rs feet, when it went OF the trestie and
dropped into the pond below, oyerturning
completely and upending.
Crushed BY the Motor.
When the ear struck the fsur-ton motor
and the heavy trucks crushed into IL, in
stantly killing many Of the passengers
Three physicians who were passengers on
car = short distance behind, arrived
quickly on the scene and rendered all pos
able assistance to the injured.
Word was sent to Bridgeport and three
ambulances and q police wagon were hur-
ried TO the scene and the injured were n
ken to the Bridgeport general hospital A
morgue was improyised in the main rom
Of the town hall at Stratford, and in q very
short time p bodiss were laid out awaiting
Identification.
President Andrew Randell Of the rnfI-
road company stated that it was impossi-
bic for him 70 account for the accident.
Immediately after his arrival at the scene
be made a thorough inspection of the
tracks and trestle and could see nothing
wrong. and cars were running over the
trestle as usual soon afterwards He de-
MED that the cars were run At high rate
Of speed, and claimed every possible pre-
caution had been taken to prevent acci-
dents
One theory advanced d that faulty con-
nection was responsible for the accident.
At the point where the cars leave the road
for the trestle it Is alleged that the rails
had sunk little, and though the forward
trucks took the rails all right the rear
trucks did net connect and jumped the
track, which caused the forward trucks to
also leave the iron. 1t Is believed that Il
the proper guard rails had been placed
alongside the track the car would not have
toppled over.
Escaped by Jumping.
William Kelly Of Bridgeport, in CON-
pany with Miss Farrell, escaped death By
jumping from the car as it swayed 10 the
fats below. Soon afterwards the car top
Piled over. He sustained q severe shock,
but was otherwise uniniured. BE stated
that the cars were not running unusually
fast but the car was swaying considerably
when it struck the trestle and he realized
the danger and knew his only safety was
in jumping.
All the bodies Of the Bridgeport dead
and the unidentified were taken to the
morgue at Bridgeport. It has been ascer-
tanned that 40 fares were registered and
these, with the young children that did not
have to pay, the mOtOrman and conductor
and an extra motoTmAn, who was being
taught, make the probable number On the
car AZ.