The Red Cloud chief., 1899-08-11
FORTY.N|NE LIVES LOST.
Accidents on a Trolley Car and a
Gang Plank
ExCURSlONISTS MEET DEATH,
Forty Feet From n Tre,tie ami Twenty
steamer.

BRIpGEroBT, Conn, Aug. 3 An open
trolley car, twisted, bent and smashed,
lying In the middle Of Peck's mill
north OF here, this morning, Is the
only visible indication Of an accident
OF yesterday afternoon, when twenty
nine lives were lost and twelve per-
ons seriously injured from the car
leaving the trestle which crosses the
pond at this point. The cause of the
accident is not known. Engineer
w. w. Starr, who superintendent the
building of the bridge said to-day
that the bridge was perfectly safe.
In his opini on the motorman became
bewildercd rs the car began to travel
fast down the incline, and, finding
himself In n dangerous situation, lost
his head and turned the current on
instead of reducing it.
The road was opened for business
Thursday. The accident occurred
midway between Shelton and Bridge
port. The car was on the way to
Shelton. 1t was in charge of Conduc.
tor John Carroll, who was killed, and
Motorman Hamilton, who escaped by
jumping.
The trestlc is 4i0 feet long, made of
iron, with stone foundations, and was
not protected by guard rails. South
of the trestle Is al incline, down
which the car ran ut a high rate of
speed. After 1t ran onto the trestle
for about ten feet tho truck 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.
BAR HARBoR, Me-, Aug ST wenty
persons were killed yesterday by the
collapse Of the gang plank of the
Mount Desert ferry. Those killed were
members of one Of the many cxcur-
sion parties on the way to Bar Har-
Dor to see the war ships that were ex,
pected there yesterday.
All the morning long trains packed
"hsh SaSo u AuSiiuk ~
Bar Harbor. The train which lef.
Bangor at s:25 consisted Of twelve
cars jammed with people. At Noun,
Desert ferry, the terminus Of the line,
the train Is left for the boat. for an
eighteen-mile sail to Bar Harbor.
From the wharf q slip,or gang plank,
forty feet long and ten feet wide,
leads up to the boat.
The slip was hinged at the inner
end and was raised or lowered to suit
the tide. The wharf extends on both
sides flush with the end of the wooden
gang plank, five timbers four by
twelve inches, set vertically ran the
length of the plank and these were
crossed by two inch planks II is
said that there vas nc support for the
plank between the hinges and the
outer end.
When the excursion train from Ban
gor arrived at the ferry, there was a
rush for the steamer Sappho. The
first few passengers had crossed the
gang plank safely, and it is estimated
that 200 people were massed on the
plank. Suddenly they felt the plank
give way beneath them.
The long timbers supporting the
plank broke in the middle. The
hinges held up one end and the chain
the other. while the broken ends Of
the plank dropped, and a struggling,
screaming mass of humanity was
plunged into the water, fifteen feet
below the wharf.
A few chung to the inclined sides of
the plank, but at least $50 were strug-
Cling In the water. The piling Of the
wharf practically penned them on
three sides, and the boat lying at the
wharf closed the outer end of the
opening. After the first moment OF
stupefaction the work of rescue be.
gan. Ropes and life preservers were
thrown to the crowd, but in the panic
people in the water clutched ono an
other and many sank thus in groups.