The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1899-1900, 1899-08-09
A DEATH PLUNGE.
Trolley Car Drops from a Trestle
Into a Pond.
Thirty-Six People are Dead as a Re-
suit and Several Were injured
An Appalling Accident Near
bridgeport, Conn.

bridgeport, Conn.,, Aug. 7'-Nearly
20 people were killed by an accident
On the Stratford extension of the Shell
ton street railway at o'clock Sunday
afternoon, when a loaded trolley c
went off the trestle over Peck's mill
pond, at Oronoque, about six miles
north of Bridgeport, and sank in the
flats 40 feet below. Thus far 36 peo-
pie are known to be dead and several
more injured. ....
Only two persons are known to have
escaped unharmed. 1t is believed
there were 43 passengers on the car,
but the indicator was removed by the
conductor of another car and spirited
away, SO that at present it is impos-
sible to state accurately the number Of
those aboard.
The scene of the accident is midway
between Shelton and bridgeport. The
car was northbound, 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 440 feet long, made of
iron, without stone foundations, and
was not protected by guard rails.
South of the tTestle is an incline, down
which the car ran at high rate Of
speed. 1t ran on the incline about
10 feet when it went OFF the trcstle and
dropped into the pond below, over
turning completely and up-ending.
When the car struck the four TONS mo-
tor and the heavy trucks crushed into
it, instantly killing many of the pas
sengers.
Three physicians who were passen-
arrived quickly on the scene ahd len
dered all possible assistance to the
injured. Word was sent to Bridgepoll
general hospital. A morgue was
improvised in the main room of the
town hall at Stratford and in n very
short time 23 bodies were laid cut
awaiting Identification.
The accident was witnessed by Miss
Francis Peck, who resides about 400
feet fiom the bridge. She was up
stairs at her home MS the car was
passing, and she says 1t was running
at an unusually fast rate. Frank
Cramer, who was bathing near the
bridge, states that the passengers were
all singing and in the most joyful
mood as they passed him. The road,
which is practically controlled by the
Bridgeport Traction Co., was opened
for traffic Thursday.
Nearly the entire medical force Of
Bridgeport responded to telephone
calls sent in, but when the doctors ar
rived they were unable TO render
much assistance, and so few passsn-
gers escaped instant death. The car
after up-ending soon settled over on
its side and there was little difficulty
in removing the bodies Of the dead as
well as assisting the wounded. Motor
man Harrison was suffering from such
a severe shock that it was imp, ssiblc
TO learn anything from him.
President Radell, of the railway com
pany, stated that it was impossible
for him to account for the accident.
Immediately after his arrival ut the
scene he made a thorough inspcc. ion
Of the tracks on the trcstle and could
see nothing wrong, and cars We're
running over the trestle cs usual soon
afterwards. He denied that the cars
We're being run at a high rate of speed,
and claimed that every possible pre-.
caution had been taken TO prevent nc.
cidents.
One theory advanced is that faulty
construction was responsible for the
accident. At the point where the
cars leave the road for the trestle it
is alleged that the rails mad sunk a
little and though the forward truck
took the rails all right, tn" rear truck
did not connect and jumped The track,
which caused the forward trucks 10
also leave the iron. IT is believed that
If proper guard rails had been 1laccd
on the trestle the car would have
been prevented from toppling over.