The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-07

Frank Cramer, who was bathing near
the bridge, states that the passengers
were all singing and in the most joyful
mood as they passed his vicinity.
The road, which Is practically con-
trolled by the Bridgeport Traction Com
pany, was opened for traffic last Thurs
Gay. President Andrew Radell was IN
Derby when he received news of the
catastrophe, and he Immediately drove
to the scene. He was completely pros
trated when he saw the extent OF the
disaster.
Undertaken Curtis Of Stafford was no.
titled almost Immediately after the ae-
oident and utilized all sorts of convey
ances to convey the dead bodies to the
improvised morgue. Nearly the entire
medical force of Bridgeport responded
20 telephone calls sent in, but when
the doctors arrived they were able
to render but little assistance, as so Jew
escaped instant death. The car after
upsetting, soon settled over on its side.
and there was little difficulty in remoV-
ing the bodies of the dead, as well as
assisting the wounded.
The cause of the accident will prob
ably not be known until after Coroner
Doten conducts an investigation. Mo-
torInsn Hamilton, who escaped death.
Is suffering from such a severe shock
that It was impossible to learn anything
from him tonight. President Radell sta
ted that 1t was impossible for him to
account for the accident. Immediately
after his arrival at the scene, he made
a thorough inspection of the tracks on
the trestle, and he could see nothing
wrong, and the cars were running over
the trestle as usual soon after the ac-
cident
He denied that the cars were being
run at high rate Of speed, and claimed
that every possible precaution had
been taken TO prevent such an occur
renee. Seven inspectors were put on to
watch the running of the cars, and a
time allowance of half an hour was
allowed, and extra cars put on to pro
vide for this,
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 al
legged that the rails had sunk little,
and though the forward trucks took
the rails all right, the rear trucks did
not connect, and jumped the track
which caused the forward trucks TO also
leave the iron. 1t is the belief that II
proper guard rails had been placed on
the trestle, the car would have been
prevented from topping over. Inc con-
6uctors and motormen have been or
dered to run the cars tonight not raster
than four miles an hour.
The scene about the wrecked car was
one of horror and seemed to stun all
the early ones on the scene. Fortu-
nately all that were not instantly
killed were rendered unconscious, so
that few of the gruesome scenes con-
nected with most disasters were evil |
denced. All of the persons killed sus-
tanned fractured skulls.
10 all of Rri6Q6nOFf. VINO
was in company with Miss Farrell, es-
capped death by jumping from the car, |
as he felt it swaying, to the flats be-
low. Soon afterwards the car TOPPED
over He sustained a severe shock, but
was otherwise uninjured. He stated |
tonight that the cars were not running |
unusually fast but that the car was
swaying considerably when 1t struck |
the trestle, and he realized the danger, |
and knew his only safety was in jump |
ing.
George Willis, superintendent of the
r. N. Bassett Company, shelton, was
on the highway not more than 100 feet
from the scene, and witnessed the car
topping over. He said that there was
one unearthly shrek as it went down,
and after that silence.
A camping party, which included
Calverly, the rope walker. were in the
vicinity, and they rendered oonsidera-
BILE assistance. One of the pathetic
scenes was that OF lifeless baby re-
clining in the arms of dead man, and
the infant seemed to be smiling and
asleep. Another sad incident was no
ticed, when the S-year-old son of Mrs.
]. H. Rugg was frantically appealing
to his mother, who was one of the VIC
TINS. His sister, 5 years old, had her
left arm broken.
The Stratford town hall where the
bodies We're taken, was soon besieged
by more than 1000 persons, some of
whom had relatives or friends among
the dead, and Deputy Sheriffs Blakman
of Shelton. Hester of Bridgeport and
Stage of Stratford had considerable
difficulty in handling the crowd of
weeping women and anxious men. In
the early evening it was estimated that
upwards of 5000 people visited the vi
entity, and pickpockets took advantage
of the crowd to secure considerable
booty.
All the bodies of the Bridgeport dead
and a few unidentified were taken to
the morgue at Bridgeport late tonight
1t has been ascertained that 40 fares
were registered and with the young
children that did not have to pay
Zares and the motornan and conductor
and an extra motorman that was be-
ing taught, makes the probable num-
Der on the car Al.