The evening times., 1900-03-02
THE PLAIDVILLE WRECK
Death List of the Railway Casualty
May Reach Twenty.
Five Killed and Fifteen Reported
Missing-A Passenger Train PIung-
on the New York, New Haven,
and Hartford Fatally Crushed.

NEW HAVEN, Conn, March 2.-It is
now feared that the list of dead in the
Plainville wreck on the New York, New
Haven, and Hartford Railroad last night
may reach twenty. AT least fifteen persons
are missing this morning and from the rag
ing waters surrounding the scene Of the
casualty cnly one explanation can be made
they were drowned whe nthe cars slid
into the torrent.
The list of dead is as follows:
Stephen Searles, engine driver, sixty
two years old of 172 Howard Avenue, New
Haven.
Edward Barrows, baggagemaster. thirty
! six years old, of 16 Court Street. New
Haven.
William Korpe, fireman, thirty years old.
Two unidentified men, passengers.
Nine of the injured are now in the Hart
ford Hospital, comparatively well, 1t Is
said, except Charles Neal, the conductor.
He has completely collapsed and it is fear
ed he will lose his mind If he recoyers
from his severe internal injuries.
The Pennington local left New Haven
last night with a passenger car combina-
car. Shortly after : o'clock, when it was
approaching Piainvile, ii passed spot
where the Pennington River and an ordi-
narily small brook known as Eight Acre
Creek, unite. The brock had been chang
ed to a wide river by the heavy rain OF
the day, and the back water OF the Two
streams had washed hole sixty feet long
under the railroad track. The embankment
there is thirty feet high. The engine and
oar qot rnp weakened spot
in safety. but the combination car broke
through and dragged with it the rest OF the
train All piled together in the water,
smashing the ears TO kindling wood.
Villagers at the station Of Plainvi-le,
watching the approach OF the train. were
startled at seeing its lights suddenly dis
appear. They ran TO the rescue ste
phen Searles, the Oldest engineer on the
New Haven Road, was found pinned un-
der his engine. dead His fireman, VII
liam Korpe. was horribly crushed between
two cars. bur insisted that other persons
be rescued as his case was hopeless lie
died soon after. Edward Burrows. the
baggagemaster, was found with frac-
tured skull 1t is supposed he jumped and
struck on his head One OF the unidenti-
fed passengers was pulled out OF tIe
debris with his clothing torn from mis-
body He was terribly mangled. Charles
injured. insistt upon giving what assist
ance he could to the passengers OF his
train He said that he could give lit
idea of the number OF passengers, as he
had not counted W his tickets when the
smash came.
He said there we're fifty in the passenger
car and, if his estimate is correct, there
are fifteen yet 10 be accounted for. The
swirling waters may have carried some
away before their cries could be heard
but those who were first on the ground
do not believe that this is true. Dennis
Finch. OF Southington, one OF the oldest
messengers in the Mail Service, is among
the missing, not having been seen since
the accident occurred. II is probable that
his body will be found in ditch. pinned
under the passenger coach. Several Of
those injured were able to assist them
selves from the wreck, and go TO the aid
OF others who were less fortunate. They
succeeded in extricating at least six who
would otherwise certainly have been
drowned by the time the villagers arriv ed
on the scene.