Norwich bulletin., 1916-04-18

Bradford. r. J., April 1S.-DTiVir- I
through a thick fog, the Gilt Edge
Express. westbound, on the New York,
New Haven and Hartford Railroad.
smashed into the rear Of 4 local pas
senger train that had come to a stop
at the station here last night The
rear coach was telescOped and set on
fire and at least seven of the passen-
gers in II We're killed. An eighth vic
tim. Mrs oscar Alartel. of 65 Piimp-
ton street, SOuthbridge. Mass. died
later from her injuries. ThirJy-iive
othtrs received injuries and In scme
cases il was feared that death would
follow.
Searching for Bodies.
Early today a hundred men under
the direction OF Superintendent Wood
worth were searching the ruins Of the
local train and 1t was believed that
other bodies would be found.
Engine Pi0ushed Through coaeh.-
The locomotive OF the express
ploughed twO-thirds OF the way
through the passenger coach but held
the rails and Engineer Charles II.
Mansfield backed out Of the wreckage.
Goals from his fire box started the
fire that destroyed the four wooden
| coaches OF the local. the railway sta
tion and the freight house.
Trouble in Making Steam.
The local had left Providence at sos
last evening and because Of engine
trouble was seventeen minutes late
on arriving at Kingston The engi-
neer later said that he had trouble in
making steam and when he arrived
at Bradford he wired to New London
/ for instructions He was told to draw
l into a siding at Bradford to let the
| express pass and was just moving mis-
/ train from the main track when the
| express bore down upon him.
| There were only about fifty passea-
/ gers on the local and the loss OF life
and most severe injuries were suf-
| fered by those in the rear car
The Identified Dead.
| The identified dead are:
| Thomas Boardman OF westerly, IN
employe Of the Bradford Dye Asso-
citation.
Miss Jeanette Clark. daughter Of
William Clark, president Of the West
erly mill of the American Thread
4 company.
! Margaret Bliss. address unknown.
| J. F. Barbour Of Westerly.
Accident Due TO Wrong Signals Or
| Failure to Read Them.
The accident was due il is believed.
| to wrong signals or failure properly
to read the signals. When the lOcal
started for the siding J. W. Coombs OF
Boston. a haGman, went back to flag
the express which had left Boston at
! 0-1l, JUST 81 minutes AAAEE AlAn NnE
local and was nearly due at Bradford.
Coombs said that he had gotten as
far as the home signal. which Is 1000
feet east Of the station. when he saw
the express bearing down at a rate ne
thought Of fifty miles an hour.
! The home signal was properly set.
Signal Showed Clear Track.
Engineer Mansfield stated that the
distance signal further to the east
lei, Fv-IFrnr a track
when 1t ought to have been set yel-
low, demanding caution. When he
saw the home signal set for danger
he attempted to stop his train but
mans slid on the rails after the bra es
had been set and according to Mans
field the collision could not have beer
averted by him
Great Confusion.
| Great confusion followed the coils.
ion. the flames from the burning carr
and buildings keeping back the little
knot Of villagers who were about thi
station at the time. The telegraph
wires were burned out and only a sin,
gle telephone wire was left by whici
! aid could be summoned. Physician
were brought from Providence an,
New London, as quickly as possible
but II was several hours after n
| crash before a definite idea OF the los
, Of life could be had. Officials Of tn
New Haven first estimated the deaI
at from one to three persons but to
ward midnight four bodies had bee
recovered. Later three other bodie
were found and an eighth passenger,
Mrs. Oscar Marteli. died at n hospita
10 which she had been removed. On
man insisted that he had seen fou
, persons thrown through the window
Of the rear coach to the station plat
form.
. Bodies Badly Burned.
! All the bodies recovered were badl
: burned and only four had been identi
fed early today.