The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-01-19
Meets Several Obstacles M Dash to Crash Scene
(cOntinued from Page D

It was Peter who offered to take this Democrat reporter on a. short cut through the woods to the scene, where l7 persons had burned to death, It was the same route that the valiant Ash boys had sprinted across just Q short time earlier, and 1t was indeed miraculous that the youthful runners had covered the distance in that time.
 The terrain in that sector is very hilly and wooded, and in many stretches, the ground was covered with snow and ice. Our trek took the better part of an hour. Some times we were forced to push through thick brush and duck under barbed wire fences. Far beyond could be seen other excited people Of all ages rushing onward.
 As we reached the crest of high hill, we glimpsed an ambulance, with e huge Red Cross, and many cars in the distance. It was heart ening to know that we were nearing the crash, for many people on the main highway had reported 1t was three miles east of the College highway.
 We looked into the deep gully, re- ported to be near the scene of the crash, and could not see any ac- tivity in the valley. It was beau- tiful spot. 4 brook, sparkling in the brilliant January sunlight, wound Its way through the valley, and in the far distance were brown hills, dotted with the dark green of pine trees.
 A quietus hung over the entire valley. We did not hear @ voice nor a sound of any kind.
 Suddenly 6 state policeman ape reared out of nowhere, and we asked how far we might be from scene of the crash.
 The policeman pointed to our right. "It's there, he said briskly.
 Where" both of us asked in unison.
 Right there. Tn front of yOu," he repeated impatiently.
 We could not believe him for an instant. We still heard no activity, no noise, yet we knew scores of people were at the scene. as indi- cated by the cars in the distance.
 We walked a few yards up the hill and suddenly looming over the brow of the bank was the charred silver wing of the airliner.
 Since no women were allowed closer than 90 yards to the crash, a&ar ekaal tahiyaA Vaaa asa kka nwnef of the hill. From that distance 1t was difficult to discern at first the charTed remains of the victims from the debris of the splendid and pow erful airliner, which just a few hours previously was winging its way over the Connecticut hills.
 All was blackened, burned wreck age. Black twisted steel loomed above the black embers. Only the one silver wing, broken, battered and charred, indicated to a specta- tor at a distance that this had once been a giant airliner plying between two American metropolises.
 While body after body was care fully lifted from the tragic ash heap, grim looking neWspapeFmen, emergency workers and state guards miiled quietly about without speak, ing.
 The picture was unreal. It was difficult to realize amid this peace ful. lovely panorama of wooded hills and vales and sparkling streams lay stark tragedy and death in num- bers, created by high-powered in- vention of man.
 It was ineonceiyable that the black hulks being lifted from the embers had just q few hours pre- vi0nsly been human beings. riding amid the luxury of a giant silver airliner soaring through the clouds at almost a 100 miIAs a nninllte