RAILROAD HORROR AT HARTFORD, VT.

Hartford, Vt. train wreck--rescue and salvage work.

The Cortland News, Friday, February 11, 1887.

A RAILROAD HORROR.

The Train Goes off a Bridge —Those not Killed by the Shock Burned to Death.

   HARTFORD, Vt., Feb. 7, 1887. --- One of the most frightful accidents in the history of railroading in this country occurred at the bridge over the White River, between this place and West Hartford, four miles from White River Junction, at about two o'clock Saturday morning. Two sleeping cars and two passenger coaches plunged from the bridge to the frozen surface of the river, some 65 feet below. To add to the horror of the wreck, which was complete in itself, the cars partially immersed in the freezing cold water, took fire and the few who managed to escape saw their fellow passengers, who had escaped death in the wreck, slowly roasted to death.

   Each new development shows that the loss of life has been greatly underestimated, and it takes rank with the most appalling railroad accidents of the last half century, rivaling in fatality the famous Ashtabula, Ohio, disaster in December, 1876. and the Angola. N. Y. disaster in 1867, by which 45 persons lost their lives. and exceeding in the loss of life any previous disaster of the kind in New England.

   It is believed that the loss of life will reach 55 or 60. The number of wounded is at least 36. Conductor Sturtevaut lingered along in great agony until this afternoon at 3 o'clock when death came to his relief. His shoulder was crushed to a jelly-like mass, one hip was broken and badly bruised, his head was badly disfigured, and there was no hope for him from the first.

   The civil authorities at Hartford, Vt. have assumed charge of the remains of the victims and their personal effects, so far as found. It is now learned that a Mrs. Wm. Denno, of Winoski, Vt., was lost. Her husband was in the baggage car at the time of the accident. Her remains have not been identified. A peculiar case has arisen over the matter of the identification of a body claimed by two parties, one alleging that it is the body of a female and the other that it is a body of a male. Even the doctors are equally divided on the question on account of the charred condition of the corpse. Clothing, watches, keys, etc., belonging to each of the victims were found on the remains in such a manner as to indicate that the two persons died together and that one body was entirely consumed.  There is nothing left of the other but a portion of the trunk minus the head, arms and legs.

   John Henry Hazen, one of the Board of Selectmen of the town of Hartford, says in his opinion that bodies of forty-six persons killed have thus far been taken from the wreck, although this is not by actual count. Isaac Gates, undertaker, says thirty-two bodies have been brought to his care, seven of which have been identified and removed and perhaps five more are susceptible to identification. Prof. Fletcher, Chief of the Engineering Department of Dartmouth College, who has made a close examination of the track leading to the bridge, says there were three rails torn up at the point where the car "Pilgrim" probably left the track. These rails all show signs of defect in the material and in construction. Prof. Fletcher thinks an axle on the car “Pilgrim" broke, causing its derailment, and that that was the only car which left the track until the bridge was reached.

CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE RAIL.

The Verdict in the White River Railroad Disaster.

   BURLINGTON, Vt., Feb. 22, 1887.—The State Railroad Commission to-day announced its conclusion in relation to the Hartford Railroad disaster. The commission finds that 30 persons lost their lives in the accident and 37 persons were injured. Forty-one witnesses were examined, and the commission found that the accident was due to the breaking of the eighteenth rail from the south end of the bridge. The part broken off was found to be in several fragments, and at the several points of fracture showed a defect running lengthwise of the rail on the inside, beginning near the end and running back and gradually extending deeper into the body of the rail.

   The defect appeared in the bloom from which the rail was rolled, and at no point on the surface. The rail was from Bessemer steel, was rolled at St. Albans, and weighed 60 pounds to the yard. The seventeenth rail on the same side was also broken and crowded out to the right, and all rails between that and the bridge were crowded out of place to the right.

   The middle journal of the forward trucks of the sleeper "Pilgrim" was broken about midway between the wheels at some time in the accident and appeared slightly bent, the indenture being diagonal. One wheel was found on the ice above the bridge, away from the fire, the other with the wreck on the other side. The journal was of wrought iron, and the standard make of the Pullman Company, made at Chicago.

   There was no guard rail on the bridge, but as the commission find that the accident was not contributed to by that fact, they do not express an opinion about this particular bridge, but suggest that railway companies should take every precaution on approaches to bridges as well as over bridges. The Commissioners conclude that the rail broke first, that the Pilgrim sleeper and other cars that were wrecked left the track before the bridge was reached, and jolting on the ties broke the journal. The defect in the rail could not have been discovered before it broke. There was a proper slowing up of the train, and there was no culpable negligence on the part of the railroad company.

   The Commissioner says there is no doubt that many who lost their lives in this accident would have been saved if it had not been for the stoves and lights in the wrecked cars. The board express the opinion that heating cars by steam and lighting by electricity cannot be long deferred, although their use in their present form would not be unattended with danger in certain classes of accidents. Steam-heating from the engine is preferable, however, to the steam car suggested and the commission recommended all roads in Vermont to adopt steam heating from the engine before next winter, unless in the meantime some better method is perfected. The commission urges the railroads of the State to hold a conference with connecting roads so as to make the desired changes as soon as possible. Cortland News, Feb. 25, 1887.

OUTSPEEDING MUSKET SHOTS.

   Colonel Bob Leech says: "I don't know how fast an engine can travel, but I'll give you an idea of how fast one did go. During the war I ran a scouting engine for the Confederate government. It was my duty to carry a telegraph operator, who, at different points, would cut the wires and send dispatches. We were running at a rapid rate one day when, upon rounding a curve. I saw a thousand gun barrels blaze in the sunlight. I also saw that a number of cross ties had been piled on the track.

   To stop in time was an impossibility, to go on seemed certain death, for if we escaped being killed by the wrecking of the engine we would be shot to death, for we were regarded as spies. I decided in a second what to do. Telling my companions to lie down in the tender I seized the throttle and in locomotive parlance, threw her wide open.

   The engine jumped like a rabbit. I threw myself flat in the tender, expecting every second to be hurled to an awful death. Bang, bang, bang!  went the guns. Then all was silent save the whir, whir of the wheels.

   Could it be possible that the engine had knocked off the obstructions? I arose and looked out. We had passed the enemy and scattered the ties. My companion, as much astonished as myself, got up. I looked back and just above the tender I saw what I took to be a swarm of big black flies. I reached out and took hold of one. Gracious! I then discovered what they were. They were a shower of bullets that the enemy had fired after us. Well, we ran along at this rate until the bullets all fell behind. Those “Yankee” gentlemen looked at one another in disgust and resentment.

CORTLAND AND VICINITY.

   Postmaster Maybury has been informed that the free delivery system will go into effect in this place about June 1st.

   During the high wind Tuesday night the smoke stack on the Wickwire Brothers’

Railroad street works blew down, which necessitated the shutting down of that branch of the works one day.

   Burglars entered the store of Peck & Williams one day last week and stole merchandise to the value of about fifteen dollars. Although there was about $45 in money in the cash box, it escaped the burglars.

   Homer people are agitating the question of selling their steam fire engine and depending solely on the water works for their protection, as the water company propose to extend their mains to cover the entire village. A scheme that Cortland might well follow.

   The twenty-seven hour walking match at the Pioneer Rink last week was not a success financially. "Patsy" O'Connor, of Homer, won the 15 mile cup in one hour and 55 minutes. He also took first money in the entire race, having made 93 miles; Sullivan, second 83 miles; Hartness, third, 76 miles. The balance of the contestants dropped out early Saturday morning.

   The Old Center Market on Court St. has changed hands, Mr. Lansing retiring after a number of years of successful business. A. B. Frazier, formerly with Warren & Tanner, has purchased the business and took possession on Saturday last. "Bert" is not altogether green at the meat business, having been engaged in it before he came to Cortland. He certainly is obliging and pleasant in business and promises to keep an excellent market.

   The case of Lewis Crandall vs. James Densmore for slander which was on trial  when we went to press last week, was not finished until Wednesday night, when the jury brought in a sealed verdict. The case was ably conducted on both sides and the interest in it kept the court room crowded most of the time. The summing up for the defense by Judge Smith filled the court room to overflowing and was a master argument. Mr. Goodell, of Syracuse, made the plea for the plaintiff. Verdict for plaintiff of $10,000. It will be appealed.

PAGE TWO—OPINION.

   Henry George says of the great labor strike in New York:—“I think it the first passive form of civil war, which steel clad forts and armor-plated ships cannot guard us against. The kindling of passions and the arraying of forces that aroused to full energy, may give cities to the flames and destroy our very civilization itself." It seems to be about time to take that view of it. But in the end it will have to be settled by reason, and not by sword and flame. What is the remedy? The great middle masses who stand between the upper millstone of monopoly and the lower stone of poverty and passion must find the remedy and apply it. They are the government. They shoot with the ballot and their aim must be sure and quick.—Binghamton Republican.

   The object of Mr. Beck's bill, defeated in the Senate, was to prohibit lawyers in Congress from taking fees from railroads, the relations of which with the Government they might be required to act upon as legislators. Nobody who knows about the matter and is not personally interested will affirm that this bill is superfluous. Mr. Hoar's substitute, which was adopted, makes it a misdemeanor for a lawyer in Congress to take a fee from a railroad chartered or aided by the Government, if he "shall have reasonable cause to believe" that measures affecting the road are or are about to be pending before Congress. Of course no conviction for such an offense could ever be secured, and of course no one of the thirty-nine Senators who voted for Mr. Hoar's bill supposed it could. This result is melancholy for the people who desire to retain respect for the Senate of the United States, but it is perhaps less melancholy than the further fact that the whole Senate, including the members of the Judiciary Committee, voted against the bill. Upon the subject reported by that committee, the fee-hunting members of which thus confessed that they had reported it in bad faith for the purpose of killing any measure effectual for the end it was ostensibly designed to secure.

   The President has signed the Interstate Commerce bill, and he has accompanied the act by no criticisms or doubts regarding any of its provisions. There is no reason to suppose that he has at any time entertained any serious doubts. He seems simply to have pursued his customary course of giving the bill careful consideration, commensurate with its importance, and taking advice regarding the constitutionality of its provisions. The result has been a conclusion in accord with that of Congress that the bill, though it may contain defects and be in some measures experimental, should become a law. He will now have the very important duty to perform of appointing five Commissioners under the act to hold office for two, three, four, five and six years respectively, their successors to be appointed for a term of six years. The successful operation of the law will depend absolutely on the competency and character of the Commissioners, who should be specially trained and qualified for their arduous work. The President has kept his own counsel in regard to his intentions, put we have no doubt he will do his best to promote the success of the law by making good appointments.

Recommended:

Hartford, Vt. train wreck: http://raunerlibrary.blogspot.com/2011/04/hartford-bridge-disaster-of-1887.html

For comparison, Chatsworth, Ill. train wreck: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1887_Great_Chatsworth_train_wreck