Tariffville, CT Wreck At Trestle, Jan 1878

DEATH ON THE RAILS.

FEARFUL ACCIDENT IN CONNECTICUT.

Hartford, Conn., Jan. 16. -- A terrible accident took place on the Connecticut Western Railroad just beyond Tariffville, about ten miles from Hartford at 10 o'clock last night.
The scene was at the trestle bridge crossing the Farmington river just west of the village. The train was bound for Millerton and carried passengers for all stations between this city and that place, who came in to attend the MOODY and SANKEY meeting. Two engines, the baggage car and three passenger coaches went down on the western end of the bridge -- the engines touching the shore, three cars breaking through the ice into three feet of water, and one car resting on end on one pier.
Seven bodies were recovered at 2 a.m., and others were believed to be in the wreck.
Among the dead are MRS. BENJAMIN CARMAN, MISS MINNIE ALLEN, daughter of HENRY ALLEN.
Two MISSES McCARGER -- all of Winsted.
One Woman and Two Men not Identified.
MISS JANET WARNER, of Canaan, and MR. URI WHITING, of Winsted, are missing. It is almost certain other bodies have not been recovered.
The more seriously wounded were:
REV. W. H. THOMAS, Methodist pastor of Winsted, both legs broken and side injured.
Engineers FRANEY and HATCH, of Hartford, badly scalded, the latter probably fatally.
W. A. PINNEY, of Winsted, head and right side.
FREDERICK HOTCHKISS, of Canton, ribs broken.
DWIGHT CASE, of Burkhalsted, head and ribs.
J. C. RIGGS, Norfolk, leg broken.
There are a large number less seriously injured. The wounded may be numbered at forty.
Special trains from Winsted and Hartford, bearing surgeons, reached the scene at 1 and 1:30 a.m. Factory and church bells were rung, and the citizens rallied, doing all that was possible.
Bodies were taken on planks or rude sleds across the ice to the Tariffville side. The wounded and dead were mostly put on the Hartford special. A few were left at Tariffville and Hartford, and the train took the rest round by Plainville on the Fishkill and Canal roads to New Hartford on the western roads. It is impossible to tell how many are yet in the wreck, but it is feared the killed will number from fifteen to twenty, possible more.

Decatur Daily Republican Illinois 1878-01-17
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!