Milford, ME Train Breaks Through Bridge, Oct 1873

RAILROAD SMASH-UP.

A MIDLAND TRAIN FALLS THROUGH A BRIDGE -- THREE PERSONS INJURED.

The milk train on the Midland Railroad broke through the bridge over the Pequannock River near Stockholm, Sussex county, at an early hour Monday morning. The accident was caused by the abutment of the bridge being undermined, the rain storm having swollen the river and washed the earth from the back of the retaining wall. The main wall was left without other support than the timbers of the bridge. When the weight of the train was added to them the whole structure gave way, precipitating the engine and two freight cars into the water, a distance of twenty feet. One car was loaded with produce and the other with milk. The bridge, locomotive, and cars were completely wrecked. Ten or twelve feet of the road was washed away. BARNES, the engineer, TIERNEY, the fireman, and SHERIDAN, a brakeman, were severely injured, having gone down in the wreck. They succeeded in escaping by swimming ashore. The locomotive and cars were entirely submerged, and damage was done which will require several days to repair. A connection has been effected with other roads which will enable the Company to run trains by a roundabout course.

The Evening Gazette Port Jervis New York 1873-10-23
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!