☛ Frightful, Railroad Accident. May 20, 1858.
Frightful Railroad Accident – A frightful railroad accident occured on the N.Y. Central Railroad, on 11th inst., by the breaking down of a bridge near Whitesboro, a short distance from Utica. Up to the latest accounts eight persons were killed or have died since the accident and about forty are more or less severly injured. The accident is somewhat similar, though not to the same extent, as that which occured near Hamilton in March 1857. The distance between the stone abutments of the bridge is 32 feet; the depth to the bottom of the creek, nine feet;the length of each car is 35 feet; and into this space three entire cars were crushed into each other like a telescope, which will give an idea of the crash which must have ensued. The engines of which there were two, were both across the bridge before it gave way. The timbers of the bridge were said to have been perfectly rotten, so much so, that it is a wonder it did not break down long before.
The evidence at the Coroner’s Inquest in Utica, held on the bodies, bears strong against the Company, Civil engineers, millwrights, blacksmith’s and other person’s acquainted with timber and the construction of bridges, testify that the timbers used in the bridge over the Sanquoit three years ago were unfit for the purpose, and unsafe. One witness, Mr Crandall, who assisted in the construction of the bridge, three years ago swears that he called the attention of the overseer to the rotten chips brought up by the auger but was told that “it wouldn’t amount to anything” — The condition of the wounded is unchanged, but it is thought that no more will die.
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