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On Friday (6th inst.,) last week, the railroad express train, which left this city for New Haven at S A. M. dashed down into the river at Norwalk in the gap of the drawbridge at that place, which had been opened to let a steamboat pass, by which event no Iesthan46of our fellow beings lost their lives. The train alluded to consisted of engine, tender, one baggage car, a smoking gnd mail car, and five first class passenger cars. The Norwalk railroad station is located rom a quarter to half a mile on the west side of the bridge over Norwalk river, and between it and the bridge is a sharp curve to the right, in the road. The track is laid nearly on a level with the general surface of the ground at that place, but a number of houses and trees so intervene as to prevent any view of the bridge from the railroad, until fairly upon it. The bridge signal may be seen at a great distance this side of the draw, but, getting nearer, it is not clearly in view. The train to which the accident happened does not stop at Norwalk, and it seems the engineer neglected to notice the signal of the draw being opened. Owing to the curve in the road just before coming to the draw, the place has always been held to be dangerous, but the following instructions of the company are severe and precise :— " 6. All trains must run with care in approaching Norwalk River Bridge. Trains going east from Norwalk station will move around the curve with exceeding care, and Conductors on trains out of time are cautioned about crossing the bridge ; they will be held responsible for the safety of the trains. 8. In foggy weather, trains will approach the bridge with great care, and if trains are due, stop and send a man 1,000 feet ahead with signals." Instead of obeying these instructions, from vidence adduced be&re the-Coroner's Jury, it appears the accident was caused solely by the engineer—Samuel Tucker. The draw signal was set correctly, but h heeded it not, nor did he check up the train materially until he came in sight of the draw itself, at a distance of scarcely ten rods. Then he reversed his engine, and, with the fireman, jumped into the water, both escaping, but with injuries. So great was the momentum of the train that it came on to the bridge without slacking its speed, at the rate of 40 miles per hour; the gap, 60 feet wide, was almost leaped by the engine ; it struck the opposite pier without varying its line more than 5 inches, and buried itself partly in the central abutment. The tender turned bottom upwards and lodged fairly upon the locomotive. The baggage car then lodged in an upright position on the top of thetender. The smoking and mail car taking a sheer to the left, lodged upon the piles and bridging under the draw,formingar. acute angle with the baggage car. The first passenger car dove, as it were, down between the smoking and baggage cars, the car behind it striking and splitting it in pieces, and partly running over the roof. This second passenger car was, in turn, broken in pieces and crowded over the piles, by the other cars in the rear, one-half of it falling into the draw and partly upon the car ahead of it. The engineer has been put in prison to await the result. The only excuse he makes is that he thought he saw the safety signal up. The scene was heart-rending, and the loss of life, we believe, is greater than has ever taken place by one railroad accident in our country. When will there be more morality in our public carriers.
