Terrible Railroad Accident

Stoni.vgxon-, Ct. Apvil 19.- A dreadful acoideut occurred to the steamboat train on tho Stonington & Providcnco Railroad tbis morning. The steamboat taiu frora Stonington l'or Boston feil Urrough the bridge at Richinonï Switch, and six cars were buroed. Fifteen persons aro suppo3ed to have been killed. Six bodies havo ulready beon reoovered from the ruina. Tilo accident was caused by a freshet.. Tha steamer Stonington arrived h'ere at about 2 o'clock this ulornic-. There werp about 170 paS3enger3 who took the 2:30 train from this pliVCd for Providence and Boston. At P.ichru ond Switch a dam across a sm1.! millstre mi had been uarried ayay, letting tho wtnT of Ennis pond, whioh supplics tor a grist-mill, downupon the lailroid bridge, located about 30 feet distant, completely Tvash.ing it away. No one lived near the pond, so that the breaking away of the dam was uot known until the train was thrown into tha chasm. One ( f the iron rails on the opposite track w3 driven completely through the engine. William öuile, tho engineer, and George Eldridge, the fireman, died at their posts, and their charred reroains have been taken from the wrecked engine. The former Ieave3 a family. The killed are very much disfigured. Seven bodies have been recovered. Conductor Orrin Gardner escaped. Thomas Nolan, tho through jrakeuian, is seriously injured in the thigh, but all the other brakemen escaped with slight injuries. The killed, as far as recognized, in addition to those mentioned, are Albert Allen, of Providence, Jerry on, oí Boston, and wni. Calillan, of New York. Thero are about 3ö wounded, some of them seriously. It ia thought that several bodies havo been washed down the streara, as the flood was probably at its height. The engine niado a fearful loap, passing over the stream and embedding itself in the opposite ernbankment. Three passenger cars were burnt, two first-class cars and one second-class. The other three cars burncd wero what railroad men cali baggaga flats, The three cars that contained baggage and express crates were what prevented grsater loss of life. The damaged bridge has been repaired and trains aro again running on time. Conductor Gardner was jainmed in between the seats by tho shock, but averted a doublé disaster by immediately calling out for some one to go back with a signal of danger for the mail train, which was just behind and approaching at rapid spoed. A PASSENGER'S STATEMENT. Joseph Holstrom, a passenger, gives the following account of tho accident : He was on tho left hand side of the rear end of a car, and in front of hiin on the opposide, near tho stove, were two young men, apparently trom 20 to 25 years of age, and diroctly behind hiin was Benj. It. Knapp, Jr., of Boston. Holstiom, immediately after the shock, heard the youug men and Knapp cali for help, as they were wounded and held fast by aplintered portions of the preceding car. On searching lor Knapp it was found that one of bis legs was injured and Ilolstrom and sovenil others set abortt to extricnto hini and the two yoimg men. Suddenly a volume of flarue shot into the car door and instantly the mass of splinters was ou fire, the flames rushing through the car as quickly as though the wood had been a lot of hay. The rescuers had barcly time to relievo Knapp frora bil position when they were obliged to flee for life, and the two unfortunate young men were lef't to meet their terrible fato, and were burned todeath in a very few minutes. With these oxcep.tions none of the other occtrpant of this car are known to have perishcd, though quite a number had very narrow escapes. Just before the tire burst into the car Ilolstrom and others were engaged in prying up the stove which imprisoned the two young men who were seated beside it. When the train camo dashing along the engine and tender leaped the chasm and landed on the oppositeside. luimodiately behind were two crate cais, which plunged into the offing, followed by the second-class passenger car containing a number of immigrants and a party ot' suilors belonging in Boston, who were returning from New York. As this car piled on the crates it v.'as splintered into kindling wood and the persons inside were tumbled into river and with one cxception were soverefy injured. In the rear of this car was a ear which contained but two passengers and Thomas Nelson, the brakeman. Tho noxt car was occuüied bv Quite a number of gera, arrdwras the ouo in which Hlostrom was seated. Bohind this was another passenger car and a smoking car, both of which wero saved by unconpling and running them back frora the wrecfe. The opinión among the passengers seemed to be that the fire caught f rom a stovo in tha second-class car. No one has yet arrived in Boston who can give a list of the killed, but the general estímate is froia 8 to 12.