Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 April 1886 — RAILROAD HORROR. [ARTICLE]

RAILROAD HORROR.

1 _ ~ % » r . X Six Cars Roll Down an Embankment Two Hundred Feet in Height, All but Three of One Hundred Passengers Injured or Missing. (Greenfield (Mass.) dispatch.) 1 A terrible disaster occurred on the Fitchburg Railroad midway between Bardweli’s Ferry and West Deerfield station, the eastbonnd passenge?'train going over an embankment 200 feet high. Ten bodies have already been taken out of the rains, and it is not known how many others were killed. The train was the eastern express, and consisted of a baggage car, a smoker, a sleeping car, ninil car, and two ordinary passenger cars. It was in charge of Conductor Foster, with Herbert Littlejohn as engineer. The point where the accident occurred is the most dangerous on the road, as the track runs on the edge of an embankment 200 feet above Deerfield River. The bank is steep, and is covered with huge bowlders and masses of rock. When (he train arrived at this point the. track commenced to settle under it for a distance covering its entire length. The coaches broke from their trucks and went rolling over and over down the precipice. The engine broke from the tender, tearing up the track for twenty feet. Below rolled the Deerfield River, on the very edge of which the cars were thrown. As soon as they struck they caught fire from the stoves. The sleeping-car was an entire wreck. It was occupied by several passengers, not one of whom at this hour is known to have escaped injury. As soon as the news reached Greenfield a special train was made up and sent to the scene of the disaster, having on boaid several physicians, section men, and a few citizens. On arriving at the wreck a horrible sight was witnessed. Darkness had settled over the spot. Far down on the river bank could be seen the smoldering embers of the ill-fated train. It was impossible to tell who was hurt and who was killed. Stout-hearted trackmen were lowered cautiously down the treacherous height, and the work of rescue began. The Fitchburg coach was the only one that escaped the flames. Near it lay the dead body of a little girl. Merritt Seeley, of the National Express Company of Boston, was found in the wreck and taken into the relief car. He had a inches long and half an inch wide over his left temple. His left thigh was broken and also his left leg at the knee, besides which he sustained internal injuries from which he will die. D. Crandall, postal clerk, was plunged into the river, and got ashore with difficulty. He was wounded abont the head and his arm was fractured. Depnty Sheriff Bryant, who was in this car, rescued two children from the flames, but one was dead and tee other dying. Their parents were on board, but cannot be found. Some of the injured and dead were taken to Shelburne Falls and some of the, wounded to Greenfield. C. P. Bell, of Nashua, N. H., was cut slightly on the bead and leg, but not seriously hurt. He was thrown headforemost into the river, and went to the bottom, barely escaping drowning. Conductor Foster is reported safe, and bnt slie-htly injured. D. C. Wells, of Andover, had hia shoulder hurt and his bead cut. The car in which he was riding was broken in two, and stood on end within a few feet of the river bank. Nicholas Dorgan, of Greenfield, had his left arm and ankle broken, nnd was seriously injured internally. A little girl who was a passenger on the train died, in his arms from injuries received. J. E. Priest, of Littleton, N. H., had his face and head cut. Engineer Littlejohn, of North Adams, was badly scalded, aud has since died. A. K. Warner, Chairman of the Greenfield Board of Selectmen, was badly hurt, but his injuries are not fata!. Great excitement prevails all along the road between here and North Adams. Being interviewed at Shelburne Falls Conductor Foster said: “I am unable to state how many were on the train. Only three men have thus far been found who escaped injury, and they set the number of passengers all the way from twenty-five to a hundred.” The locomotive is a complete wreck, but remains on the track, while the tender is down the bank. Tho following persons were taken to Shelburne Falls, more or less injured: < H. G. Littlejohn, brother of tho engineer,' with his wife and two children, all of whom have since died; A. D. Cornell, Allen Lewis, E. B. Stowe, A. C. Harvey, of Boston, badly hurt; J. P. Fowler, A. R. Warner, of Greenfield; H. Conillard, - Charlemont; E. W. Dunnells, Waltham; Miss Darby and May Gowing. A Miss Cornell is badly hurt, as in Mail Agent Putney. A. M. Waterhouse is missing. It is reported in Shelburne Falls that thirteen persons were killed outright, but this cannot be verified. At midnight it is reported that four more dead bodies were remoyed from the wreck, and it is believed that others have been swept down the river. The train at the time of-the accident was running at the rate of about twenty miles an hour. - - - -—.2—