Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1855-11-15

| ing, one of tue most wonderful accidents &C.
| Cured which the annals of railroad disasters
| Lave to show. A train Of four cars on the
Harlem railroad was blown off the track bod.
lily and rolled down an embankment some
thirty feet high, the cars turning four com
plete somersets, killing two men and iniuring
many Others. Only thirty passengers were on
! the train, and it is wonderful that any of them
escaped.
The following is the statement of the con-
ductor. Mr.. r. J. Whittier
" We left Albany at 40 p. NJ, and Chat
ham Corners at 5.2S, with three passenger cars
and baggage car. About thirty passengers
were let out at Copake, and al 6. So, as near
as can judge, the cars went off the track
The whole train turned over four times, the
coupling between the baggage car and tsnder
being broken. No other coupling was broken
and the cars went together. They rolled not
less than seventy feet and were dashed to
pieces. got out myself, and the first found
were three ladies. The rain was pouring in
torrents, and it was so dark that nothing could
be seen. l first found the foot of one of the
ladies and pulled the fragments off her head.
took her out and laid her on the grass. Then
went back and found another; the side of
the car lay on her head and shoulders.
:" \ third vas lying on her head, with her
ieet upward. and everything piled all about
her. When thought of an old lady, Mrs
Coburn of Chatham, called out to her, and
some one whom l knew, Mrs. Brant, answer
ed, She said she was not hurt, and came to
me, but fell. 1 laid her with the rest. and
then bandaged up two men. I then thought
of my old friend, Mr.. Rathbone, and called
out, but could get no answer from him. Nv
baggagemaster, Shelley, said" am hurt in
my back and inwardlv." When | heard
something which appeared to be on the upper
side of the car.
l got up then and found Mrs. Coburn. She
had cash over her left eve, and the skin was
hanging down. Her face was covered with
blood which 1 wiped away. went back and
called for my men. Barnes told me he was
hurt. Then VIC found Gaylord almost dead
the cars had crushed his ribs right IN and his
entrails were pushed out.
then found the pnper boy crawling up the
bank with the back of his head cut open. He
told me to look after the rest, he could take
care OF himself l then found Mr.. Rathbone
lying on his face under a truck. Tie bearing
OF the truck lay on the small of his back. We
got the truck off; he was dead. His watch
was broken off by the ring, but was still run.
ming. found Mrs. Coburn badly injured
about the head and side, and Mr.. Coburn had
his head cut.
| got the ladies on the engine and took
them to Boston Corners then | sent the en-
glneer to Middleton for car and physicians;
wethen went up and got the dead and wound
ed on board, except Gaylord and Barnes, WHO
were at the farm house. And then we
brought the passengers GOWN to Middleton
l never saw such sight in my life. There
was nothing left of the cars the saloons and
everything were completely ripped in pieces.
The train went over with Just one movement
like turning my hand; and | had Just been
talking with Mr. Rathbone, sitting By the side
Of him; when got up and turned two ladies'
were sitting together and one of them said:
"Mr. Conductor, will you be kind enough
to get us carriage when we arrive in New
York :" said L; 50 With pleasure" and Ihsd
not more than said "peasure" before felt
thai l was going over; went over the ladies
and the seats went upon them.
"The wind swept through the valley of this
NOTCH which is the place where Morissey and
Sullivan fought two years ago. The place is
three quarters of mile north OF Boston Cor.
ner''
Deaa-Francis H. Rathbone, White Mills.
Chatham Four Corners.
Harvey Gaylord, brakeman, Chatham -Four
Corners.
Woanded.-Mrs. Coburn, Chatham, serious
ly.
Mrs. Van Vecten, Pittsfeld. four cuts in
the head and considerably jured in the back.
never saw such woman; the blood was
running down, but she would look out for
other people. After she had done all that she
could for them she tainted twice.
Joseph Shelley, White Plains, baggage.
master came down with me as far as Dover,
and there had to stop. He was hurt in his
back. The coupling box fell on him. Twelve
others were slightly injured.
All reports agree in ascribing the oyerturn
of the cars to tie wind, but it seems incredi.
bic, as the cars could not have weighed less
than twelve OF fifteen tuns.