Worcester daily spy., 1860-02-01
Fatal RAILROAD ACCIDENT.

Yesterday afternoon there was a very seri-
Gus disaster on the Western Railroad, between
Wibraham and Palmer, about four milee west
| of the latter place. This disaster befel the ex-
press train from New York, which was thrQwffi-
from the track BY TIE TIE breaking of one of the
axles of a car. The disabled car, in which
were thirty or forty passengers, was hurled
from the train and plunged down an embank-
ment eighty feet, going endwise, at first, and
then rolling over and over two or three times.
The car appears to have been strong one, for
it was not much broken; and none of the pas
sengers in it were killed, as they would have
been had it been crushed to pieces. Twelve
or fourteen persons in this car were injured,
some of them badly, aud brakeman on the
train was killed.
Among the persons injured was Rev. MIR.
Richardson of the Salem street church, in this
city, who had taken the train at Hartford.
The car that went down the embankment was
the last but one on the train. He was sitting
in the back part of this car, conversing with
some persons near him; and his account of
the disaster is, that the dragging and jolting of
the car, after the axle broke, led him to reach
his hand towards the signal rope, when he fel
forward, became unconscious, and remained
so, until he found himself near Worcester, in
the care of those who had taken him in charge
when the wounded were taken from the wreck.
Mr.. Richardson's injuries were severe, al
though not dangerous. There was very Sc
we're confusion on the forehead over the left
eye, with some other cuts and bruises about the
face; and he was badly sprained, and some
what bruised about the shoulders, neck, and
upper part of the back. When taken from the
wreck he was found in the forward part of the
car, under the stove. He has no broken bone
nor any wound which his physicians considerat
all dangerous. Dr. Higgins of Palmer, took
charge of him, at the place of the accident,
and came with him to Worcester. On the ar
rival Of the train here, the report that he had
be en- injured caused no little sensation about
the city. 1t was reported that he was dead-
that he was dying,-and finally, that he was
mortally injured and could not live until
morning. The latter report was current about
the city last night His many friends will be
glad to know that his injuries are not such as
endanger his life, and that he will soon be out
again.
The name of the brakeman who was fatally
hurt was Simon Daley. His station was be-
tween the last car in the train and the car to
which the disaster happened. His legs were
crushed between the cars. Then he fell from
the platform and the car wheels went over
him. He lived about two hours Mr.. Daley
was a single man, about thirty three years old,
and had his home in Boston.
The latest statement is, that twelve passen.
gers were injured, besides Mr.. Richardson.
Some of them were able to come on in the
train, some were left at Palmer, and a few
went back to Springfield. Some of those left
at Palmer came on in the night train. Only
two remain there. Superintendent Gray sent
special train to the scene of the accident, and
the road was soon cleared. We could not learn
the names of the injured persons. There were
| five passenger cars in the train. The rear car
was whirled round and left standing across the
track. The disabled car was dragged about
half mile after the axle broke, before it went
down the embankment.