New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-11-22
DREADFUL RAILROAD CATASTROPHE.
A Train Plunged Through a Drawbridge'
NAMES OF DEAD AND WOUNDED.
F-or, The Bo,ton Trdreiley Of Friday, Hop. IL.

The first passenger train which left Reading at 81
this morning, and takes mp passengers al Maiden,
Melrose, and other way stations en- route to Boston,
met with a terrible accident az about ten minutes
before Just before reaching the depot IN this city
The train consisted OF an engine, tender, smoking
car aud three long passenger cars, and was fuli ol
passengers, residents Of various suburban towns
Everything was all right with the train until 1t
reached the last draw-hIidge IN Charleetown before
entering the city. This bridge is double one, half
Of which was closed at the time, and the bridge
tender wac engaged III closing the other hand. The
tender states hat he had the signal up for the train
TO stop.
When the train came along, it stopped beyond the
draw, as usual, for few moments aud then came
on slowly.
The morning was very dark aud foggy, heavy
rain was falling, and the probability 10 that the
engineer, Nh. Simeon Garland, could not see the
signal
Tic train, at a slow rate OF speed, approached the
open draw which WAS doubtless seen by the ell
gneer too late 10 avert the catastrophe.
The shru whistle WAS heard giving the alarm.
The engineer attempted to save himself by leapng
of the machine, and IN 70 doing probably struck The
side Of the bridge and dropped into the water. lie
wae saved by tho crew OF schooner near by, badly
Injured internally.
The engine, the Bangor, and tie tender, fell
through the opening, and were buried ont Of sight IN
the water.
Mex came the smoking car which was full Of
7 81
also made the fatal plunge one end, that used Tor
baggage g0nv down into the water 80 tina, It dsap-
peared Tor nearly wo.thirds of is length, probably
re,tiug upon the engine and tender beneath.
Wien the smoking car went down, according to
the description Of gentleman who occupied front
seat IN the car, the shgi whistle was beard, which
created much confusion ia the crowded car "a tort
OF humping noise followed and then tie car went
over sinking down and throwing the passengers IN
a leap at o. forward eLd, the water rushing N IN
every direction.
For few seconds they remained piled in a heap,
and then came the struggle for lie. Alr Gallagher
of Melfose, who WAS In tue car, ~ desperate e.
/ fort, succeeded IN extricatiug himself IRON the
crowd crawed out Of the window Of The car dropped
I into The wat =, aud was rescued by rope thrown
/ TO him from the bridge
Many otDep OF he passengers succeeded in escap-
/ ing by tie WINDOWS. while some made their way
through tho door al the re..r end OF The car
! The penons upon the bridge tore up the planks
! and threw them TO those ~ the water Tor n0ais,
Vi ich probably saved some lives
III regard 10 tie loss Of life Il 10 difficult, al pres
ent, TO say. Many do not estimate II higher than
i've or six while others express De Of n9n that hl-
teen or twenty were Lilled Al least thiity Of the
/ pQssencers went under water, but Considerable
number OF these escaped.
UptoSI clock three bodies had been recovered,
one OF whom was the brakeman, Charles Richard
SOD Whote post was upon the smoking car
A mechanic who Travelled on the tram daily was
taken OuL DEAD 4hc haiLc OF tne Liu person AliitH
we have not obtained.
The fireman of the train, when the engine went
down. Jumped and caught ogo Of the braces Of the
br DE, AMI escaped with ilght injury His name q
EaWaId Chutiy
4 gourg nan named Russell con Of Herbert Ruf-
sci Of Maiden, l. reported IS having been very
badly injured.
O.her pauengors who escaped received ,lighi IN
iurcs, but noihirg OF O. serious charcior.
There was great confusion throughout the whole
train wheL the accident occurred, especially among
tLose IN the first passenger car which fortunately
f stoDned on the extreme edge Of the ct4sm.
Deacon COIc0 au 81 Aelfo-e and other .frongofr
IL .is car Jlm, 60 OIt Of ttc Wlndo~s while CtLem
uaaie a. r.sn o. iie doos aud jumped o1i.
The tiCc was high at the time Of TIC accident.
Tie lauca II Gle drR-ter4eil .Ie Jamcs Niece
and y laei ComOu'ort.
Another Of cur reporters from tie scene Of tle &C
cdeut 40 the Draw " tic Boston md Iaile Road
stites that tlo &C. onuf We have gwen d. tie extra
u. On our Lr.t page j. a the mana auiLeu.io.fcd by
later iuqur.sa. Where the blame reels Tor this ac
cldeut It j. rot for Ill 30 say.
IL does not seem 10 rts with the conductor or en-.
gine,s. II wat re2ulgr train, on regular time,
coming 10 daily within a icw minutes OF tno TINS
+ when the acCucut happened, aud the draw should
have been closed. 1he whsle 4 the e.i1uc Was
rounded tr4l uiul tes before reaching tie bridge
ahd passengers remarked that it sounded unusually
long.
Ihis wiV no doubt done Intentionally By tho engi.
/
On The otter hand the dr,N-teldrr says he had The
siqual up indicating " ofaw OPEN
Tie draw il that nearest the Boston side the reg
Mar one by which vessels pass ~ The channel to-
ward tho other brl Be-. j. il double draw, or
two draws ride b. ii.e, one OF which on the out
ward line was ehut crd ibis inward one open.
NARROW ESCAPES.
In the forward Or baggage part Of tic smoking
car feraraied q ON the Ie-t o. The car by partition
was o lad named Frank Li'ch, son Of Samuel Latch,
The ravior Of Ills city. lie says there were four
or five persons IA that room, aud he does not sss
/ how they could have escaped.
The front OF tho car must have been badly
gma4hed against the tender because he hinself was
thrown out into the water. lflt was the hrst he
knew Of the accident, and being swimmer he
struck upward. Jle came IN contact with two Oh
ecs ho 10 = bat gained tie surface in safety and
climbed ashore.
Tdrard Holmes Of Melroio crnwlld out Of n win
dow Of TIE smoking car III which he sat, and climbed
up the outsidc.
seat IN tho sucking Ioom. FINDING himself ia tie
water he made Als way Up toward tho back door OF
tle ear il hc 200 bis cat out OF water and holding
on with bis baud out OF a window, he reached dow
and assisted others mp. lie thinks 10 one in the
smoking room could nave been lost.
Tie bodies recovered up 20 a. NJ. v ere those Of
/ tie brakeman Richardson and ono unknown pas
songer
/ The unknown man wore dark pants, browuisb
twiiild or line striped vest, dgrkcolored con, with
round horn buttons. His face wos calm aua " te
and evidently very handsome He had Lyh,
white forehead. curly black hair setting clo.e aad
/ heavy black beard and InOusticle. lie was tahcn
Out o. Tie mont OF tae inst Passenger car, among
I pile Of seats.
The ribs oil Richardson are half Of them crushed,
aud III, flirt completely tatuafci with Hood. Ills
lace looks a la.aaul as il asleep. Iie has Il lisier
and other rei4uyes ia tis vicinity, but no wife.
Among those il tho unohing car was NJ.
Wleeiof, tie newspaper dealer 40 the Maine depot
in this city. lie got out AID aided oihers also 10
escape.
l.nrle Hmm or rep-lrer wa lDIne,uh ininral