The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1862-09-19
State Of Maine.
The Great Railway Accident.

A.reporter of the Boston Journal was on
board the special train from Portsmouth, which
came in collision with the regular passenger
train from Boston, on Wednesday evening"
brief account of which was reported by tele-
graph-and from his account we gather the
following additional particulars OF the terrible
calamity that ensued.
The special train consisted Of four wel-filled
cars, containing about 200 persons. The reg
ular train had but single passenger car. The
Conductor of the special train says his instruc-
tons relative 10 time, &c, were written, and
he followed them TO the letter. The disaster
occurred in Wenham, about miles from
telegraphc station.
AT East Salisbury the excursion train stop
ped on side track until the train from Boston
had passed, and then pushed on rapidly on the
single track between that place and Salem.
Many of the passengers were doing in their
seats, when suddenly two sharp whistles of the
engine were heard, and terrible crash instant
ly followed.
The scene that Immediately ensued beggars
description. 1t was quite dark outside, and
the lights were nearly all extinguished by the
collision Groans and shreks arose, ladies
tainted, great rush was made to get out by
the passengers i'm the rear cars, and the dark
ness of the night, the dreadful uncertainty of
the extent of the disaster, engine whistles
heard not far away, the shock and bruises to a
large number made the scene for time truly
appalling.
The passenger car Of the regular train was
uninjured. The front car of the excursion
train was knocked to pieces, which fell on the
left side of the track. The third car, which
was an iron one, drove against the second, and
forced itself into it more than twenty feet, pill
ing passengers and seats into heap at the
further end. The beams and timbers Of the
second car pressed through into the third one
filling it with splinters, and injured several
people who were in it. The fourth car was
not hurt, and those in it were simply Jared
little, but no one was hurt
Forty or fifty received bruises, flesh wounds
and wrenchngs. Those who were most severe
ly hurt were Mr.. E. A. Batchelder of Cam
bridge, chief baggage master for the corpora
ton at the Boston depot. His rightleg was very
badly crushed at the knee.
Joseph Perkins of Roxbury, had severe flesh
wounds in the foot, leg and head His wife
was also badly bruised.
Mrs Nathaniel Batson of Danyers, was Sc
verely hurt internally.
VIM. Tolman of Charleston, was badly cut
about the head. His wife was injured also but
not seriously.
Sarah Wiggin, Mrs. c. w. Parker of Milton,
Mrs. Emma Dyer of Boston, and Mr.. l.. Dex-
ter, % Beacon Street, Boston, were cut and
bruised.
Charles Faunce of Charleston, Is years ofage,
had his wrist dislocated.
Charles Matsell of Boston, occupied the front
seat of the forward car of the excursion train,
and was found after the collision on the en-
CINE, with his leg badly hurt, and his head Sc
verely cut.
Alexander Hanscom of East Boston, Mrs
Susan Baily of Boston, and Mr.. b. L. Allen of
Boston, severally were rather severely wound
ed and bruised.
Among the narrow escapes was that Of Frank
W. Currier, brakeman ON the Portsmouth train,
who was standing at the time of the collision
in front of the baggage car, and when his con-
seriousness returned, found himself under the
tender, among the ruins and uninjured.
II was at first supposed that sundry among
the passengers were killed, but an investiga-
ton proved that this was not the case. The
only persons killed were Dudley Weeks, en-
gineer, and Augustus Whitney, fireman, both
belonging in Newburyport. They were killed
instantly, and their bodies were found under
the ruins of the engine. They were on the
Portsmouth train.
The accident delayed the train to this city
yesterday noon, about an hour and a quarter.