Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-07-30
Railroad Accident.
NARROW ESCAPE FROM A TERRIBLE
DrsASTFE.

noon last coming this way, on the Rut-
land & Burlington railroad, in this town,
near Brockway's Mills, between Bartons-
vile and Rockingham Station. 1t APP !
pears there is switch at this place, To-
Gated about 100 feet from deck bridge
which is some rs feet high, The train
was behind time and going at rapid
rate, and the switch being wrong, as the
train approached, it was thrown from the
track and in this manner ran on to the
high bridge. The engineer had reversed
his engine on seeing that the switch was
wrong, but the train kept on, the engine
going over and off the abutment and |
down an embankment some ten or twelve
feet. The baggage car followed, turning
partly over and resting one end upon the
tender and was barely saved from pitch
ing off the bank. The smoking car in
which were some fifteen or twenty passen-
gers, was left on the bridge, turned two
thirds over, the wheels resting within few
inches of the edge of the bridge, and there
remained apparently with only hairs
breadth between it and precipitation up
on the rocks 78 feet below Of course
the passengers were extremely frighten-
ed as they had every reason to be, and
yet out of it all no passenger was seri-
ously injured. Mr.. Freedom ellison of
Cambridgeport, was slightly famed in
one knee. Hon. H. E. Stoughton Of this
village was on the train and was the last
man to leave the car while it was in its
most perilous situation. He says he felt
no fright till he got outside of the smok-
ing car and saw the peril in which they
had been placed. Being lame himself,
the other passengers all secured egress
first.
The engineer, Mr.. Edward Foss, one
of the oldest and we understand is con-
sidered one of the best engineers on the
road, in this instance seems to have
acted with GOODNESS and bravery, remain
ing at his post to the last. He saw the
misplaced switch the instant he came in
sight of it, and exclaimed it to his fire.
man. His injuries are serious but not
considered dangerous. He was badly
bruised and had two ribs broken on the
left side. He Immediately jumped up
after his fall and scrambled up the bank;
where his first inquiry was if any of the
passengers were injured, whenhis strength
failed and he was cared for, and taker
to Rutland that night. Mr. Kinney thu
fireman. also remained on the engine anc
went down with it. He was severely
bruised about the head and face. Mr.
w. M. Mcintyre of Chester, a railroad
! employee we believe, was on the engine
> and went down with the engineer anC
!, fireman, and escaped with a cut on tn
head and scratch on the face. Samue
Whitney a brakeman, jumped from tn
train and had one wrist sprained. 1t j
probable that lower rate of speed woul'
have made the accident more disastrous
The passengers on their arrival here wer
generally cheerful, making no complain
and thankful for their escape. On learn
ing of the disaster, train was made u
at this place which went to the scene {
. the accident bringing back the passer
gers.
The cause of this serious accident wal
as stated above, the displacement of
:. switch. 1t appears that the section ma
" who has charge of this switch had bee
to Rutland, and was ON the train whe
the accident happened, and the switc
= was in charge of another man throug
. whose neglect the accident thus occurre'
Is The escape of the entire train frol
'e going off the bridge seems almost mira
% ulous, as if that had happened, the To-
le of life must have been most fearful.
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