Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-07-23
Terrible Railroad Accident.
SEVERAL PERSONS BURNT TO DEATH.

ON the Erie railroad at Mount Hope, Pa,
on Wednesday night of last week, by
collision between two trains, in which
eight persons we're burned to death, some
of whom we're not much injured, but
were fastened among the timbers of the
wrecked cars which took fire, and they
thus met death in that most horrible
manner.
1t appears that freight train was
waiting at the station for the night ex-
press train to pass, and that the engin-
Ger of the freight went to sleep on his en-
CINE while waiting, and during which he
awoke, caused, probably bya passing To-
connective, and sGpposing theexpress train
had passed, Immediately ran his train on
the main track, and thus caused the ter
rible disaster The name of the engin-
eer is James Griffin and he was arrested
after the inquest.
John Hunt, resident of Waterford,
N. Y, had a most providential escape
He had his leg broken and was jammed
between the seats. The flames had al
most reached him when, by the superhu-
man exertion of the bystanders, he was
dragged from the ruins, almost suflocat-
ed by the smoke.
One of the most narrowing scenes of
the disaster was the death of the Rev.
D. B Hallock, Universalist clergyman
from New York City, on his way to Syr-
acruse. He was accompanied by his
brother-in-law, who made every effort to
save him, out without avail. Mr.. Hal
lock was caught by the legs in the crush
ed timbers of the smoking car, and al
though he was uninjured, and appealed
piteously for help, nothing could be done
to save him from his terrible fate.
Among the other victims were Ger
man emigrant, wife and three children,
all of whom were burnt to DEATH Anoth-
er German named Baer was also burnt
to death. Also three other persons not
known, their bodies being burnt past
Identification, nothing of one being left
but portion of the pelvis.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
The inquest and Investigation bring
out the following particulars
| 1t seems that Griffin, engineer of the
freight train on the switch, though he
had been less than four hours on duty
had fallen asleep at his post. The con.
ductor of the freight train, was in his ca
boose forty or fifty cars in the rear. Al
| this juncture, the $50 P. NJ. express train
from New York, Charles E. Coffey, En-.
gineer, came sweeping around the curve
at 80 or 40 miles an hour, Fastening to
make up lost time. The noise of his APP
proach startled the sleeping Griffin. He
thought the switchman had called to him
to go ahead, and go ahead he did
Dreamily seizing his lever he turned or
the steam, and moved cars length OF
so, till his fore wheel caught in the frog
of the unopened switch, far enough tc
thrust the side Of his engine across the
path of the express, and in a moment
the lightning train was upon him, strik.
ing the outer rim of his left cylinder
head.
| The shock to the freight engine threw
it off the track, while the express few il
the opposite direction, ran couple o
hundred feet, and swinging around at thu
outer verge of the depot platform till he
head lay cast, she turned over bottom
uppermost, the steam bursting from he
broken pipes, and the fiery Goals from
her ruptured furnace.
The postal car, with its combustibl
cargo, leaped upon the blazing pile, fol
lowed by the express and baggage car
behind, the latter telescoping" into tn
smoking car Immediately in its rear
In this smoking car occurred all tn,
manning and loss of life.
Darwin Wentworth, of Randolph, Cat
taraugus county, Gnjured internally,
says l was in the smoking car neal
the middle. l was lying on one seat
and a stranger, who was asleep, was ly
ing in the seat next to me he was burn
ed up. The first knew | was awaken
ed by a crash ; the end of the car wa
-stove in, and the seats were nearly al
broken and turned bottom side up, turn
ing the passengers under, and fastenin,
them down so that they could not get up
| think they were nearly all burned t.
death do not think any of them wcr
killed heard some say they were no
injured, they we're only fast /; think Their
were eighteen persons in the smokin
car, and think there were fifteen burned
there was one woman with three small
children, and | think there was anothe
woman sitting in seat opposite her
was not thrown under the seat but tn
man in front of me went under as tn
seats were doubling back; / was raise,
up and caught on my breast and shout