Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-06-28
Another Terrible Accident on
the Maine Central.
TALLY INJURED, AND SEVERAL
PASSENGERS HURT.

Scarcely twenty five hours elapsed after the
fearful railroad accident on the Maine Cen
trail near Freeport, when the report startled
the community that a collision had taken
place bringing death, and devastation in its
train.
The regular half-past four o'clock P. NJ.
train from this city to Portland was delayed
half an hour yesterday on account of the
democratic State convention, and did not
leave this city until five o'clock. The train was
made up of the engine "Patten," a freight
car, smoking car and three passenger cars
all heavily loaded Some of the passengers
were compelled to stand up, and they were
most closely packed together in the car.
| At five o'clock, the time of the starting of
the train from Augusta, the dummy train left
Gardiner for Augusta. The two trains met
little more than mile below IIallowell,
at place generally called erich cut"
and a most fearful collision took place. The
first persons who saw the trains approaching
each other were those employed on the dredg-
er in the river nearly opposite where the ac-
cident occurred. Their CONSERVATION and ter
ror as they saw the trains approaching each
other, without a person on board of either
having any knowledge of the sudden crash
that must soon ensue, must have been terri
bic. They shouted and waved signals, and
as the engines were about to strike, stood
almost like marble statues.
A moro 1auOnraua rlaca for q N acpi1ant Of
the kind could not be selected. There is a
steep embankment, descending to the river
forty feet below and if the cars had been
thrown from the track, the loss of life must
have been fearful. There is sharp curve
near the scene of the accident, and it
wa. impossible for those on either train to
see the condition of affairs until they came
within few rods of each other.
Conductor Holmes, looking out of the win
dow of the dummy, saw the train approach
ing. His train was going at slow rate of
speed The engineer, Charles Evans, sound
ed the alarm, reversed his engine, and
jumped into the bushes down the embank-
ment, and was not injured, receiving few
scratches the face. Geo. Burgess, the
| fireman, bruised, and Warren White, the
brakeman, also jumped and saved themselves.
This was but a moment, apparently. before
the collision. Mr.. Holmes, on seeing the
danger, warned the passengers on board to
jump for their lives. He then leaped from
the car down the embankment, landing in
the river, wrenching him considerably. Sew
eral followed suit, but very unfortunately
some remained in the car A gentleman
from New York was followed down the bank
ing by the tender of the Patten, and had
narrow escape. There were about dozen
passengers on board the dummy, including
two ladies. We give the names of those in
jured:
Capt. John H. Mason of IIallowell; cash
in head; says he was forced through the par
tition into the baggage part of the car.
Mrs. Fred Crowell and her little son of
this city. Mrs. Crowell was bruised consider
ably in the shoulder, side and back. Little
boy received flesh cut on chin; neither
seriously injured.
Mrs. Edward Hartsh orn of Hallowell;
|
Mr.. Quincy of Boston, fingers on both
both hands lacerated
! ID. c. Wells of New York, severe confusion.
gentleman whose name we did not learn
had one of his ears split open.
The dummy was at a stand-still when the
engine "Patten' struck the ''Farmngdale, ;"
the engine attached to the accommodation car
AS the engines came in collision, the shock
to those on board the dummy was terrific
But one whole seat was left in its place. All
was wreck and ruin inside, and the wonder
is that every one on board was not killed or
manned. The front of the car was crushed
and it was thrown from the track.
As the down train came around the curve,
the engineer, Daniel Berry, saw the situation
of matters at a glance, sounded the alarm, re-
versed his engine, and the brakes were put
down. The train was going at the rate of thirty
miles an hour, and its momentum could not
be sufficiently checked to escape the disaster
that ensued. The engineer and the fireman
stood at their posts. 1t is surmised that they
did not apprehend any particular danger from
a collision with the dummy engine, or that the
time was too short for much reflection.
The engines came in collision and were
both thrown from the track, ploughing their
way quite a distance up the hill, and being
completely demolished. The cabs and smoke
stacks were strewn about in fragments, and
the engines presented fearful spectacle,
being reduced to an almost shapeless mass of
iron. Mr.. Berry, the engineer, was thrown
among the fragments. One of his legs was
taken off at the knee and thrown consider
able distance, the blood bespattering the
track. He was jammed in between the car
and the engine, the steam from the boiler en-
veloping him and burning him quite badly.
1t took three men about five minutes to ex-
tricate him from this dreadful position The
poor fellow was deploring his fate, family
crying, "0h, God! shall die" While the