Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-08-31
THE DISASTER ON THE EAST
ERN RAILROAD.
Additional Particulars.
HOW THE COLLISION OCCURRED.

orr;b1e disaster on the Eastern Railroad
han was afforded by the telegraphlc re- ,
port yesterday morning:
Ore of the most terrible disasters that
= has ever fallen to the duty of New
Enpland newspaper to chronicle took
place Saturday evening, at the station OF
pevere on the Eastern Railroad, some
five miles from Boston. This station If,
perhaps, better known to those living OH
the line of the road as North Chelsea.
During the past week tho facilities OF
the Eastern road have been taxed to the
utmost, and every available portion OF
their rolling stockl has been called into
reauisition The camp meeting at HAM
ilton and Second Brigade at Swampscott
drew thousands of extra passengers over
the road daily, and necessitated tbs run
ming of extra and special trains. This, OF
course, created irregularity in the start
ing and arrival of trains, but owing to
the earefulnesss of the dispatchers and
conductors no accident TRANSFERRED until
necessity for extreme caution seemed
passed.
The evening accommodation train,
which stops at Beverly, Nolan conductor
should leave the passenger station In Dos
ton at 10 but owing to the lateness OF
the train due from the camp, which was
to return, it did not start until quarter
of s, full half hour behind time. The
train consisted of baggage car, SMOKING
car and three passenger cars, the tour last
being crowded, even to the platform.
Two engines were attached to the tram.
The conductor seemed to have some tear
that an accident might occur, as he stop
ped the train near Somerville 80 long that
the messengers became excited and some
of them left the cars.
The Pullman train, or Portland express,
left the station on time, at exactly eight
o'clock. q little more than ten minutes De-
hind the accommodation, stopping only at
Somerville. Just before reaching Everett
it slackened speed, as if to give the beV'
erlv train an opportunity to get ont OF the
wav. At this point, according TO the
| stafa,oent of messengers on the accommo-
/ dation. it was 80 near as to be plainly
seen. The accommodation train had reach
ed Revere, made its stop. and had just
commenced moving away from the station
when the express came rushing over the
track with terrific speed, crushing into
i the rear car of the train, the locomotive
passipg two-thirds Of the way through the
car. carving everything before If, crush
inc and scalding nearly every passenger,
and killing fifteen outright. Seven more
died within the next four hours. and five
} died during Sunday.
The shock overturned and broke the kero-
acne lamps in the smoking and baggage
oars and almost instantaneously the for
mer was in blaze, lighting up the scent
: ~ w lph q n O
ment before had been hidden by the dark
] ness. The flames spread to the two pas
, sengar cars in front of the one telescOped
running with almost the rapldlty OF light
D pino over the Vanished surfaces, and de
e tying every attempt at pntun8 them our
The cars were moved farther down tht
track beyond the bridge and allowed Il
consume, while all turned their attention
toward the rescue of the unfortunate VIC
tims in the rear car, which, fortunately
had not taken fire.
Most of the passengers and lockers OF
6 seemed perfectly stupehcd, and hardl.
knew which way to turn or what to do
. William G. Harris, E-q.. ex-President o
- the Common Council of Boston, who live
! within a short distance, had hurried t
= the &C ne, and was almost immediatel
n Joined by his neighbors, Col. Porter, An
. drew Burnham, Charles G. Bird an
Y Others, who urged him to take charge
> the operations. No time was to be lost
and orders were Immediately issued t
- tear off the sides of the rear car and re
= lease those who were confined therein
! All this time the shrieka and proans G
o the wounded were terrible to hear, Will
A the certainty that a large number OF tn
~ passengers in the rear car were dead len
- additional horror to the scene.
+ Strong ropes were procured, aud ate
almost superhuman efforts the sides Of tn
- car were pulled off and the interior re
- vealed. Nearly, if not all, the dead wer
70 taken from this car. AS fast as the
a conld be extricated from the wreck the
y were tenderly carried into the station an
10 laid upon the floor, while shawls an
:, coats were thrown over their faces. Som
a of the wounded were taken to the neare'
~. houses. while those whom it was f0un
= necessary to send to the hospital WEI
y, placed upon the Pullman car, and one
4 the engines attached to be taken into Bo
~ ton. Owing to some reason which WI
probably be explained at the inquest, tn
o. car was not taken in until 1Ot o'clock, r
IA naming nearly two hours after II
o wounded had been placed upon it. Durin
a this delay three of them died. Most
~ the injuries received were scalds, and IL
- agony of the poor wretches while lyir
20 HELPLESS and unattended to was intens
=. The engineer refu nd to go until ordert
90 by the conductor, and some of the citlze1
ooI at last called for volunteers to take II
~ train in. The conductor at last gave ii
~ renuisite order: and the terrible carload
at suffering and death sped on its way
va Boston. Arrived here a portion we
at taken to the City Hospital, and the r
an mainder, with one or two exceptions,
20 the Massachusetts General Hospital.
it The names of the killed and wound
IL as published yesterday morning, includ
all the casualties certainly known to ha
Nv resulted from the appalling disastt
to though it is reported that three of t
de wounded died at the hospital on Sund
W. afternoon. This would swell the list
en- killed to twenty-seven.
IL Where the fearful responsibility of IL
ON disaster should be placed, is not yet c
lie termined The station master and t
I'D conductor of the accommodation tra
ew claim that the red signal was at the mi
, vel head, and the two signal lanterns at t
he rear of the train, as warning to the {
I'VE press to keep back, and this statement
IN corroborated by numbers Of people livi
do IN the vicinity, who say the lights VI
me plainly visible half mile down the ira
,tv The engineer and fireman of the
g a press train both claim, however, that
ing weather was so thick that they could !
Ii see the signals, and they supposed
' way was clear. The engineer Leaf
Tho from the train at the same time with
and fireman.
en- NARROW ESCAPES.
ot t Some of the escapes from instant de
oss in the disaster were almost miracule
lies One man from Lynn, who had been o
~fo uor homo uit