Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-06-29

PARTICULARS OF THE FATAL ACCIDENT TO
FRANK FIRTH.-WeStern papers in giving an
account of the accident on the Atchison & Ne
braska railroad state the following
Gu the night of Saturday, June Sth, Mr.. FIR
Firth, superintendent of the Atchison & Nebras-
ka road, accompanied by his secretary, Mr. T.
y. Allen, took an engine for the scene of
freshet, which had undermined a bridge 81
miles from Atchson. freight train having
passed safely over the bridge two hours previ-
Gus, Mr.. Firth gave orders to run over il but the
bridge began to sink ut once, and just before the
farther side was reached went down with the en-
CINE. Mr.. Firth, with Mr.. Allen, was standing
on the platform in front; and the engine, falling
head down, fell upon them, instantly killing Mr.
Allen, and falling upon Mr.. Firth, whom it
fastened in the mud and water of the bottom.
He was held with his head down and bent upon
his breast his feet were up, and his arm
doubled behind his back, was held fast between
the timber of the pilot and the lower edge of the
engine front. In this fearful condition, buried
in tue mud and water, he lay for six hours-all
the while conscious, in momentary danger of
su1ocating, and the engine threatening every
instant to crush him beneath its weight in the
yielding bottom. With patience and courage
as heroic as man ever exhibited in hours of ag-
ony, he remained in this terrible position until
at length, by efforts as heroic and by means the
most Skillful, he was released at O'Clock Sum
day morning. The circumstances (as related in
the Atchson Champion have Il pathos IN
equaled. On the pulling away of the mud
| which was heaped against him =
"Mr. Firth at once became conscious, and
| said, Pm crushed-by an engine. Tell my
| friends how | came by my death-for the good
| Of my country and the railroad company.
Jesus, save me, save me- And after an inter
val of four or five minutes he called water,
| water. Some brandy was given him, when he
! seemed TO revive, and said, help me, help me.
| Mr.. d. answered, I'm doing all | can for you,
| Mr.. Firth Said he believe you Several
times during those fearful hours similar con-
yerSatiOn took place, as Are YOU going to let
this engine crush meP Can't you jack this
engine up so you can get me out" When they
would assure him they were doing all they
could for him, and that it took time, he fire.
quenty responded That's good, encourage
me-; or, Il believe you At one time he said MY
arm pains me dreadfully; believe 1t is broken;
but don't cut it, Feeling his head, which had
received a cut on the left side about five inches
long, with his left hand, he remarked My
head is cut; but it is all right if you can get
my arm out He told the men if they could
raise the engine two or three inches be be-
lieved he could pull his arm out, and
stretching out his left hand, said: Jones,
take hold of my hand, which done, he made
several efforts to eXtricate himself, but without
avail; nor was it possible to effect his release
and not tear the arm off, without great patience,
time and care. AT length the efforts to save
him alive were accomplished, and he was car
ried in blanket to house quarter of mile
distant"
Brought to Atchison, the arm-completely
crushed-waS amputated above the elbow; a
severe cut on the head, deep burn and bruse
on the back between the shoulders, a serious
bruise on the knee, and many bruises from head
to foot were dressed. After all was done
thinking less of himself than of otherS-he
said, isn't it awful that Allen is kIled~ He
afterwards remained unconscious until Tues
day night, when consciousness returned and
was uninterrupted TO the hour OF his DEATH
which occurred on the afternoon of the 10Th.
His father, step mother and sister arrived from
Boston in the course of the week, and in their
hands and those of friends who had attended
him from the first and of the most skilled sur
geons he enjoyed the tenderest and most intel-
gent care throughout good constitution
perfectly preserved, and rare vitality unim-
paired, with extraordinary resolution, sufficed
10 prolong his life extraordinarily, under cir
cumstances which would have proved soon fatal
to most men,