Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-04-03
A Terrible Accident ON the Rut-
land &c Washington Railroad.
TWO MEN KILLED AND SEVERAL, IN1rpE1


TWO MEN KILLED AND SEVERAL INJURED.
An accident attended with fearful con-
sequences occurred to the night express
train over the Rutland & Washington
division of the Rensselaer, 81 Saratoga
Railroad, due in Rutland at lao A. NJ,
Sunday morning. 1t appears that the
surface water had undermined the track
at point about one and a half miles
south of Shushan station, and when the
train reached this point, between eleven
and twelve o'clock, the track appeared
to be all right, but as soon as the loco
motive struck the treacherous spot, the
track and ties sunk, precipitating the To-
connective, baggage car, passenger and
sleeping coach off the track, and down
the embankment. The locomotive went
down the embankment on the right hand
side, about forty feet high, turning COM
pletely over.
On the locomotive was Henry Con-
ner, the engineer, Patrick Monahan, the
fireman, Mr.. Ryan, an engineer, and
Fred Downs, a conductor Downs and
Monahan were instantly killed. Henry
Conner had two or three ribs broken,
and was considerably bruised up. 1t is
now thought that there is no doubt
about his recovery. Engineer Ryan was
not badly hurt.
The baggage ear, passenger and sleep
ing coach went off''on theopposite side of
the embankment from the locomotive,
which on this side was but few feet
high. The cars were badly wrecked
not a whole seat being left in the passen-
ger car, it is said. Conductor d. G.
Pierce (who was temporarily running
the train in place of Conductor Wether-
ley) was in the baggage car with the
baggage master and several others They
were all more or less cut and bruised,
Mr.. Pierce being struck in the back by
flying piece of baggage, and somewhat
bruised up, but it is thought nothing but
what he will soon recover from. The
baggage car took fire, and the through
mails for northern points were about
half burned up, catching probably from
the stove. The passengers in the two
rear cars were all shaken UP badly, hard
ly any escaping without some scratch or
bruise
The following is the list of those ma
terially injured among the passengers;
DR.. S. S. Fitch, New York, badly
bruised, but not thought dangerous.
J Houston, St Adams, VT, head cut
badly.
John Jordan, Saratoga, N. Y, head
cut and otherwise cut badly.
NJ. Fairchild, Salem, n. Y, hurt on
leg and cuts around head,
L. Halves, Poultney, cut and bruises
on the head.
Frank Brown, (rcsidence not given
bruised and cut on the head.
Philip Lefebre, (residence not given
scalp wound and bad foot.
Miss n. NJ. Cushman. Middlebury,
hurt in the hips.
G D. German, Lafayette, Ind, iniur-
ed on the leg and breast
Charles o. Miner, Burlington, some
severe bruises and scratches
Among the employees hurt not men
toned before are:
Robert Wallis baggage master, hand
hurt.
The colored porter in the sleeping car,
a severe scalp wound.
The injured ones will all. it is thought
probably recover.
When Conductor Downs was found be
was lying In the water and mud, under
the casing of the dome Of the loc0mo-
tive with his neck broke. Fireman
| Monahan was found In the mud under
the front of the locomotive, and it was
necessary to dig some little time before
his body could be got ont. Monahan
was out oilIng valves when the accident
occurred.
Dispatches were sent to Rutland and
Salem for help, wreck train being sent
from Salem, and train with Superin-
| tendent Wilson on board leaving Rut-
land at 4 o'clock a. IN. Surgeons were
sent to the scene of the disaster from
Salem Shushan and Cambridge.
The bodies of Downs and Monahan
were brought to Salem yesterday fore
noon. Downs lived in Salem, and leaves
a wife. Monahan lived ON Elm street,
Rutland, and leaves a wife and two
children Both these men were old en-
ployes Of the railroad company, and
were very much respected by their as
sociates and the officers of the railroad
company. Great sympathy is expressed
for the afflicted families.
Engineer Conner lives in Rutland, but
is not in condition to be moved home,
and was left at Salem with brother-in-
| law.
All parties unite in giving credit to
Conductor Pierce for his untiring efforts
for the comfort of his passengers.
The passengers and what was left OF
the mails, on the unfortunate train, ar
rived at about noon Sunday. The road
is all clear and trains will run regularly
today.