Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-01-03
PHOENIX, BRATTLEBORO, VT, JANUARY 1878

end of the baggage car the steam was shut
off about three quarters of a mile from
Prospect Station, and mt the time of tho ac-
cident we were not probably running fast
er than five or six miles an hour; the first
intlmation I received that there was any
trouble was about midway on the trustle,
when the cars parted, the corners on the
right hand side closing together, barring
any escape that way; at the same time the
forward part of the passenger coach plung-
ed about half over the left hand side of the
trestle, apparently hung balanced there for
second, and then the weight of the for
ward truck tipped the car completely over,
and II fell bottom side up TO the ground be-
low, distance about 26 feet the baggage
car fell in the same way, the weight of the
rear truck tipping 1t over; rs we went
down, TAYLOR and chung to the hand rails
shouted to him to jump, but he paid no
attention TO ii; when within about ten feet
of the ground let go and jumped to clear
the car; was struck by the corner of it, and
to this / attribute the saving of my life, as
it flung me just out of the way from being
crushed when l got up / said to Taylor
"Are you hurt ?" he said, az am dying;"
[ then shouted to the engineer for jack
screws to raise the car, but seeing that we
could do nothing with them, i called for
water and he came with 1t; we released
TAYLOR, who was the only man visible {; l
called three times to the conductor, but re-
CplVeu no answer all lDHJ cOulu near Ut
that time was one man groaning and say
ing that the stove was on top of him see
ing that nothing could be done unaided, 1
ran to the Prospect depot, distant about
eighty rods, and finding two omnibuses
there, started them off for aid and doctors
was absent about ten minutes, and when l
got back the engineer trnckman, and
myself began shoveling snow on the
flames, which had broken out at each end
of the car three other trackmen soon came
up, and we set them to extnguishing the
flames and began ourselves to take out the
sufferers; got out five men, all alive but
one. Edward Bill of Sherman, N. Y, died
almost as soon as taken out; by the time
the last of the five was taken out there had
probably twenty farmers and truckmen
reached the scene, and were heapng snow
on the flames, some using their hands.
They did not succeed in cXtinguishing the
flames, but kept them subdued. We found
Flanders, the conductor, near the center of
the car, with his feet fast in the wreck and
slowly roasting. He begged of us to get
him out, even if we had to cut his feet of.
We passed chain around his body under
the arms, and three of us taking hold pull
ed him out. The flesh parted from his feet
and some of his Ribs were broken by the
chain; there was a lady lying near him,
but we could do nothing for her, as she was
TANNED in the seats more help had by
this time arrived, and we extingushed the
flames and propped up the lower sides of
the car four more were then taken out
one was living, but is since dead; another
had the right leg burned Off; a New York
woman was burned to a crisp. nothing but
the steel hoops of her skirt and small
piece of the body remaining; the others
were charred and blackened trunks; what
was left of the car at the lower or left hand
side was then pulled away, and the remain
der taken out and laid on cushions on the
snow; 1t was fully an hour from the time
of the accident before all were got out.
Ofthe forty-three persons on board the
train, not more than ten or twelve escaped
with their lives. OF the remainder, the
bodies of all but five have been identified.
Nearly all were fearfully charred, and
some burned beyond any likeness to hui
mainly. One lady was identified by a
scrap of black silk sacque, lock OF hair,
and thimble; and others by things equal
ly slight. OF those killed, no less than five
belonged in Titusville, among them new
ly married couple.