The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-01-31
The Middlefleld Horror Inouest.

tffom INC opringneiu Oaton OF Monday.l
A large crowd gathered at the depot about
four o'clock, Saturday Afternoon, on the ar
rival of the train from Middlefield bearing
the bodies Of George I. Stebbins and Edwin
A. Thomas, the engineer and fireman killed
at the disaster at the bridge, Friday evening.
The bodies presented horrible, sickening
sight, burned, boiled and mangled, and
blackened with coal einders and ashes. Sep
arate inqCests were held by direction Of Corc-
ner Ingraham on the bodies, and also on the
body of Charles L. Bassford the brakeman
who was jured at the same time, and who
died during the day. The testimony of the
witnesses was nearly the same in each case,
and the fact was brought out that q brake
man ON height train, coming toward this
city, felt a car rocking under him as the
train entered the bridge, and, believing it had
run OF the track, ran toward the forward
part of the train. But after going through
the bridge the brakeman felt sudden Jerk,
as though brakes had been applied, and the
engineer stopped the train as soon as possi-
bic. At this moment the Inflated train from
this city westward came putting into the en-
trance OF the bridge, without seeing the warn
ing signals OF the brakeman already mention-
ed, who feared that car had tipped over in
bound train raa back and found tie red liohts
at the rear of their train were gone. lit
tie further on they saw the lights ON the 9TH
er side of the river. The bridge was down.
and the voice of Bassford, who was being
burned alive, was heard above the Kissing
steam screaming for help. The cause of the
accident was easily explained, broken wheel
had thrown the freight car from the train co
ing east off the track, the train had parted in
nd oar nod al. Al.
ties knocking out the supports of the struc-
ture. While the bridge was tottering over
the river, the engine and several of cars OF
the tram going west ran on to 1t, pushed in
to destruction by the engine at the rear of the
train, and the whole mass went crashing
down twenty-five feet below. Verdicts in ac-
cordance with the facts were rendered in
each case. a egfn f ~
+ Several of the wrecked cars we're hauled
away from near the bridge abutments, Sun
day, and burned to get them out of the way.
Work on the new temporary bridge Is pro
crossing as fast as possible, but it IS doubtful
II trains Will be able to cross it before to-mor-
row afternoon. The brotherhood of locomo-
tive engineers appointed committee at their
meeting last evening to look after the welfare
OF the family OF George I. Stebbins, who,
though not actually suffering for the comforts
OF lille, nevertheless need their sympathy and
aid. Mr.. Stebbins was well known on the
New York, New Haven and Hartford rail-
road, where his father, Samuel Stebbins, has
long been an engineer. '9ll
Since the disaster the feeling of the en-
ployes of the road against the practice OF
pushing trains up grades by locomotives at
tached TO the rear has become very intense.
In case of accident on the forward portion OF
the train, 1t is impossible for the engineer on
the rear locomotive to be made acquainted
with the fact in time to prevent the most
fearful consequences. In the case of the
MiddlefieEl disaster, the up train was moving
slowly, and in all probability not more than
one car would have gone down with the en-
gine, had it not been for the force behind
pushing them on to total ruin, and with not
the slightest chance for escape. The prac-
tice is not ot long standing, having been In
vogue not more than five or six months at
most, aud would seem to involve greater
risks OF life and property than the old meth
ods OF drawing up smaller trains by single To-
comotiyes. The danger in the old way came
chiefly from the accidental separation of the
rear cars from the main part of the train, and
their running back down 1.-THE grade; and the
most of this difficulty could be gotten rid of
by having the right kind of brakemen on the
train to mind the brakes in case of any such
accident. The matter demands attention, for
accidents similar to the one o. Friday night
are liable to occur frequently under the new
arrang sment.