Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-08-19
Railroad Accident.

An accident by which seven or eight
persons lost their lives, occurred last
Thursday morning on the Southeastern
Counties Railroad. few miles north OF
Richlorl This road, running from New
port, VT, to ST. Johns, F. G.. so miles
now III tkes with tie P..ssCmpsic counec-
lion with lower roals to Boston, ana it w.l>
the morning express ON the roal from
Boston 10 Montreal, that was wrecked.
Thu train arrived at Newport one hour
ate, left a. D clock ins,e.lI of 4, on its
way toward Montreal. During Wetlnes-
lay niglt there hal been Il he, IVY rain.
fhe s.retm along the line were swollen
md many bridges upon the county roads
we're washed away. Going ut the rate OF
vllirty miles an hour, in broad daylight,
lie train sped along, coming close into
.he Canadl line, and passing the town of
Richforl VT, with nothing to impede its
progress. About three miles further on,
yle road has Il very heavy rise. obstruct-
ng from the view of the engineer II bridge
bout forty feet long, which crosses the
MiSsisquoi River. On the train rushed,
when suddenly, and without Il moments
warming, the engine dropped into the
stream, u distance of twelve feet, instantly
killing the engineer, Frank Lanctot OF
Malone, n Y, an the fireman, - Pickle
If SweetsbIrgh, 2. Q. The first car was
M Ill an express CIR divided into apart
.nents. This car jumped completely over
5he entire length of The engine, struck the
,mokestack and tipped over. In this car
we're the mail agent and Conductor Qaim-
". In the express end WAS EXpressman
Il. w. Baker, of Newport. Conductor
| luimby was thrown against the partition
in the car. 1t gave way, and the heavy
| iron safe, boxes and miscellaneous articles
| crashed on top of him. He came out with
few scratches. The mail agent followed
| Quimbv, receiving few scratches, while
| B .ker was found iammel between the ex-
press and smoking cars, seriously hurt.
He had to be pricd out OF his wedged posi-
| ion and was almost insensible. He has
| lied since the accident.
The next car was the smoking and bag
| rage Cur combined, containing about Il
lozen persons. Following was the second
class cur, fillel with passengers. These
TWO c1rs telescopcd into each other, COM
pletely wrecking them and throwing the
unfortunate occupants in every direction.
In this car was G.. S. Harris, wood agent
Of the Southeastern Railway, who was
3D. named Allen, of Barnston Corners, p.
,. was instantly killed, while some fifteen
,thers were taken from the wreck serious
" injured one man dying a few moments
,fter he was chopped out from between
he cars Major Manson of Mansonville
?. O., had' his arm cut off and was found
iammed in. 1t took over one hour to ex-
-ricate him. He has since died. The first
class passenger coach kept the track, ex.
;epting the front trucks, which were sim.
DIV turned around, while the Pullman
,leeper remained upon the track, no one
,eing injured in these coaches, the killed
md woun led being among those in the
.hree forward cars.
1t is reported that the section man had
left his home to inspect the track ano
bridges after last nights heavy rain; thai
he reached the Missisquoi River and found
The bridge gone. He could not cross. but
fastened back to Sutton to telegraph the
approaching train, only to find the tele
graph nos in working order.
The storm which caused the acciden
was the most severe known in Sutton
township. Although it only rained fol
;wo hours, the whole valley for eleven
miles was inundated and five railroad
and twenty highway bridges were destroy
ed. The loss to the company is very
heavy. and the crops were considerably
damaged. 1t is thought water-spou
burst in the hills, as rain could not hav,
produced so terrible a volume of water.