Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-08-17
APPALLING DISASTER ON THE
SOUTHEASTERN r. r.


line of railroad northwest of Newport.
and st point some i've or six miles
west of Richford, the small streams were
swollen so heavily that they washed
away several culverts and the embank-
ment of the road in many places. The
section man whose duty it was to pass
over the road in the morning. started
eastward from point west OF where the
damage WIS done and discovered wash
out, and instead Of going on across,
that he might signal and stop the morn
ing express train, then due, returned
back, either to telegraph or obtain help.
In the mean time the train which had
left Newport at 5 o'clock, was approach
ing at rapid rate, that point on the
road where the eulyerts and several
bridges had been swept away by the
water. At point on the road two and
one-half miles from Abereorn station,
there is a straight line of track, and a
steep up grade, near the western end of
which the road crosses a small stream
called the Allen Brook. Here the wa
ter had washed away the eulvert and
left ehasm some fifty or sixty feet wide,
that was from eight to twelve feet deep.
Whether the track had held up or not,
by the iron connecting the rails. Is I'M
known, as both the engineer and fireman
we're killed. The train came up at
very rapid rate. The engineer saw the
wash-out when the engine must have
been within not more than ten or
fifteen rods of it, and gave the whistle
for brakes. Almost at the same instant
came fearful crash, and the engine and
three forward cars had plunged into the
ehasm, leaving the two rear cars upon
the track with the passengers who
were in them, unharmed. The train
consisted Of the Passumpsic engine $40
siah Stiekney," mail and express car,
baggage and smoking car, a second
class car, a first class car, and Pullman
palace and sleeping car. The engine
leaped almost across the ehasm and bur-
led It's head in the bank on the opposite
side; the tender went over by the side
of the engine and lay buried in the ru-
ins. The mail and express car went
clear over the engine, destroying the
cab and taking off the smoke stack, and
stopped with one end upon the track be-
yond the wash-out and the other end on
the top of the engine. The second-elass
car ran into and almost through the bag
gage and smoking car, and both were
left behind the engine. The engineer,
Frank Lanctot, of Malone, n. Y, was
found dead upon the engine. The fire.
man. Morris Pickle, of Sweetsburg, ?.
O., was found in the stream below, ter
rbly mangled, some of his limbs being
separated from his body. The conductor,
Mace Quimby. formerly one of the con-
duetors on the Passumpsie road, was in
the forward car with the mail agent and
expressman, H. ". Baker, of Newport.
The conductor and mail agent were not
seriously injured. but they were thrown
through the partition separating the
mail from the express room. Mr.. Baker
was found fastened between timbers. In
a position where he was in great agony
until released, but his injuries have not
proved so severe as at first feared. As
sistant superintendent, G. s. Harris. of
Riehford, was in the next car and was
instantly killed. 4 French girl from
Montreal, who had been visiting friends
IN Barnston. was also Instantly killed.
A Frenehman, name unknown. died soon
after he was carried to Richford. Among
the severely wounded, are Captain Rob-
ert Manson. of Mansonville, had one
arm cut of, the other injured, and hurt
internally. Luther L. Davis, of Rich
ford, head cut through to the brain, with
internal injuries H. W Baker, Of New
port, Injured about the head. Those
thought to be slightly wounded are
Fred Baker, Of Newport. Nelson Davis,
of Richford. John Ainosh, of Farnham.
Fred Alex Of Central Falls, r. L, CIV.
Ellen Of Barnston, P Lambkin of Rice.
bury. P O., Adolph Green of n. Il.
Edgar Adams, brakeman, of Newport
Centre, John Powers Of Sutton, ?. o.
: United States Inspector, E W. Looms
of North Troy. Geo. A. and VIM. 4
Pierce. of Stanstead, and few others
As soon as those who were not injured
recovered from the shock received in tn,
cars and at the sight of the catastrophe
they set about to obtain assistance from
; the surrounding country, and to senC
l messengers to the nearest stations. I'm
mediate steps were taken TO relieve thos
from suffering who were wounded. an,
1 to extrcate those who were within tn
telescoped cars This was a difhcul
undertaking. and it took eonsiderabl
time to get the dead and wounded on
5 Of the demolished cars.
5 Assistance arrived from Abercorn an
: from Riehford, and the wounded Eer
n carried to RichfOrd as soon as possibl,
e where they have been well cared fol
s Conductor Quimby did the most poss
~r IL