The Portland daily press., 1876-06-23
RAILROAD ACCIDENT.
A SmasIiup on the Eastern ROad-A Mar
row Escape from a Fearful Loss of Life.

The train over the Eastern road, due here at
1 o'clock p. m. yesterday, met with a serio us
accident at place known as Hobbs Cross
ing" between Kennebunk and Wells. The
train was in charge of Conductor West, with
Charles Waterman engineer and Henry Drake
fireman. The train was running at the usual
rate of speed when all at once the engineer
noticed that something was wrong with the
locomotive, and before he had time to act she
left the iron, as railroad men say. He at once
whistled down brakes and applied the air
brake, but the rate of momentum was so great
that the train did not stop instantly. The loco
motive, tender, baggage car and the forward
trucks Of the Pullman car left the track and
were piled up promiscuously. The locomotive
was pitched down high embankment on the
left hand side and nearly tlrned upside down.
The tender was turned completely around and
was thrown nearly GA top of the locomotive.
The baggage car took the other side of the
track and plowed into the embankment several
feet, while the Pullman did not get far from
the track The remainder of the cars did not
get off, and not one of the passengers was in
jured otherwise than receiving bad shaking
up. Mr.. Waterman and Mr.. Drake, the engi-
neer and fremen, stood to their posts and did
not leave the cab until the locomotive was
thrown bottom side up over the embankment.
This is unusual bravery, and it pleased the pas
sengers SO much that they at once raised a
purse of nearly $10O for them. 1t was well
deserved testimonial, and the passengers con-
sidered that they owed their lives to their noble
IT, Gr,t th,t 81
them was injured, but later in the day Mr..
Waterman complained of pain through his
stomach and it is feared that he is injured in
ternaly
AS to the cause of the accident there is a
difference of opinion. The officials of the road
say it was caused by the breaking of the for
ward axle of the locomotive, while some of
the passengers say that the locomotive jumped
the track and the axle was broken in running
over the sleepers. The axle of the engine is
broken close up to the wheel on the left hand
side, while on the right hand side of the track
the sleepers are literally torn to pieces. The
marks on the sleepers shows that the engine
must have run over the sleepers for a long dis
tance before it was thrown over the embank-
ment. The train was heavy one and the es-
cape for the passengers was almost miraculous.
The wreck was sorry sight to behold when
the passengers issued from the train, as the
track was torn up for long distance and the
sleepers were missing. A man was at once dis.
patched to Kennebunk to telegraph for a
wrecking train from this city. On receiving
the despatch wrecking train with large
crew of men aad a passenger train was sent to
the scene of the disaster The passengers were
transferred around and arrived here at a little
past four. The train for the East was delayed
until nearly five o'clock. The passengers on
the five o'clock train were also transferred
and arrived here at quarter to eight. when
the trains for Lewiston and Augusta left The
track was cleared last evening and the Pull
man trains passed all right. The engine which
was wrecked was No. 9, and was considered
one of the best locomotives on the road. 1t
will probably be total wreck