Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-03-03

{ Conn, who was one OF those who narrow
! ly escaped death on the burnt sleeping car,
on the Harlem Extension railroad, was
brought to Albany from the scene of the
accident and is now lying a; the Delevan
House Mr. Pitkin made the following
| statement
Mr.. PITkIN's STATEMENT
left Malone at A p. m, on the Mon
treal train, and left ST Adams on time At
1 Essex junction, We were IS or 40 minutes
late and suppose the delay was caused by
waiting for the eastern bound train, | SUP
pose that on starting again the train was
endeavoring to make up for lost time.
was the first to retire into the sleeping car
This car was thrown from the track within
two hundred yards Of She depot at South
1 Wallingfjrd. VI Thescsr rolled down an
embankment distance of about 25 feet in
to a stone yard. and was literally wrecked
/ Afterwards ii took fire from the stoves and
was entirely burned Up. | was thrown
( from my berth and | suppose the wound
( (IudicitIug a large scalp wound on his
! i0rebeadl wa caused by striking a large
stone which had crushed through the car, or
upo.. winch the car had fallen | was par
/ italy stunned, and held down by portions
/ Of the car | made four unsu ccessful ei-
/ forts to reach the door but was blinded by
! blood from the cuts in my head. Mr. W.
/ Chapman, of the Merchants bank Of Mon
/ treal, had succeeded in breaking out Of a
| window over head. the car being upon its
side. and got out. | climbed TO the window
/ but owing to weakness Occasioned by the
/ loss Of blood. tel back into the car which
had become filed to sufOcation with smoke.
Knowing the car would soon take FIRE, |
made one more effort to reach the window
/ and this time succeeded IN getting out on
the side Of the ear. when after crawling
/ along about halt. its length | slid off into
the snow. had nothing on but ny night
clothes Seeing light IN building about
one hundred feet distant which subsequent
ly proved to be marble mill. | endesvoTed
to reach 1t, but when about half way there
! was met by some gentlemen who assisted
me into the mill and who procuring a table
spread bound up my head. Soon alter Mr.
Thomas Norton brought me slippers, pants
and coat. and was moved to the depot, it
being feared that the mill would burn. The
engine by this time came back with DR..
Nhpple, Of Dandy, who dressed NY
wounds. desire to mention the
hercism Of Mrs. Edward Palmer, of
Rutland, Vermont, who stripped off /
her own clothing to cover another lady who |
had been taken IRON the car in her night |
clothes; also Of the service rendered by /
Madame Pierrot and Of L. E. Yerger. Of .
Albany. who did not leave me until he saw
me safe in the Deevan House. | occupied .
berth No. 6; Mr.. Chapman, Of Montreal, /
berth No. 10; gentleman and wife, berth .
No. :, which think were all that were in
our end of the ear. When the fire took
place both conductors, Mr. 3lssell and his
son. OF Chicago. and Mr.. Woodbridge
were nearer the front end Of the car. " hat
f-hf ba- I ]
retired | know not, but | suppose that Mr..
Bi~>ell went back INTO the car to get his
son and was burned with him. There was
pair of pants found which seemed to be
long TO no one among those saved or to the
BIs>eis, but cannot say whether the owner
Ct them was burned. A tall. well dressed
man, with sandy hair and side whiskers,
whom | noticed passing up and down the
ear tao Or three times was among the mis-
In- but | am not sure that he was burned.
Fac accident, 1t was said, was caused by
r.il broken IN two pieces.
Mr.. Pitkins WAS ve1y weak from loss Of
blood. and from the effects Of the really
serious injuries he had sustained, and it was
with much din ;ulty that be could at times
artcuiate.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS.
Tie train was approaching South Wal
llngiJrd, when 1t was obliged TO stop Tor
a broken rail. After again starting. 1t
had not proceeded more than a mile, when
another broken rail WAS reached, throwing
the train from the track. The baggage car
Jumped of and on again, but the coach re,
NAMED of The sleeping car broke loose
from the train, and fell upon a pile of mar
bic alongside the track,
INSTANTLY IGNITINC IRON THE STOVES IN the
CAR.
Two conductors. Capt. Mooney and Fred
" Ider, and ten passengers were in the
ear Ii was fearful awakening to the
sleeping passengers, and they all came near
suh1cating before realizing their psrlous
The car was
FILLED WITH FIRE AND SMOKE,
the greatest confusion prevailed, and death
seemed certain for all Finally, W. W. L.
Chapman. Cf Montreal, observed window ,
aud smashed it. ttfecting his egress through }
The same. Several passengers followed him. :
A man and his wife. from St. Johns, Que
bee, who were almost in state of nudity
were rescued by John Warren, express
messenger on the train. They were badly ]
,ut and bruised, but not dangerously in !
ured ;
FATHER LOVE. !
Although MIR. Bissell was almost suffoca-
led when he escaped from the car. he made
rantic inquiries for his son Charley
Capt. Mooney says it was heartrending to
near young Bissell cry for help. Mr.. Bissell t
rantically shouted, MY God nv God |
" i'll no one save my son ?" and then rushed '
% the rescue and - his own destruction. ]
Afterwards the position of the charred re- I
mains showed that the father must have a
,een overcome while entering the window, n
Is the body was found inside the car with {
he feet projecting through the window. C
The charred body Of Young Bssel was also a
ound. and he had evidently been suffoeated e
u the attempt to escape from the car. In a
nediatciy after the accident the engine pro u
eeded to Dandy, the next station, five miles n
Instant, and brought back Dr. Whipple and 81
mother physician 10 attend the sufferers. II
THE INJURED. 81
Hon. f. E. Woodbridge, of Vergennes. a
'ho was on his way to New York to y
ny an important case, was injured about b
he chest lie lost valise containing yalu- j.
Die papers relating to the trial, and his v
Their baggage. lie escaped with drawers, sc
tockings and vest A Mr.. Pitman, of e,
Hartford. Conn, was very badly injured. "
nstainipg severe cash on the head He |
lst gold watch and chain worth $500. hi
he remaining passengers were burned or ri
ruised more or less, but did not sustain
srlous injuries. The conductors escaped
nth slight bruises. Fortunately there was of
physician on the train who understood FIR
lrgery somewhat, and dressed the wounds o.