The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-09-27
RAILWAY COLLISION.
Montpelier and Wells River Railroad

Montpelier and Wells River Railroad.
A serious collision took place at $50
Monday afternoon on the Montpelier and
Wells river railroad half mile out of the
station at Montpelier, between mixed
train of seven box freight and three pas
senger cars, drawn by the locomotive
"Plainfeld," going to Wells River, and
the locomotive Windsor" coming in with
a single passenger car from Barre. The
latter reached the Barre junction with the
Wells River road, two miles out,
precisely on time-5:19. Horace w. Kemp.
ton is the swtchmsn there, assisted by a
boy 16 years old
The outward bound Wells River train
| was thirty-six minutes late, which seemed
to have confused the boy, who ha1
changed the switch and get the signal for
the Barre tram to come in. Thomas w
Bailey, the cDudacSor, asked him twice il
the Wells River tram had come, in com
menced hallooipg franticaly for Bailey to
stop, when it was too late. The Barre en-
and half, rounded a curve at a speed of
perhaps tae1ly miles al hour, and strucl
the approaching train, going some INVENT,
rods after the engineer, Benz ann Merrill
first saw 1t. The result was collision
and very serious damage to both engines.
The tenders were completely wrecked, two
OF the Wells River freight cars being pilc
upon the engine Plainfield, hanging OF
either side of the tender by the coupling
irons.
There were several passengers in the
three cars of the Wells River train, who
only slightly felt the shock, the freight
cars intervening and the train not having
much headwny. Engineer Charles c.
Field and fireman G. M. Pittsman of this
train jumped off and escaped uninjured,
as also did the fireman of the Windsor, but
the engineer of the latter, BENZ. Merrill, an
old snd well known employee of the Central
and Northern railroad, while sitting on bic
seat had his right leg horribly crushed be-
tween that and the trunk of the tender,
and was otherwise seriously injured. He
was taken to his home, a mile distant
Surgeons were summoned, but there are
but slight hopes of his recovery. There
were three passengers in the Barre car,
who escaped with slight bruises. Conduc-
tor Thomas W. Bailey was thrown violent
ly across the seats and his left shoulder was
severely bruised, and he received a cash
two inches long on the back of his head ;
his bruises are not considered serious.
Dexter Moody, the brakeman on the
Barre car, rushed to the brake at the first
signal, turned it to its utmost tension and
then jumped into a ditch in season to es-
cape instant death by being crushed be-
tween the platform and the engine tender.
which we're both badly broken up. Moody
was famed, but went directly to work car
ing for Engineer Merrill and Conducto,
Bailey.
The news of the accident soon spread
and people fiocked to the scene by hun
drcds The Central locomotive Richford
arrived at Z o'clock, and wrecking train
soon after, which went at work clearing the
track. The Wells River train had been de-
laycd getting cars ready to send down and
bring passengers to the Washington county
fair, to commence tomorrow near Barre
Junction. The blame of this sad accident
seems to be wholly attributable to the
switch boy there, who is reported to have
nearly gone crazy when he found what mis-
chief he had done. The surgeons have am
putated Engineer Merrill's right leg. He
remained under the influence of ether at 8
p. m.