Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-09-29


River Railroad.
ONE NAN SEVERELY, If NOT FATALLY INJURED
SEVERAL PERSONS MORE Oh LIss BRUISED.
MONTPELIER, VT, Sept. 25. - Another
collision occurred tonight on the Montpe-
lier and Wells River Railroad, about half q
mile north of this station, between the
mixed train bound for Wells River. con-
sisting of eight freight and three passenger
cars, and the Barre train, consisting
of one passenger car. bound for this
place. Both engines were badly wrecked.
The engineer of the Barre train.
B. F. Merrill. was severely if not fatally in
jured, and Thomas W. Baily, conductor,
was severely bruised. The passengers on
this train escaped with slight bruises. The
damage is estimated at twelve thousand dol
lars. No employees or passengers on the
Montpelier and Wells River train were
injured. The blame apparently wholly
rests on boy left in charge Of the switches
at Barre Junction. The wreck will be
promptly cleared by tomorrow morning.
LATER-ADDITIoNAL PARTICULARS.
The collision took place at SEQ D.
III pctWCch q mlACu thoih Va cSNOu DO4
light and three passenger cars, drawn by
the locomotive Plainfeld. going to Wells
River, and the locomotive Windsor, coming
in with single passenger car from Barre.
The latter reached the Barre junction with
the Wells River road precisely on time,
5. 10. Horace W. Kempton Is the switch
man there. assisted by boy l6 years old.
The outward bound Wells River train was
sc minutes late, which seems to have con-
fused the boy, who had changed the switch
and set the signal for the Barre train to
come in. Thomas W. Bailey, the conduc-
tor, asked him twice if the Wells River
train had come, to which the boy nodded
assent After the Barre train went along
he suddenly recollected that the former
had not come, and commenced hallooing
frantically for Bailey to stop, but it was
too late. The Barre engine and car ran
nearly mile and half, rounded curve
at speed of perhaps 20 miles an hour and
struck the approaching train The tenders
were completely wrecked, two of the Wells
River freight cars being piled upon the en-
CINE Plainfield, hanging on either side of
the tender by the coupling irons. There
were several passengers in the three rear
cars of the Wells River train, who only
slightly felt the shock, the freight cars in
tervening and the train not having much
Roadway. The engineer and fireman
of this train jumped off and each
escaped uninjured. as also did the
fireman of the Windsor but the engi-
neer of the latter Benjamin Merrill, an old
and well-known employe of the Central
and Northern railroads, had his right leg
horribly crushed. and was otherwise ser-
ously injured. lie was taken to his home
mile distant. His leg was amputated.
but there are but slight hopes of his recov-
cry. There were three passengers in the
Barre car, who escaped with slight bruises.
Conductor Thomas W Bailey was thrown
violently across tho seats and his left
shoulder was severely bruised, and he re-
ceived cash two inches long on the back
OF his head but his injuries arc not consid-
cred serious. Dexter Moody, the brakeman
on the Barre cars. rushed to the brake at
the first signal. turned it to its utmost ten
sion. and then jumped into a ditch in sea-
son to escape instant death by being crushed
between the platform and the engine ten
der, which were both badly broken up
The accident seems to be wholly attributa-
bic TO the switch boy, who Is reported
to have gone crazy when he found what
mischief be had done. The damage to the
rolling stock Is estimated at $40 900. The
three engines owned by the Montpelier and
Wells River road are now all disabled by
collisions.