Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1876-10-27
sad Railroad Accident.

Cheshire railroad IN w estmoreland, near
the Summit about six miles this side Of
Keene, by which two men we're killed,
one injured and two engines wrecked.
The particulars are as follows;
On Saturday morning the engine,
Bellows Falls. one Of the largest and
heaviest on the road, met with slight
accident in the yard at the depot, by
which the headlight and some of the
front works Of the engine we're injured,
and was taken by H. b. Graves, the en-
gineer, to Keene for repairs. Mr., Graves
had his engine ready to return early
Saturday evening and had orders to run
wild after the freight train, No. %,
from this place was in. Upon seeing
the brakeman of she freight train at the
depot, he inquired of him for the saloon
car which he, Graves, was to take up
with his engine. The brakeman replied
that it was at the Falls. This led to the
conclusion that the train was in as it was
then forty minutes past arriving time.
As it proved the brakeman had changed
off. Graves started out and was run
ming at high rate of speed when, on
running around a curve, he collided
with the freight train, which was COM
ing down heavy grade, and was struck
before the engineer could make move
to save himself or give the train men
warning of impending danger. The en-
CINE, John Elliot, which headed the
freight train, was pretty thoroughly de-
molished and its engineer, Henry NJ.
Staples, and fireman, Lewis J. Phillips,
we're both killed. The latter was found
dead beside the track. having evidently
been damned against the tender as he
was in the very act of leaping from the
engine. Staples, the engineer, lived for
about an hour after the accident. The
force of the collision was such that the
Elliot was driven under the Bellows
Falls by the cars behind it, the engine
and tender were crowded together, and
Staples was forced against tae fire-box
and held there, in which position he
must have experienced the most terrible
suffering. 1t was some time before assis-
lance arrived, and when it did it was
found impossible to extricate the unfor-
tunate man from his dreadful situation.
He calmly answered questions, and gave
directions to those who Were trying to
assist him till he died, begging those
around him to pull him out. His en-
treaties that he might see his wife and
children before he died, were heartrend-
ing He was thirlytwo years Of age
leaves wife and two children. Phil
lips leaves wife. Both men were resi-
I. dents Of Keene and were considered very
worthy men, and their loss has occasion
ed general feeling of sadness in the
community. The funeral of Mr.. Phil
lips took place on Wednesday in the
forenoon, under the auspices Of his broth.
er Odd Fellows, and that of Mr.. Staples
at one o'clock of the same day with Ma.
sonic rites, Of which orders they were
members.
Mr., Graves was badly bruised and in
jured in his back and has since been un-
able to move, though at the present time
physicians pronounce him out of dan.
ger. His bruises were from the wood OF
his engine being thrown back upon him
in the collision. Geo. Dane, the fire
man of the Bellows Falls, jumped imme
diately and escaped without injury. Had
Graves been half minute later the &C
cidentprobably would not have occurred
as the freight train would have struck a
straight piece of road and her head
light would have been seen in season tc
prevent the collision.