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

| Safy assistance 10 the sufferers. MIS-. Annb
Rivers and daughter and Augustus Sulli-
van, were on the train and escaped un-
| injured.
Mr. Chapman had recently recovered from
protracted illness Fortunately be slept
in his pants and dressing gown. He came
on to Troy in his stocking feet, and upon
reaching the Troy House, sent messenger
to various stores to secure sufficient cloth
ing to appear presentab,e. He says that
| it was a miraculous escape, and that the
passengers expected to be crushed to death
| when the car upset Mr.. Chipman's loss is
about $500. If Mr.. Chapman had not
broken a window all OF the inmates of the
car would probably have persisted.
THE LOSS.
The sleeping car was completely destroy
| ed. Its name was the "Clty Of New 1ork" y
and it was worth about $1,000. The ag-
gregate loss to the passengers will amount
to several thousand dollars, but it cannot
be estimated with any accuracy at present
The conductor refunded the money for tick
cts to the inmates of the sleeping car. 1t is
a somevh hat curious fact that the two per-
sons killed were the only ones on the train
who had free passes.
The Rutland papers give some additional
u
The entire train. with the exception Of
the rear truck of the sleeper, passed safely
over the broken rail. This swung of and
after running about the length Of rail fell
! down an en- bankment about tn feet high.
Ii was drawn along in this way at an angle
with the track. the length of six rails, when
it dashed against huge embankment of
| large and small blocks of refuse marble
thrown out north Of W. Z. kelieys mar
| bic yard and mill, ard really forming the
south wall Of the yard. The conclusion
threw the car on its side, broke the centre
pin which, until then, held the rear truck,
and threw the rear end off the truck, depos-
iting ii at nearly right angles with the
track. In this position II reached across
the raceway of the mill and slopeG up the
embaukmeni, which is about fifteen feet
| high at that point, to the track. The rear
end reached west and was lying on the west
| side of the raceway, which Is about six feet
wide, and the forward end lay upon the
road bed. Ia this position the car was
upon its side and partially broken upon
the marble boulders which lay beside
and beneath it The sudden stoppage of
the sleeper broke the coupling between it
and the rest of the train, but the forward
part was stopped in front Of the marble
mill.
There were ten or eleven passengers in the
sleeper which was in charge of conductor
Moody. TIE oyerturning OF the car threw
all out of their beIths who had not previous
~ been awakened, and scramble was at
once made for some means of egress. The
car was warmed with patent heater which
was in the rear end. This was broken in
the fall. and the car instantly caught fire.
j his made great confusion inside. Some OF
the passengers managed to crowd to the
upper door and get out in that way; others
broke through the windows which were
overhead and thus managed to escape. The
inside Of the car was nearly or altogether
impa >s;ble IN the centre by the mattresses,
beds and debris which where cast there in q
heap. The wind was blowing from the west
and the rear and forward doors of the car
being open it famed the flames from the
west end where the fire took, to the east
AMI upward.
Ii j. said that the car was q mass of
flame 10 an incredibly short space OF time
after the accident. The curtains. bedding
and beds were all of light aud indsmmable
material the car was of wood which was
thoroughly seasoned, and that with the
varnish. would render it easily ignited and
quick OF consumption after ignition. The
heat was Intense-almOst as fierce, one
would think, as a blast furnace. The
heavy irons were melted off and twisted
into all sorts of shapes. The brass and
copper fixtures of the car were melted and
run together IN masses of small and large
size Gold and silver watches. Jewelry and
glass We're melted into liquid form and
cooled of in masses, in all sorts of fantastic
shapes and sizes
The first person TO get out was Mr.. Bis
70 he
voice OF hls son calling,
father, FOR COPS SAKE, BRING AN AXE, ."
The call was re-echoed by the father, and
bystander rushed tor an axe. The father
was impatient and did not wait for the
axe. but ran to the car and jumped in TO
rescue his son. This was the last seen of
him until a person standing by saw his
remains drop from the burning car.
nearly consumed. After this not sound
was heard from either father or son,
and the flames now burst out 50 fercely
that they could not be rescued. 1t is sup
posed that both were speedily sufiocated
with the smoke and THAI death ensued from
this cause.
Mr. Fuller, the station agent. ran to the
scene OF the accident as soon as he saw the
train stop. although it was not unusual and
he did not then know what caused it to
stop. Nheu he saw what was wrong he
ran for pals to put out the fire, and several
persons jumped into the raceway and made
use Of the pals, but a teacup would prsc-
tically do as much good, for the flames shot
through the car so suddenly and fercely
that nothing could be done with the appli-
snces at hand to stay them. Those who
were on the scene pay high tribute 10 the
railroad employees who did all that could be
expected from any set Of men in such po-
sltlOn
THE PERSONS IN The CAR.
A the time Of the accident conductor Of
the train Fred Wilder. who had Just been
through the car, and sleeping-car conduc
tor Capt. Moody, were standing together |
near the forward end Of the car. They |
were thrown quite q distance and |
Mr.. Wilder's lantern was eItinguish-
ed. Both succeeded in getting out |
at the forward door comparatively |
uninjured The list Ct passengers was
burned with the car, therefore it is |
impossible to know exactly how many |
and who the passengers were Ii is thought |
there were eleven persons in the car besides |
the two conductors and the porter. These /
were Charles II. Bissell. W. II. Bissell and |
A: NJ Gilbert. of Chicago Hon. F. Z.
Woodbridge, of Nergennes; Francis j.
Tierney and wife. and W. W 5. Chapman.
Of Montreal Mr.. Pitkin, of Hartford,
Conn; Mr.. Cunningham, of New York and |
two others (names unknown) who went
south on the same train.
THE WOUNDED.
Mr. Woodbridge was seriously injured
about the chest and head he went to his
home in Vergennes. Mr.. Giibert was in
ured about the head and face he was
brought to the Bardwel Houee, where he
now lies he was slightly delirious Thurs
iay afternoon, but DR.. Pond, who is in at
tendance upon him. does not apprehend
anything serious. Mrs. Tieruey is now at
The house of Mr.. c. o. Stafford in South
Nallingford. as is also her husband. Mrs.
Iierney l. injured about the face and head
and o. the SIDE. but it is thought she is not
lurt internally. She is the only lady who
vas in the car. 1t Is thought prudent TO
nave her remain where she now Is for a few
lays Yet. DR.. Pond nroEonnces her injl-
les nut serious Mr. Tlerney Is bruised ON
be side and head.
Our reporter had
An INTERVIEW WITH TIERNEY.
said himself and wife went to bed about
he time the train was in Rutland. He went
O sleep but his wife did not. When the
ar swung off the track she endeavored to
wake him. This she did not succeed in do
ng ,Sbut in a moment more Mr.. Tierney was
decidedly awake, for said he the first in ,
imation had Of the accident was stand
ng on my head at one side Of the car
lr. Iierney got up and struggled towards
window. which was broken, and through
which some one else had gone BIS wife
ot upon his shoulder and was helped out |
y Mr.. Chapman, who had already got out 5
IS soon as she was rescued she reached ,
own and seized her husband, when he was ,
early sutfocated and on the point OF falling i
aek. Mr.. Tierney said he had slept in No
p, near the centre Of the car, and Mr. a
'itkin slept opposite. Wien MIR. Tierney I
OF out be had nothing on but his shirt and q
is wife was almost as destitute. lie saws I
e thought he was lost as well as his cloth c
1g and valuabes. Through all the scene |
aside the car he asserts that he did not I
ear a sigh or moan. r
STATEMENT OF +. L. WOODBRIDGE Il