The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-10-10

with the Track.
The position in which the first passenger c,
was thrown opened a gap through which Ii
next car shot across the outward track, strikio
| the rear of the English coach, which had a
ready been stripped of one side by being force
| past the first car. The next car, which was til
fourth car from the engine, then came crashin
down the track, striking the English coach /
the rear and raising it to an angle of focty-fv
degrees. The fifth car struck the fourth b
which time the speed Of the train had bee
checked, and the impetus spent upon tt
wrecked cars. As soon as the crash was owe
those who were uniDjared and those onl
sill Chilly injured extricsted themselves fror
their perilous posi- ton. In this they were i'm
PEELED by the fear of more horrible death tina
that which had overtaken their companions
but fortunately the engineers of both locomo
lives, with great presence of mind, immediate
ly proceeded to .extinguish their fires. o
those who were killed a larger number me
their death in the English coach than in thu
regular passenger cars, and it is singular fac
that all the killed in this car occupied seats OF
the lett side The remainder of the killed &C
cupled the first passenger car, which wa
thrown end foremost down the embankment OF
the west side of the track, while the injured
were scattered through the five cars which
were wrecked
AS to the cause of the accident two theories
are advanced. The superintendent states tina,
prior to the arrival of the excursion train at the
junction, locomotive was engaged in switch
ing freight cars to the foundry branch, and al
the moment the doomed train approached the
junction, the freight cars were crossing the in
ward track, nearly all the cars having passed
over to the outward track.
The head locomotive of the excursion train
struck the freight cars at an acute angle, and
was thrown from the track and rolled down the
embankment on the west side of the track.
Inc second locomotive was piled upon the first,
and driving wheels, cylinders and machinery
were mingled in an inextrcable mass. The
baggage Car was pulverized, and the boats it
contained ground to splinters. One side of the
English coach was torn off, and the carriage
was reduced to wreck The passenger cars
immediately in the rear were demolished and
thrown on each side of the track.
Another theory is, that while the freight
train was being switched the Inflated train
came down upon the switchmaa before he had
time to secure the switch, which was found
unlocked after the accident and open, leaving a
portion of the rails disconnected.
As fast as the dead and wounded were re-
moved from the ruins they were carefully laid
upon the grass upon either side of the track.
This service was performed with alacrity and
rare presence of mind, The survivors display
ed remarka able GOODNESS and braved the dangers
in their humane efforts to rescue their friends
There were no houses within half mile of the
scene, but within twenty minutes after accident
the residents came 1ocking to the spot, bringing
bandages. blankets and lint. Men ramoged
their coats, women their shawls, to cover the
dead and wounded and fora temporary couches
on the ground.
The engineer Of the leading locomotive,
Westgate, says he saw, as the train approached
the junction, that freight car. which was be-
ing switched either on or off the outward track,
was in the way. He instantly whistled "down
brakes" and reversed his Ell CINE; but the engine
struck the car and glanced to the left, jun ping
the track and turning over. He was thrown
out. he cannot tell how, and escaped without
severe injury, though his fireman was badly
scalded.
The horrioa accompan mi ne MT of many rail-
way accidents. the robbery of the dead and
wounded, went on actively for time. One
N an who lay wounded and unable to move
was robbed of $3.50 gold watch and chain and
some ready cash-how much is not known.
Dead bodies, when they could be got at, were
overhauled without the slightest conjunction,
and the wounded must have suffered terribly
by the rough manner in which they were ham
died. All this could, of course last but for the
few minutes immediately following the disas-
ter, when everything was in confusion, and it
was stopped in short order as soon as people
came to their senses
Mr.. James f. Ormond. who occupied The
front compartment of the coach, next to the
baggage car, together with Mr.. Reagan and
three other gentlemen, and the only ous un-
hurt in the compartment, gives the following
particulars: When the train started be helped
Mr.. Reagan into the Car, shielding him from
the crowd. The oarsman was feeling very
downhearted over his defeat, crying continual
ly. Mr. Ormond had, on the behalf of several
gentlemen, just presented him with a purse
and sat down in the seat with him. Reagan
SoI nh &c.
crying again, and said, "What will my friends
say?' just then the crash came and every
man 10 the compartment was hurled out with
the side OF the car, except Mr.. OrmOnd, who
was not moved from his seat. The latter
jumped from the open side of the car, and ran
Reagan's brother got there first, and, lifting
the dying mans head, cried, "Oh, my God!
Pat is this you?" Together they carried him
away from the track, where he died without
consciousness.
Both tracks at WollaSton vera cleared at G. 80
OF the opinion that the conductor of the freight
train was at fault. The death list numbered 10
up to noon yesterday.
The list Of wounded IL one hundred and
thirty.
The Portland men who were on the train
give very graphic descriptions of the accident.
1t seems that William c. Stevens of this city,
was the only man from Portland who was
kfi1ed. he was nephsw Mr. Eeanser'
stevens, and was employed by him at the Fai-
mouth hotel for several years. During the last
season he has been employed at the Glen
House. He was % years of age and be leaves
many friends to mourn his early death.
Mr.. Stevens body was the last taken from
the wreck. The head was terribly mutila.ed
and it was some time before he could be recog-
nized. The body was at once taken to Boston
and arrived here by the Pullman train last
night.
Mr.. Deering, Of the firm of Sawyer, Foss &
Deerng, was On the train in company with Mr..
Twitchell of this city. Before starting they
were invited to take seat in the English coach
but for some reason declined, and this no doubt
saved their lives. They were in the fifth car
from the rear and at one time, Mr., Deering
says, he went forward to see friend and then
met Mr.. Stevens who was killed. Failing to
find his friend he returned and took his Sc at.
AS he did so Mr. Twitchell asked him if he had
ever been on train at the time of an accident.
Just as the sentence was completed the cars
stopped suddenly as though the brakes had
been put on too quick. The car made two
bumps and then stood still on the track. There
was great excitement and all rushed to see the
cause of the trouble The scene that was pre-
sented to view was sickening in the extreme
and one never to be forgotten. After search
ing in vain friends who had been injured they
set out for Boston.
Mr.. Charles Odin, one of Davis's judges, was
in the coach at the time of the accident, and
strange as it may appear be escaped unDjured
while those around him were killed or manned
for life.
Mr.. Driscoll stated that he was in the sixth
car from the engine. The first he knew of tn
accident the car began to shake violently IRON
side to side. The passengers started their fee
and somebody sang out, Jump for your lives.
Mr.. Driscoll said he did not think he sho ul
make anything by jumping. and he remalne
as quiet as possible In few moments tn
motion ceased and he with the rest OF the pat
sengers jumped off by the side of the trair
The people living in the vicinity came forwar
as quickly as possible with bandages an
stretchers, and did all in their power to reliev