The New York herald., 1878-11-16
CROSSES A Bridge ON The SLEEPERS
Precipitated Down an Embankment
and a Car Burned.
SEW ERAL LIVES LOST.
A Providential Escape and a
Timely Rescue.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD. ]

By TELEGRAPH TO THE HERAID
ST.. JOHN, n. b., Nov. Is. 1873.
A terrible accident occurred last night at Peel
Station, on the New Brunswick Railway, narrow
gauge fine which runs from Gibson. opposite Fred
ericton. to Edmunston. with branch to Fort Fair
field and Caribou in Maine. The express from Gibson
eight z. NJ. and there being no passengers. was
passing that station without stopping. The train
consisted of baggage and smoking and FIRST class pas
sengcr cars.
TrRRIBIE SCENE
As the train passed the station the baggage master
threw out bundle of grain bags from the car, in
tending to throw them the platform Instead of
reaching the top of the platform they struck its side
and bounded back beneath the wheels where they
caught and dragged for some distance, the cars
finally leaving the rails and running across small
bridge on the seepers. The instant the bridge was
crossed the upset became disconnected from the
engine and rolled down an embankment Of fifty feet
high to the river turning with frightful velocity,
three or four times.
A CAR ON FIRE
The instant the first class car reached the level
ground it was seen to be fire, and although there
was plenty of help near the flames made such rapid
progress that it almost impossible to render
any effective assistance to those who struggling
in their fiery prison. W. T. Whitehead. Of Frederic
ton. standing on the platform when it upset
and jumped of. The car rolled over him, but with
out doing him the slightest injury.
nEscu1sa THE VICTIMS.
He and others Immediately went to the rescue Of
the passengers in the burning car. and every effort
was made to save them. Some managed to escape by
breaking through the windows. others dragged
out by main force while others. in the extremity of
persisted in the flames In q short time the car and
all that remained within it were consumed, few
bones only marking their remains.
LIST or THE KILLED.
The list Of the dead is as fonows:--
ISAAC HACKER store keeper. Fort Fairfield Me-.
burned to death.
NEHEMIAH PERRY. store keeper. Presque Isle.
Me-. burned to death.
CHARLES BEATTIE newsboy. Fredericton, burned
TO death.
Miss CUSHMAN, Auburn. Me-. burned to death.
Mrs. LESLIE. Grand Falls. died Of injuries.
CHARLES A. PHILLIPS. Bristol. Me-, died of in
juries.
JAMES TURNER, died Of injuries.
THE WOUNDED.
The injured are as follows
Conductor YERxA badly.
Miss DIAH.
L. NJ DOW. brakeman.
r. D. CLARK. express messenger.
JAMES MONTGOMERY, Florenceviue. badly.
DANIEL KINNEY.
ALFRED KINNEY
JOHN HAMILTON.
JOHN LOVELY.
JOHN KEENAN,. Boston.
LEVI SEARS, Fors Kent. Me.
r. RAYMOND
STORY OF A SURVIVOR.
W.T. Whitehead, civil engineer. Of Frederick ton,
gives very vivid account of his escape. lie says
was in the FIRST class car with ten or twelve
Others, when the accident occurred. When the car
left the rails 1 knew something had happened and
sprans for the door. just ~ the car was topping
over sprang ahead OF It down tho hill fortunately
al!ghting under small mound Of earth. the car
going over me. The cars made four revolutions be-
fore getting to the bottom.
MIRACULOUS ESCAPE.
Il was not stunned or injured except slight hruse
ON the nose. The smoking car went down the hill
about one hundred and fifty above the first class
car. The engineer, Davis, the fireman. and myself
the car found it right side up We went to open the
door. and dragged out some fve or seven persons.
One GIRL about twelve years Of age, cAbered out Of
the window and did not receive scratch. She is .
niece Of Miss Cushman who s among the killed
cRAxKD FROM THE Yr.AMEs.
"This lady was almost rescued when che violently
tore herself away and fell back into the flames. Mr..
Perry one Of the victims, also almost saved but
he appeared frantic. and being . powerfully built
man. resisted all efforts to draw him through the
window and perished. The boy 1seattie WAS not
heard of at all. 1t is supposed that he asleep
near the stove and was instantly killed.
SCENE THAT pArrIEs DESCRIPTION.
"when got 10 the car the fire and smoke were
through il, from end to end. Mr. Hacker
spoke and it is presumed must have been killed
before the car reached the bottom Of the incline"
Mr.. Whitehead adds that neither tongue nor pen can
adequately describe the terrible character Of the
scene.
HELP ron THE SURVIVORS
The news sprcsd like widhre through the neighbor
hood of the disaster, and many will
ing hands were at work removing and caring
for the wounded, and within half hour all were
comfortably housed. Nothing could exceed the
Kindness and hospitality Of the residents. An In