The Portland daily press., 1880-11-06
The Eastern R. R. Collision.

From the Boston papers we gather saddition-
al particulars regarding the accident at Lynn
ON the Eastern railroad yesterday
The 8. 40 a. m. train from Portland, Con-
ductor AUDI due at Lynn at 12.45 p. M, con-
sisted of seven cars and collided with the Sau-
gus branch train near Green street bridge as
the latter train was shifting to a side track,
and both trains were badly wrecked. The end
Car of the Saugus train had crossed the inward
track, and the car next to it was just crossing
when it was struck by the engine of the Pull
man and derailed. The engine of the Pull
man train ran out upon the open switch and
went off the track. None of the cars left the
rails, though the train went on to the siding.
The engineer and fireman stuck by the engine
and were not hurt Not passenger on the
train was irj ured. There were three persons
unlawfully upon the Saugus branch train steal
ing ride One, Edward L. Winters, was
killed. Charles F. Geer and boy named
HARDWOOD Thorn were somewhat bruised,
though not seriously. Thorn ,, as taken to the
poor farm and cared for.
The Saugus branch train is due in Lynn at
1927 p. M, and after discharging its passen-
gers at Lynn central station it has been the
custom to run out into the yard and back
across the inward track on the side track be-
| yond. Mr.. E. HI. Worthen, the signal man
| at the Green street ball station, says that he
| lowered the ball before opening the switches.
| There is stringent order of the road COM
| polling all trains to stop before entering the
| Lynn yard when the ball at Green street is
! down. Mr. Worthen claims that the engineer
| of the Portland train should not have come
| through. Other parties say the signals were
| not properly set. The engineer of the Pull
| man, William Ayerill says the ball was at
| the masthead, which is the signal for clear
track, and he saw it so distinctly, when he
| passed Swampscott station. The ball was not
lowered he says, till he reached Fayette street,
| and then it was too late for him to stop his
train, although he reversed and put on the
brakes. Both the signal man and engineer
are old employees. The Saugus branch train
was delayed yesterday in its shifting, by the
Portsmouth freight, due in Lynn at 12.15, but
which did not arrive until 1886.
| The damage to the rolling stock is about
| 5000. The car which was struck was pretty
thoroughly demolished. The car next to il
|
lost its trucks. The engine, No. "a, of the
Pullman ran ran into the banking, breaking
its pilot and iniuring the running gear ant
tender Next back of it were two baggage
cars, which remained on the track unhurt
The Pullman Conway left the rails, bu
was not injured. The four remaining passen
ger cars were not injured in the least. Pas
sengers were transferred as rapidly as possible
and train was started for Boston before {
o'clock.
The question of who is responsible for tn
accident can only be known after thorough
investigation has been made. Section 8 of TIN
special local regulations of sthe Eastern rail
road says: cat Green street bridge, Lynn,
ball or red lantern at masthead allows train.
to pass. When no ball or red light is seen, i
signifies that the main line is INSTRUCTED, an,
all trains must STOP" The question the
arises, what was the position of the ball?
The small amount of injury done to tn
Pullman train was due to the fact that it wa
moving at much higher rate than the othe
and its greater momentum resulted in throw
ing the cars of the other train from the track
The damage, to the Eastern railroad is heavy
and it will cost the road several thousand do
lars to repair the cars and track.