Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-08-18
ANOTHER RAILROAD DISASTER.

ANOTHER RAILROAD DISASTER.
Two Freight Trains Collide With Fatal
Results-Six Persons killed-An Express
Train Derailed and Numerous Passen-
gers Injured.
TROY, N. Y, Aug.2 5.
A terrible accident occurred on the Troy
& Boston Railroad Wednesday. 1t was due
principally to the neglect Of johnson, the
telegraph operator at Petersburg junction,
to carry out his orders. He was on duty
from six o'clock Tuesday night until eight
o'clock next morning. At seven o'clock
Wednesday morning he received MI order to
flag and hold train No. 1 for orders. He
said he placed a flag out, and train No. 9
passed, and he then TOUCHDOWN the flag. His
error in taking. down the flag when
No. 9 passed, instead of leaving it up
until No. 1 arrived at Petersburg junction,
caused the collision. The two trains came
together Oh a curve. Each was not seen by
the engineer of the other until both locomo-
tives were so close that it was impossible to
slacken speed. The engines and cars of
both were piled indiscriminately together,
and the cars Immediately caught fire.
The dead are: Mark Sutherland, engineer,
of Troy; Charles II. Marden, engineer, of
Providence; Jack Barrett, conductor, of
North Adams; Thomas Lane, brakeman, of
Gardner, Mass; a brakeman just hired;
Frederick Emery, of North Adams; How
ard II. Bruce, operator at Vermont Station.
j. W. Barnes. the fireman o II one of the
locomotives, gives the following account:
"The first | knew of the accident was when
Mur1ap fhrn1- l., bic how'd. cb-+ tho ,,I-o
and said: For Gods sake, look there!' [
looked UP, and only a cars length ahead
was an engine. My first thought was to
jump, and l started to do it. Whether [
did jump or was knocked out I can't tell. 1
found myself OF some Slivered timbers, and
cars were piling upon me. AS the engines
cOllided their noses went toward the creek.
l was wight between them. J. heard the
cracking sound of fire, and on
turning, my head l found the
was doubled up with a large timber on my
right leg. The fire grew warmer and be-
was helping to keep me down, and broke it
in two Ordinarily it would have taken two
men to break it. This loosened my legs
and l crawled out. 1 thought the cars never
would stop coming. While crawling out,I
saw Marden and said: Charlie, are you
badly hurt" lie said: Il can't move
hand or FOOT L told him l
would go for help and try to get him out.
On my return l again spoke to him and
told him nothing could be done until the en-
CINE was lacked up, as he was held by it.
He then asked me if l was hurt, and L said
NO. Then he inquired where the rest of
them were, meaning Bruce and Barrett, and
I told him l didn't know. I asked him if
there was any wood near him, and he re-
piled No A moment later he began to
moan and scream for help, and that was the
last l heard of him. The fire had become
SO hot by this time that l was driven from
the spot"
Barnes, the other fireman, said: 81 was
looking out of the window and saw smoke
about a minute before / saw the stack Of
the coming train. AS soon as 1 saw the
stack l jumped to the engineers side and
took hold of Sutherland, telling him that a
train was coming, but he chung to the throt-
tie. He was looking the other way when I
caught his arm and did not see the ap-
preaching engine. Failing to get him off
his seat l jumped, striking on my feet. I
was not at all hurt and tried to find what
had become of the other people on the ell
CINE. l did not hear a voice at all, for the
steam was escaping at a fearful rate"
The bodies of all the victims We're solidly
imbedded in the wreck. 1t was impossible
to get them out. A portion Of the fire de-
paltment from this city was sent to the
scene of the disaster to extinguish the
flames, but as most of the cars were loaded
with coal the work was very slow. The
bodies of the dead have not been recovered
yet. The track will not be clear before
noon to-day, and travel between Boston and
the West is materially interfered with. The
pecuniary loss by the collision will reach
SIS 5000.
ONE kILLE AND oUHTE INJURED
BOSTON, Aug.2.
A special to the Journal from Newport,
Vt, says that a serious disaster befel an ex-
press train from that place to Montreal, on
the Southeastern Road, Wednesday evening.
The entire train of engine, two parlor-cars,
a baggage Inc one passenger-car were de-
rallied about three miles from North Troy
and completely wrecked. Fourteen persons
were seriously injured. A lady from Derby
was killed. Fred Pierce, of Stanstead, and
servant, are probably fatally hurt. The in
jured are being taken to Newport and
North Troy. About fifty passengers were
on board. The escape of all from death
was remarkable.
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