Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-05-19
Two Engineers and One Fire
man Killed-Their Bodies
Brought to Augusta
Coroner's Inquest.
One Locomotive Ruined and An
other Badly Injured---Eifteen
Cars Wrecked---Loss Es-
timated at $4,000.
Ine Rashness Of MIR. KilROre.
Engineer Of the ssWild.Cato
Engine, Apparently to
Blame.

Yesterday forenoon an appalling acciden,
occurred on the Maine Central. the lilo n,
which has not taken place for many years in
this section of the State, and which sen,
thrill Of horror through the entire commu-
nifty. At ll.55 A. NJ, the regular freigb,
tram, No. %, from up river, collided a,
Browns landing in Vassalboro. with an engine
running wild. and Charles Small, engineer
on the freight, was almost instantly killed,
while Albert Kilgore and George Estabrook,
engineer and fireman respectively of the en-.
CINE running wild, received injuries which
resulted fatally within short time.
The first news received Augusta of the
accident vas about l2.45 o'clock when a
section hand arrived in this city from the
scene of the disaster. The railway officials
here at once took active measures.
force of men vas Immediately collected and
the shifting engine being procured,
two cars were attached, a passenger and a
wrecking car. and the men accompanied by
a large number of sight seers and others.
with Drs. II. II. Hill, Martin and Brickett got
aboard the train, Mr.. W. S. Keene being con-
ductor, and proceeded to the scene
of the catastrophe. arriving abou,
two o'clock. There a sight met the
eye which could but appall the strong
est heart. Piled up in seemingly inextrica
BILE confusion were the blackened remains
of the two locomotives and mangled
freight cars piled one above the other, while
on the bank lay the two engineers dead, and
the poor fireman, bruised and shattered
grOaning away his life. All that human aid
could do was done for the poor man, and the
physicians used every means in their power.
The SCENE
of the accident is at Browns landing five
miles above this city and just above Five Mile
Island. On the east sharp bluff makes up
about twenty feet from the road, while on the
point few years ago a freight train
was thrown off the track by a
broken rail and an engineer thrown out OF
his|c but no damage was done and no one
locomotives was terrific. The freight was
about 10 minutes late and running some 20
miles an hour. The wild engine was running
very rapidly, how fast it was impossible to as
certain, as both men on the engine were killed.
The momentum of the freight was so great that
it carried or rather pushed the opposing To-
comotive three rods back on its course, tear
ing up sleepers and wrenching the rails. w.
n. Lawrence, fireman of the freight locOmo-
tive saw the other engine coming when ii was
some 10 rods OF and cried out, Look out
Charlie, an engine is coming" and upon this
jumped from the cab. He said that upon
striking the ground he looked up and saw the
air filed with flying debris. He crawled GU,
from among the wreck, and the first
thing he saw was Engineer kilgore,
who apparently had been blown out of his
engine by the explosion of the freight engine S
boiler, and was lying face downwards in
some mud. He Immediately turned the
man over and proceeded to look after the
other injured men. BY this time the brake
men of the freight had arrived at the loco
motives.
Lawrence, advancing to his engine, spoke
and heard Charlie Small, who was in the
| midst of his disabled engine exclaim, "Grea
God,' He was immediately taken from his
awful position and lived but five minutes
afterwsr,ls He was wedged in between the
| fir. box and cab and was terribly msngled
| the tight leg being crushed to J'l'y and
the fot completely t~ listed around The
| men then proceeded to extricate Geo. Esta
brook fireman of the wild engine. lie was
discovered in an insensible condition, witt
HIS feet in the fire box Of his engine, and
| large amount of wreckage and coal resting
on his body; being pulled out, the men ten
derly carried him up the bank and laid hin
down. He never spoke after the collision
Kilyore had his senses and talked almost &c
| the moment of his death, whici
occnrred in about an hour and q quarter
f,,lox ing the catastrophe. He spoke abou
the accident SAYING, II don't know what made
me come up; it was great mistake Just
before he died he asked those about MN &c
raise him up so he could breathe.
Almost Immediately after the collision TN
boiler of the freight ocomotive-expiode'
with terrific force. THE entire boiler wa
carried away. nothing but the fiues remaining
The smoke stack was carried over I'M
hill a rods away, and pieces of the boile
few long distances in every direction, man!
of them falling into the river The ooile
head of the wildcat engine was ais
blown of. The explosion which quick
Inv followed the crash OF the coliidin
Locomotives was frightful and was heard TO
miles around. Across the river in Sidney win
dow el...,was broken. One school-boy said
;.rred the teachers bell % that It rung; tea