Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-09-07
RAILROAD ACCIDENT.
A Fireman Seriously Hurt-Many 9th
ers More or Less Severely Injured.


There was collision between the
northern bound Boston and Chicago
fast express and the southern bound
New York and Montreal express
over the Central Vernon. railroad at Col
chester, at about 8 o'clock Saturday night,
by which fireman was seriously hurt and
many people were more or less injured. The
particulars of the accident are as follows
The trains named above pass each other at
Colchester, where, however, the Boston and
Chicago express does not stop, the Montreal
and New York train taking the side track.
From Essex Junction to Colchester the track
forms nearly a straight line and the last part
of the way the grade is down. Just this side
of Colchester station, however, there is q
sharp curve, so that the engineer of north
crn bound train can not see whether or not
the train he is to meet is on the side track all
right until he is right upon it.
The Collisions.
On this occasion the engineer of the Mon
trcal train on nearing the side track
found that the switch was not prop
erly set, and he whistled for
the switch aud stopped his train. At this
moment the Boston and Chicago express
dashed around the curve. The engineer of
the Montreal train reversed his engine, and
at the same moment the engineer of the
Boston train also reversed his engine and
put on the breaks. But the distance was too
| short and the momentum too great to avert
a collision, and the fast express plunged into
the other train with tremendous crash.
| The train was moving at high rate of speed
| - not less than thirty-ive miles an
hour - and the shock was a tremendous
| one. Both locomotives were completely
wrecked, and the tender of the Boston
train was forced against the baggage car
with such power that it was cut completely
in two, horizontally, by the floor of that car,
the tank being telcscopcd right into the car
while the truck passed underneath it.
| Result of the Collision.
| Fortunately and almost miraculously not a
single life was lost by the collision. The
Montreal train was drawn by the locomotive
George A. Merrill" Charles Brown en-
gineer, and the engineer and fireman jumped
off after reversing the engine and escaped
unhurt. The Boston train was drawn
by the locomotive "B. p. Cheney" George
f. JONES' engineer, W. ii. Chilson fire
man. They stayed ut their posts MIR
Jones (who is Familiarity known a
yankee" Jones) was badly bruised, tn
most severe hurts being upon his left leg
, MIR. Chison was severely hurt, especially il
his back and head, but his injuries are nc
: considered fatal. Riding on The engine wa
e. s. Jones, son of the engineer, and h
was slightly injured. The passengers Canon
; whom, on the Montreal train, were Mr.. an'
Mrs. George G. Mayo, who were returnin
from their wedding trip were vigorons
, shaken tup, and many OF them somewha
bruised and cut, but none were severely IN
!. 4, iured The baggage car OF the Boston trai
:, contained a number of gravcl-train laborer
J on their way home from their work, an
Il most Of the following named belonged to tina
l. party: Michael Finn, baggage master of tn
u Boston train, severe scalp wound and sligh
q bruises; James Rooney, fracture of cola
!, bone Felix Lamotte, water boy on tn
" gravel train, serious fracture OF thigh Al
J. drew Osier, bruised on the thigh and side
= Dolphus Lamotte, Patrick o. Toolt
Il Michael Brown, Michael Burns, Harry Moor
=, and Cornelius Kerns, all bruised slightly
Medical assistance and q wrecking train wer
at once sent from St. Adams to the scene {
. the accident, and the injured railroad me
;, were taken to ST. Adams.
The Responsibility.
The responsibility for the collision has nj
. yet been definitely fixed. The railroad of
h cials will make an investigation forthwith
Is One surmise is that engineer Jones saw Il
headlight Of the New York train and suppo
II ing it to be on the side track went Iigl
re along lie Is one of the oldest and Ii
ID trustiest engineers in the employ Of the Ce
le trail Vermont, having been on the road for I
T. years or more. Had the collision take