Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-09-05

RAILROAD ACCIDENT AT COLCHESTER.
"A serious accident occurred at Colches
ter on Saturday evening, at 8 o'clock, the
fast express from Boston colliding with
the New York express leaving this station
at 25 NJ. 1t seems that Colchester is
the meeting place for these trains, and
both we're about on time. The New York
train reached the station first and had
turned the switch preparatory to setting
off on the side track Before the engine
of the New York train had passed over
the switch, however, the Boston train
came along. Engineer Jones of the latter
train saw that there was danger of a
collision and applied his air brakes; but
these, as he claims, refused to work, and
his engine went crashing into the New
York train, which was then almost at a
standstill. Engineer Brown of the latter
train made an attempt to reverse and get
out of the way, but hadn't time. Both
engines and tenders, and baggage cars,
were badly wrecked, but the parlor and
ordinary passenger cars on both trains
were uninjured. Both tenders telescoped
the baggage cars behind them, one tender
going almost bodily into a baggage car.
Not passenger on either train was hurt
in the least. In the baggage car on the
Boston train we're quite number of
gravel train men, and several OF them
were more or less hurt. 1t is wonder
any Of them escaped alive, as the tender
came into that car and made bad work
with baggage. No employees on the New
York train were hurt; the engineer and
fireman had time to jump, and two or
three in the baggage car saw what was
&C ming in time to get out before the trains
met. Thirteen persons were hurt-all
railroad employees; six Of these, ho ever,
were only very slightly bruised. The list
of injured is as follows; Engineer &. F
Jones, bruised chiefly on the left leg and
shoulder, and left side Of body; G. S,
Jones, his son, who wa riding on The
engine, a cut on the left leg and slightly
bruised otherwise; w. Fl. Chilson, fire
man, severely hurt, bruised all over, but
chiefly in the back; Mike Finn, baggage
master, chief injuries a scalp wound on
the front part of the head, having been
struck by trunk; James Rooney, gravel
train hand fracture OF the COLA bone
and some bruises; Felix LlMotte, water
BOY on the gravel train, fracture of the
thigh; Andrew Oser, gravel train hand
pretty severe bruises of the thigh and side
Of the body; Dolphus LaMotte. Pat
O'Toole. Mike Brown. Nike Burns. Cor
nelius Kerns and Harry Moore, all gravel
train men, we're only slightly bruised, bu'
not disabled at all, Ten of those Wit
We're in anywlse hurt were in he baggage
ear Conductor Flint was knocked own
md had his light put out, but was no
rjured The engines in collision were
he Merrill and The Cheney"
SUPP Hobart and Asst Supt Fos-
repaired at once to the scene of the disaster,
WITH Drs Ftssett and Sherwood, and did
rveryth Nc IN heir power to care tor the
injured, who were put on beds in the
Wagner sleeper and brought 10 S.. Adams
Passengers were carried bv. The track
was cleared by 10 o o'clock Sunday morn
ing, the night express trains from New
York and Boston arriving here about II
A NJ. The Saturday night express sou
was set off at Milton till the track could
be cleared
1t is Il matter of congratulation that the
accident resulted in no loss of life, and
that the passengers escaped entirely.
Their security speaks we'll for the equip
ment of the cars, which are so well built
and furnished with SO strong platforms
and buffers as to resist an immense
amount of force, when that force comes as
it did on this occasion. The new ptrloI
car "Sultana" was on the Boston train, bu
came out without a scratch. The manage
ment are looking closely after the needs
n ia n lnin ua1I
none of them are considered dangerou,ly
hurt. An inquiry into the direct cause oil
the accident will be instituted at once.