New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-04-09
THE DEERFIELD ACCIDENT.
NARRATIVES OF THOSE WHO SURVIVED.
TOSSED ABOUT CAR UNTIL DEAD-THE SCENE
BY DiYIIGnT-THE DEAD AID WOUNDED.
fBY TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUSE]

|
ten employees were on the train wrecked on the Fitch
burg Railroad last night. Every train. east or west
over the State road to-day was crowded with people
bound for the OF the accident since last ght not
less than 10000 persons have visited the spot some OF
them walking six to ten miles to view the wreck
viewed by daylight the Is far worse than was
reported last night II IL considered marvellous that
any one ESCAPED alive The descent by actual measure
en, is so feet Crowds OF people hoverei about the
precpce day and hundreds descended to the river by
means of the strong cables which the wIeckng crew had
stretched to the river bank.
Two wreckng trains have been at work all day. inc
track has been Ieaid further from the precpice anu al
eastt ound trains usedhe west track to Dee'n eu'
where switch is made 10 the eastern track $1,000
When day broke II was found that tho cars WIN" '
fallen into the river burned 10 the ie'e' VI 'no
water The engine though remained on the track was
| broken to pieces A railroad man "ho examined .ho
wreck said that the involved In the destruction
OF the train amounted to not less than $4,000 Ih"t
part OF the which the accident happened belongs
TO the State and Is leased to the Fitchburg Railway
Company The contract is such that the State VIII be
liable 1t is understood only for injury to passengers
and loss of life but the Fitchburg Railroad Company
| for the loss rolling stock.
W. A. Fort. who lives at Boston Highlands was,
passenger the wrecked train He arrived In Boston
this afternoon His head bandaged and his face
evidence OF his misortunes He said That no was
second OF those that went down
the embankment The the first thing TO break
loose and then the seats few about The car must
have turned least five times before reached the
bottom, and felt as II had turned over as many more
times I was TANNED ong a lot Of seats. crawled
out with great difficulty. was Just In time for seat
over the stove and minute later the was on fire.
assisted other persons to get out OF the wreck in
ending two children, who were nearly dead
President ChauDey Abbey, OF the National Bank as
FredoDia Is elderly man OF robust size; yet he
plunged the embankment with his and escaped
atcb rhtl all NJ Mo
badly cut aud bruised. He the coolest man In the
car and after It reached the rivers edge he assisted In
removing his fortunate fellow travellers from their
painful positions.
why" said he. felt as though was the youngest
ore In the crowd, and certainly did AS much toward
pulling the fellows out they did to assist them
That Is not the first accident I've been through
so know lust what 1t meant. AS soon ms felt the
sh ock braced myself against tho car ana waited tne
result OF course | didn't know what going to hap
pen but less risk p doing that than dc hy
jumping ont 1t turned out that my plan was the wisest
after all you am not hurt while the others are
H. scribner. OF Watham postal clerk on the train
at West DecrfelG said:
was in the postal car with another clerk. named j.
II. Pltney. OF Eagle Bridge, n. y The first intimation
had of anything wrong when the train got OF the
track and went dumping along the road grabbed
post cung dear lfc my companion doing the
same. The rolled at least once and may nave
turned several times and we went dancing about Ike
couple of jumping jacks, as ii descended the procpce.
I felt fear had no chance to do So although II
seemed as though tho would never stop Finally,
found myself standing IN the river having struck on my
feet Neither top side left to tie postal car.
which had been literally smashed to pieces The wreck
caught from the Ills of the heater aud my frst
movement TO seize iece OF board aud aash water
on the ames. putting them out Pitney fell on his ieot
as did. and helped in the work OF putting out the
fire We heard cries for assistance coming from DeiOw'
Int NOT des shelf
upon which we stood. We crawled to the top or ;he
bank 1t must have taken twenty minutes TO do So
Pitney taken home on the western train lie was
badly bruised aud had sustained a dslocation OF the
right shoulder bu; not. think seriously Injured
took the eastern train, get OIL at Wathan, went bono
and TO bed saying nothing my family about the acci-
dent until this morning am bruised and racked badly,
and the tells me 10 keep quiet for few days
D. C. Wells student at :he Theological Seminary at
AndOver OF those who were fortunate enough 10
escape without serious injury. He described his sensa-
lions whom the going down the embankneht ana
said: he only thing could little baby
that right In front OF ME. The poor little thing was
thrown side TO the othcr the car turned and
when reached the bottom 1t was dead 1t vas dark I'D
the car when reached tho bottom and wondered
what was coming noxt You don't know what RELIEF
IL was when the broke in two and saw the light
streaming through tho rent. The break occurred
directly my head and the next minute the car
plunged into the river. l found myself waist heep
n alive and no bones broken L don't know
how climbed but managed In some way to get on
the roof ana thence 10 the shore. looked around Inc
and saw that alone. For moment. thought that
the only who had escaped, foi couldn't hear
sound Bat just then brakeman staggered out OF the
car OF mine and began crawling up the steep sides
OF the embankment calling to me TO go toward Green
field aud give notice OF the accident Then lie dlshp-
reared up the track toward North Adams. I tried TO
move, but the pain in my back was 80 great that |
thought should faint Then the other passengers began
climb OF the The forward cnd OF my car was
already burning y man orawled out Of the same hole
that | did carrying the little baby He did no; say
anything looked for long tims at the little face,
and then laid 1t the shore. Knowing that could do
nothing to help the Others began to clint TO the top
never want to undertake such climb again. was
the reach the rails with III, exception or tho
brakeman. a telegraph pole that had been broken
Of lying the outward track. II WAS held up by
the wires pletely blocked the road. managed
to move that hut 1t was painful job"
Merritt Seeley, who fatally injured and who died
soon at ter being removed Greenfield resident Of
Boston, and the agent Of the National Express Com
pany lie had spent nearly all his lite Ia the express
business beginning when boy with the Adams Express
Company lie a native Of Great Darlington VI
Ho was a kind hearted man and had hosts Of friends
He was "a wdowcr and leaves four children. His body
was taken to Great harrington for burial
c. z. Bell OF Nashua N H. though only slightly in
iured bad marrow escape from death He fell into the
river at toint where the water is twelve feet deep
The current was swift and he saved his life by graspng
Jagged rock to which lac chung until lie regained his
breath. Then he swan ASHORE lie says that there
were several persons the water below him. put he saw
them get ashore and he believes that they were
drowned
The body OF Brakeman Spencer found in the wreck
last night with those OF two unknown commercial
travellers. The body OF f. T.. Hayden, agent Of the
Fisk Manufacturing Company, o. Springfield. was re
covered this morning The hight hand and head were
burned Another body found was that OF a man sixty
five or seventy years old. His handkerchief bore the
name j. r. Gould. An odd Fellows pin found
his clothes and key ring, which marked J. r.
Gould, Abingdon Conn. Tho body OF f. +. White
house. Of Boston, fonnd In the river under Il
There was u terrible cash over the right eye