The Portland daily press., 1886-04-08
AWFUL DISASTER.
An Express Train on the
Fitchburg Railroad
Thrown from the Track Down
an Embankment 200
Feet In Height.
The Cars Roll Over and Over
and Stop on the Brink
of Deerfield River.
Wrecked Cars Take Fire and
Add Another Horror
to the Scene.
Shrieks of the Wounded and
Dying Fill the Air.
Ten Bodies Already Recov-
cred from the Ruins,
And 1t Is Thought Many
Others Will be Found.
List of Casualties So Far as
Ascertained Last Night.
List of Casualties So Far as
Ascertained Last Night.

| N0~St ASASS s~ht3ssS
GREENFIELD, Mass, April IA terrible
disaster occurred on the Fitchburg Railroad,
tonight, midway between Bardwell's Ferry
and West Deerfeld station, the east bound
passenger train from North Adams, due in
Greenfield at sos p. M, having gone
over an Embankment 400 Feet in
Height.
Six bodies have already been taken out
of the ruins and it is not known at this time
how many are killed
The train was the eastern express and con-
sisted of a baggage car, smoker, sleeping
| car mail car and two passenger coaches.
| The train was numbered 35 and was in
charge of Conductor Foster, with Herbert
| Littlejohn, engineer. The point where the
accident occurred is the most dangerous on
the road. The track runs on the edge of an
embankment, 200 feet above Deerfeld river.
The bank is very steep and is covered with
| huge boulders and masses of shale rock with
| which the road bed had been filled.
When the train arrived at this point
tFdGN @0UtEEtCtSO0 ~ SVSktO
under it for distance covering it's entire
| length, the coaches broke from their trucks
and went rolling over and over down the
| precipice. The engine broke from the ten
der, tearing up the track for twenty feet.
Below the height rolled the Deerfield river,
on the very edge of which the cars were
thrown. AS soon as they struck they caught
fire from the stoves and a confagration was
added to the horrors of the scene.
The Shrieks of the Wounded and
Dying
filed the air. and for time the scene was
indeed terrible. The sleeping car was an
entire wreck. It was occupied by several
passengers, not one of whom, at this hour, is
known to have escaped injury One man,
whose name it is impossible to learn, is inn
prisoned in the wreck of the sleeper and is
Being Burned Alive.
One little girl was picked up dead.
AS soon as the news reached Greenfield,
special train was made up and sent to the
scene of the disaster, accompanied by physi-
clans, section men and few citizens. On
arrival at the wreck, horrible sight was
witnessed. The darkness of the night had
settled over the spot, and far down ON the
river bank there cleaned the smouldering
embers of the holocaust. 1t was impossible
to tell who was hurt and who was killed.
Stout-hearted truckmen were lowered eau
tiously down the treacherous height, and the
work of rescue began.
List4of Casualties.
Merritt Seeley, superintendent of the Ma
tional Express Company, 800 Washington
street, Boston, was found in the wreck and
taken into the relief car. He had wound
four inches long and half an inch wide over
his left temple, his left thigh was broken,
and also his leg at the knee besides which
he suffered other internal injuries, from
which he will die.
d. l.. Crandall of Athol, postal clerk,
found himself plunged into the icy water of
the river, and got ashore with difficulty, be-
ing wounded about the head and with an
arm fractured.
Deputy Sheriff Chauncy Bryant of Green
field, was in the Fitchburg coach, forward
of the sleeper, and escaped unhurt. The car
he was in slid down the bank end first, and
was the only car that escaped confagra-
tion. He rescued the bodies of two children
ITOUl tuG UdIlHSs Uut OLO wac uCdu anu blO
other dying. Their parents were on board,
and the mother is believed to have been in
jured. Their names cannot be learned to-
night
Part of the injured and dead were taken
to Shelburne Falls, and part of the wounded
to Greenfield.
G. P. Bell of Nashua, N. H., was cut slight
ly on the head and jammed about the leg
and arm, but is not seriously hurt. He was
thrown head foremost into the river, went
twice to the bottom and barely escaped
drowning.
Conductor Foster was reported missing,
but at 10 o'clock the report came from Shell
burne Falls that he was there safe and but
slightly injured.
DC Wells of Andover had his shoulder
hurt and head cut. The car he was in broke
in two and stood on end within five feet of
the river bank.
Nicholas Dorgan of Greenfield had his left
arm and ankle broken, and was injured in
ternally, but not fatally. A little girl, pas
senger on the train, died in his arms from
injuries received.
j. E Priest of Littleton, N. H., had his
face and head cut, but no bones broken.
Engineer Herbert Littlejohn of North
Adams was badly scalded and it is believed
fatally.
A. K. Warner chairman of the Greenfield
board of selectmen, was badly hurt, but his
injuries are not fatal He was taken to
Shelburne Falls.
Just how heavy the list of the killed and
wounded will foot up cannot tonight be esti-
mated.
Conductor Fosters Story.
Interviewed by wire tonight at Shelburne
Falls, Conductor Foster says he is unable to
state how many were on the train. Only
three men have thus far been found who es-
caped injury and these set the number of
passengers all the way from 25 to 100. There
il no doubt that half dozen people were
killed outright while falling and as many
more are fatally injured, besides many who
escaped with only broken limbs and gashed
heads
Great Excitement Prevails
all along the road between here and North
Adams The west-bound express was de-
layed at Greenfield and West Deerfeld two
hours while a relief train with surgeons and
assistants was sent out on its time. Loco
motive No. u is complete wreck but re-
mains on the track, while its tender is down
the bank.
Other Casualties.
These people were taken to Shelburne