St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-04-08
PLUNGE TO DEATH
a Massachusetts Railroad Train
Falls 200 Feet,
Catching Fire in Its Terrible Trip
To Doom.
Thirteen Persons Known to Have
Lost Their Lives,
And Many Others Believed to Have
Perished.
Nearly Every One of the Passengers
Injured.
A Reminder of the Catastrophe at
AShtabula.
A Reminder of the Catastrophe at
Ashtabula.
A Dreadful Disaster.


disaster occurred on the Fitchburg railroad
tonight midway between Bardwelfs
Ferry and West Deerfeld station. The
east-bound passenger train, due at Green
field at sos p. m, went over an embank-
ment 200 feet high. Six bodies have
already been taken ont of the ruins, ana
it is not known how many others were
killed. The train was the Eastern eX-
press, and consisted of a baggage car,
smoker, sleeping car, mail ear, and two
ordinary passenger cars. The train was
in charge of Conductor Foster, with
Herbert Littlejohn as engineer. The
point where the accident occurred is the
most dangerous on the road. The train
runs on the edge of an embankment 200
feet above Deerfield river. The bank is
steep, and is covered with huge boulderS
and masses of rock. When the train ar
rived at this point the track commenced to
settle under it for distance covering its
entire length. The coaches broke from
their trucks, and went rolling over and
over
DOWN THE PRECIPICE.
The engine broke from the tender, tear
ing up the track for twenty feet. Below
rolled the Deertleld river. on the very edge
of which the cars were thrown. As soon
as they struck they caught fire from the
stoves. The sleeping car was an entire
wreck. 1t was occupied by several passen-
gers, not one of whom at this hour is
known to have escaped injury. One man,
whose name is unknown, is imprisoned in
the wreck of the sleeper, where he is being
burned alive One little girl
was picked up dead. AS soon
as the news reached Greenfield a special
train was made up and sent to the scene of
the disaster having on board several physi-
clans. section men and a few citizens. On
arrival at the scene of the wreck horrible
sight was witnessed. Darkness had settled
over the spot. Far down Oh the river bank
could be seen the smouldering embers of the
holocaust. 1t was impossible to tell who
was hurt and who was killed. Stout-hearted
trackmen were lowered cautiously down
the treacherous height and the work of
rescue began. Merritt Seely, superinlend-
ent of the National Express company of
Boston, was
FOUND IN THE WRECK
and taken into the relief car. He had a
wound four inches long and half an inch
wide over his left temple. His left thigh
was broken and also his lett leg at the knee,
besides which he sustained internal injuries
from which he will die. d. l.. Crandall
postal clerk. was plunged into the river
and got ashore with difficulty. He was
wounded about the head, and his arm was
fractured. The Fitchburg coach was the
only one that escaped the confiagration.
Deputy Sheriff Bryant of Greenfield, who
was in this car, rescued two children from
the flames. but one was dead and the other
dying Their parents were on board. but
cannot be found. Some of the injured and
dead were taken to Shelburn Falls and
some of the wounded to Greenfield. c. P.
Bell of Nashua, n. H., was cut slightly
on the head and leg, but not seriously hurt.
He was thrown head foremost into the
river and went to the bottom, barely escap-
ing drowning. Conductor Foster is re-
ported safe and but slightly injured. D..
c. Wells of Andover had his shoulder hurt
and his head cut. The car in which he was
riding was
BROKEN IN TWO
and stood on end within a few feet of the
river bank, Nicholas Dougan of Green
field had his left arm and ankle broken and
was seriously injured internally. A little
girl who was a passenger on the train died
in his arms from injuries received. J. Z.
Priest of LittletOn, \. H., had his face and
head cut. Engineer LittlejOhn of North
Adams was badly scalded. believed fatally.
A. K. Warner, chairman of the Greenfield
board of selectmen, was badly hurt, but his
injuries are not fatal. Great excitement
prevails all along the road between here
and North Adams. Being interviewed by
wire tonight at Shelburne Falls. Conductor
Foster said: Il am unable to state how
many were on the train. Only three mer
have thus far been found who escaped in
jury and they set the number of passenger:
all the way from % to 100." No doubt
half a dozen were killed outright while
falling and as many more were fatally in-
jured. The west-bOund express was de-
layed at Greenfield and West Deerfeld two
hours, while a relief train with surgeons
and their assistants was sent out on it
time. The locomotive is complete wreck,
but remains on the track, while its tender
is down the bank. The following person:
were taken TO Shelburne Falls,
MORE OR LESS INJURED:
ID. G. LlttleJ0hn, br0tner OF the engineer,
with his wife and child both of whom have
since died; A. d. Cornell, Allen Lewis, E
II. Stowe. A. c. Harvey of Boston. badly
hurt; j. p. Fowler, AR. Warner of Green
field, II. Couilliard, Chartemont, E. w
Dunnells. Waltham. Mass; Darby and May
Gowing. A Miss Cornell is badly hurt, a!
is the mail agent at Putney. A. NJ. Water
house is missing. 1t was reported in Shell
burne Falls that thirteen persons wert
killed outright, but this could not be veri.
fed. Fears are entertained that the morning
will increase the list of deaths and casual
ties. A portion of the mail is reported los
. in the river.At II o'clock tonight men wer
still working at the wreck. 1t is learnet
that the injured at Sherburne Falls numbe
100.
Later-Engineer Littlejohn is dying
Henry G. Cailliard will die before morning
Three more dead bodies have been found a
the wreck. The train at the time of the ac
cident was running at the rate of abou
twenty miles an hour. Frank Lane of Bos
ton, salemsan for a New York firm, jumps
from the train and is believed to be the onl
person who saw the cars go down the EN-
bankment He says there are three passen
gers in the drawing room car.
At midnight it was reported that fou
more dead bodies were removed from th
wreck, and it was believed that others ha
been swept down the river. OF the fou
bodies one was recognized as that of Brake
man Spicer. 1t is impossible to give
complete list of the killed and wounded tC
night