Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-08-20

THE ENGINEER INSTANTLY KILLED AND T. H.
GREEN OF NEwFAHE FATALLY HURT FULL
DETAILS or THE CALAMITY.
Not in many years, II ever in its history
has the Brattleboro community received 40
rude a shock as was accustomed by the rail
road disaster on'Wednesdsy afternoon when
the Brattleboro a. Whitehall railroad bridge
across the mouth of the West river went
down under the 4;3O freight train with pas
senger car attached, and the bridge, locomo
tive, aud seven loaded freight cars we're pre-
ciptated in a confused mass to the river bot
tom. distance OF some 40 feet below. Not
a splinter Of the bridge was left between the
abutments Two box freight cars and the
passenger car we're left beyond the farther
abutment and went down with the trestle on
which they stood. H. A. Smith, the en-.
eneer, went down with his machine aud was
killed instantly. Ned Prentice, the fireman,
came up unhurt and swan ashore. Tue sec
ond brakeman Thomas Burns, who was on
one OF the forward freight cars, also came mp
unhurt and swan out. Beside the conductor
and brakeman ! / persons we're in the passen
ger car which was a coordination" or pas
senger aud baggage car. OF these persons
six we're seriously hurt and Ave escaped with
out injuries worth speaking Of. The list Of
casualties the following
H. A. Smith, the engineer, killed Instantly.
j. j. Green, STATION agent NJ NeWIhhe,
crushed in the chest and hurt internally his
death took place at O'Clock in the evening
E. NJ Butler Of Jamaica, agent at Wards
boro station, serious confusion Of back aud
upper part OF hip.
4. b. Ashley, station agent at West Dum-
merston, compound fracture Of left leg.
Mrs. Kendall Hidroth Of Hinsdale, N. II
two ribs broken.
j. b. Worthen, conductor, both bones OF
leg broken Just above the ankle.
Michael OOonnor brakeman, both bones
OF right leg broken below the knee
or the three wounded station agents Green
and Ashley were in the baggage compart.
ment Butler was the front platform OF
the baggage car and was thrown out upon
the ties by the side OF the car. Worthen, the
conductor, WAS on the top Of the freight car
next in front Of the passenger car and was
thrown down upon the platform Of the pas
senger car Mrs. Hildreth was rescued from
under door and broken car seat. The
en- persons who escaped unin jured were Mr..
| Hildreth husband OF Mrs. Hildreih, aud
! their little grandson; Frank Wheeler, young
man Of 10, Of Springfield, Mass, nephew Of
Judge Wheeler Willie Franklin and Abram
| Ware two young men from Townshend;
| Hattie Bushnell, aged 10, daughter Of Ell
ward Bushnell OF Brattleboro +. X. Cooley
OF Wlllismsville, staRe-driver between that
| place and Dover.
Care Of the WOunded-.-DeathO Of Mr.
| Green.
The disaster was witnessed by several per
| sons and a man from Hon. Dormau b. Et
tons place jumped upon a horse and rode at
full speed to the village giving the alarm
| In very few moments doctors and other
| tive helpers we're at hand and the work Of
removing the wounded began. They were
with difficulty carried on hastily improyised
| stretchers up the steep rocky bank and made
as comfortable as possible. Mrs. Hildreth
was carried to the cottage occupied by Mr.
Mixer this side OF the bridge and Was taken
thence to the house of Webster Tenney, a
relative in this village, where she is now do
| ing well. Worthen aud O'Connor were taken
TO their homes and Green, Butler and Ashley
we're brought to the Congregational chapel
| which was rendered for the use Of the sud-r-
ers and where every possible attention was
paid them.
Mr.. Green never rallied, bat slowly sauk
away from the first The doctors think 1t
probable that a blood vessel was ruptured in
ternally. As soon AZ news Of the accident
reached NewfRne Mr.. Davidson started for
Brattleboro bringing Mr.. Green's niece,
Miss Ballou, and they arrived before his
death which took place at o'clock. liz was
conscious until shortly b, fore the end came,
recognized his friends, and appreciated all
that was done for him. He called constantly
for his wife, and the doctors did everything
possible by the Injection of stimulants to
proong his life until she came, but she did
not arrive until about an hour after he hal
breathed his last. Ga Thursday morning bis
body was placed in a casket aud taken home
to Nevfane in the hesrse from that place.
OF the other injured ones Mr.. Buffers con
dition seemed most precarious and serious
spinal and internal injury was feared but he
rallied during the night and able to be-
removed on Thursday to the house of NJ.
Thayer on Clark street, relative.
The Recovery Of she Eagineer's Body.
While others were caring for the wounded
large number of mon set to work to recover
the body of the engineer. The locomotive
was found TO be lying on its side, turned 50
as to head toward Mr.. E atoms with the ten
der nearly at right angles. Mr. Smiths body
could be plainly seen sitting it seemed in
his seat and ropes were passed around il, but
it was found to be confined by one foot or an
kle by timber, or by tue cab pressing
against the iron work. Ropes and pulley
blocks we're brought and the effort to release
the body was continued until after dark, but
without success, aud two men we're left to
watch it during the night. It was finally re-
leased and taken out ust before 10 o'clock
on Thursday aud carried TO Undertaken
Bonds for proper attention before being tax
en- to his home in one of the Thorn houses
on Forest street.
Mr.. Smith was a young man who came
here from 81. Adams last spring and the
cruel breaking up Of his happy little family
seems the saddest part of the disaster. lie
leaves wife and tire children, the young.
est baby of six months. He was a member
OF the Baptist church, and brought warm
recommendations from friends in ST Adams
He possessed unusually cheerful and genial
qualities which had made MIN many friends
here and all along the line of the road
The news of the disaster was carried 10 his
wife by Mrs. Dr. Tucker and Mrs Simonds
The poor woman could not take in the dread
iul news, and described the excellent spirits
in which her husband had gone away in the
morning. and how he had kissed the oldest
child at the gate and gayly waved his hand
back while he remained in sight
Cause of the Disaster.
Up to this writing, Thursday night, moth
ing definite has been revealed as to the cause
OF the accident General Manager Hobart,
Bridge Engineer @ H. Clark, aud Roaduas-
Ter Bean OF 81. Adams, reached BrattlebOro
by the early train Thursday morning. AMI
hoadmaster ShRnks of the New London North
ern road was also on the ground. Mr.. Ho.
bart says the confidence of the management
In the bridge has been complete. They
garded It as the best bridge on the road aud
Mr. Clark, who has been in the employ of
the Central Vermont for PC years, believed il
TO be good for six times the amount Of any
STRAIN that had ever been put upon it. WniIe
the bridge has been under the immediate
charge Of Mr.. Frisbie Of the Bratteboro
whitehall road, Mr.. Clark bad examined it At
Intervals and given it his approval as pro
tessional bridge engineer The only theory
as yet advanced by the officials is the possible
one OF piece of imperfect or "cold shot
IRON, which gave way after repeated strains.
A large gang of men have been at work all
day, taking out of the river the lumber aud
bridge and car wreekage. When all the
parts OF the bridge have been recovered
something conclusive ~ to the cause Of the
sudden hraak NAV ha