The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-04-08
A HOLOCAUST.
Terrible Railway Disaster on
the Fitchburg Road.
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION.
Mothers Arms-Other News
Notes ofInterest
Another Horrible Holocaust


GREENFIELD, Mass, April IA ter
rible disaster occurred on the Fitchburg
Railway to night. midway between
BArdweil's Ferry and West DeerfieId
Station. the east-bound passenger train,
due at Greenfield at COS PM, going
over an embankment 200 feet high. Six
bodies have already been taken out II
the ruins and it Is not known how many
Others were killed. The train was the
eastern express, and consisted of bag
gage car, smoking car. mail car and
TWO ordinary passenger cars. The
train was in charge of Conductor Fors-
ter, with Herbert Littejohn as engineer.
The point where the accident occurred
is the most dangerous on the road
Trains run on the edge of an embank-
The bank IS steep and Is covered
with huge boulders and masses
of rock. When the train arrived
at this point the track commenced
TO settle under it for a distance
covering its entire length. The coaches
broke from their trucks, aud went roll
ing over and over down the precipice
The engine broke from the tender, tear
ing up the track for twenty feet. Below
rolled the Deerfield River, on the very
edge of which the cars we're thrown.
As soon as they struck they caught
fire from the stoves. The sleeping car
was an entire wreck. 1t was occupied
by several passengers 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 special train was
made up and sent to the scene of the
disaster, having on board several ply
sicians, section men and a few
citizens. On arriving at the scene
of the wreck q horrible sight was
witnessed. Darkness had settled over
the spot. Far down on the river bank
could be seen the smoldering embers of
the holocaust. IL was impossible to tell
who was hurt and who was killed
Stout-hearted track-men were lowered
cautiously down the treacherous
height and the work of the rescue be-
gan. Merritt Peeley, Superintendent of
ne National Express Company, OF Bos-
ton was found on the track and
taken to 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 left leg
at the knee, besides which he sustained
internal injuries from which he will die.
ID. Crandall, postal clerk, was plunged
into the river and got ashore
with difficulty He was wounded
about the head and his arm was frac-
tured. The Fitchburg coach was the
only one that escaped the cOnflagara-
II .
field. who was in this car, rescued two
children from the flames. but one was
dead aud the other dying. Their
parents were on board, but cannot be
found. Some of the injured and dead
were taken to Shellburne Falls, and
some of the wounded 20 Greenfield. c.
z. Bell, of Nashua, n. H, was cut
slightly on the head and leg. but not
seriously hurt. He was thrown heac
foremost into the river and went to the
bottom, barely escaping drowning.
Conductor Forster is reported safe and
but slightly injured. ID. G. Willis. OF
Andover, had his shoulder hurt and his
head cut. The car in which he was
riding was broken in two and
stood on the end within q few feet
of the river bank. Nicholas Dor.
gan, of Greenfield, had his left
arm and ankle broken and was
seriously injured internally. A little
girl, who was y passenger on the train,
died in his arms from injuries received.
J. E. Priest, of Littleton. n. H.. had his
face and head cut. Engineer Littlejohn.
of North Adams, was badly scalded-it
is believed fatally. A. X. Warner,
Selectmen, was badly hurt, but his in
juries are not fatal.
Great excitement prevailed all along
the road between here and North
Adams. Being interviewed by wire TO-
night at Shellburne Falls, Conductor
Forster said: Il am unable to state
how many were on the train. Only
three men have thus far been found TO
have escaped injury, and they
set the number of passengers
all the way from twenty-five to
100" No doubt half dozen were
killed outright while falling. and as
many more were fatally injured. The
west-bound express was detained at
Greenfield and West Deerfeld two
hours while the relief train, with sur
geons and their assistants, was sent out
on its time The locomotive is a COM
plete wreck, but remains on the track.
while its tender is down the bank. The
tOHOWlng persons were taken 70 cnel-
burne Falls, more or less wounded:
II. Q. Littlejohn. brother of the en- in
eer, with his wife and child, both OF
whom have since died; A. ID. Cornell,
Allen Lewis, B. b. Stowe, A. c. Harvey,
OF Boston, badly hurt; J. P. Fowler, A.
X. Warner of Greenfield, II. Couillard
OF Charlemont, Z. w. Dunnells OF
Waltham. Miss Daily and May Gowing:
A Miss Cornell is badly hurt. rs IS Mail
Agent Putney; A. NJ. Waterhouse IS
missing. II was reported in Shell
burne Falls that eighteen persons were
killed outright. but this could not be
verified. Fears are entertained that
the morning viii increase the list
OF the deaths and casualties. A portion
OF the mail is reported lost in the river:
At ii O'Clock tonight the men were still
working at the wreck. It is armed
that the injured at Shellburne Falls
number 10.
LATER-Engineer Littlejohn is dyi ng
and Henry q. Couilleard will die before
morning. Three more dead bodies have,
been found at the wreck.