The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-04-21
MANY LIVES LOST.
A Frightful Railroad Disaster
Near Deerfield, Mass.
A Train Plunging Down an En-
bankment 200 Feet High.

A Greenfield (Mass.) dispatch Of the 7th
gives the following particulars Of the fright
full railroad disaster which occurred that
night, midway between Bardwell's ferry and
West Deer6eld station, the east bound passen
ger train from North Adams, due at Green
feld at Cos P. II. going over an embankment
200 feet in height:
The train was the Eastern express, and con-
sisted of a baggage car a smoker, sleeping
ears. The train was in charge Of Con-
1uctor Foster, with Herbert Littlejohn as
engineer. The point where the accident (oc-
cured is the most dan yerous on the road.
The track 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 shale rock with which the road-bed
had been filed When the train arrived at
this point the track began to settle under
it for distance covering its entire length.
The coaches broke from their trucks and went
-olling over and over down the precipice.
The engine broke from the tender, tearing up
the track for twenty feet. Below rolled the
Deerfeld river, on the very edge OF which
the cars were thrown. As soon as they struck
they caught fire from the stoves The shrieks
Of the wounded and dying filed the air, and
Tor time the scene was terrible. The sleep
ing car, occupied by several passengers, was
IN entire wreck. 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 sever
81 physicians and section men and a few
citizens. On arriving at the scene
of the wreck a horrible sight was
witnessed. The darkness Of night
had settled over the spot. Far down on the
river bank could be seen the smouldering
embers of the train. 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, superintendent Of the Ma
tional Express company, of Boston, was
found in the wreck and taken to the relief
car. He had wound four inches long and
half an inch wide over bis left temple. His
left thigh was broken, and also his left leg at
the knee, beside which ne sustained fatal
internal injuries.
The Fitchburg coach was the only one that
escaped the conhagration. Deputy Sheriff
Bryant, Of Greenfield, who was in this car,
rescued the bodies Of two children from the
flames, but one was dead and the other dy
ing. D. CWells, Of Andover, had his shoul
der hurt and his head cut. The car in which
he was riding was broken in two, and stood
on end within few feet Of the river bank.
Nicholas Dorgan, Of Greenfield, had his left
arm and ankle broken, and was seriously in
jured internally. A little girl who was
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
Herbert Littlejohn, of North Adams, was
badly scalded, it was believed, fatally. A.
K. Warner, chairman Of the Greenfield board
of selectmen, was badly hurt.
At midnight four more bodies were taken
from the wreck, including that Of Brakeman
Spencer This made six. persons found dead
up to that time; several were fatally injured,
and many others more or less seriously hurt.