The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-08
The Rails Settle Under the Cars. and the
Coaches Are Rolled Down a Precipice Two
Hundred Feet, to q Rivers Brink.
The Broken Cars Fired by Stoves and
Several Passengers Burned Alive.
Thirteen Persons Reported Killed-Nineteen
of the Wounded Brought %Away-0nly
Three Persons Escape Uninjured.

night. midway between Bardwells ferry and
West Deerfeld station. the east-bound passenger
train due at Greenfield at Cos P. NJ. going over
an embankmont 200 feet high. Six bodies have
already been taken out Of the ruins, and it is not
known how many others were killed. The train
was the Eastern express, and consisted of a bag
gage-car, a smoker. a sleeping-car mail-car and
two ordinary passenger cars. The train was in
charge of Conductor Foster. with Herbert Lit
tlejohn as engineer. The point where the acct
dent occurred is the most dangerous on the road.
The train runs on the edge Of an embankment
200 feet above Deerfeld river. The bank is
steep. and covered with huge powders and
rived at this point the track
commenced to settle under it for
q distance covering its entire length. The
coaches broke from their trucks aud rolled 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 sleeping-car was ON 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 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 aud sent
to the scene of the disaster, having on board
several physicians, section men and a few cit
liens.
On arriving at the scene of the wreck a hor-
rible sight was witnessed. Darkness had set
tied over the spot. Far down on the river bank
could be seen the smoldering embers of the
burned cars. 1t was impossible to tell who was
hurt and who was killed. Stout-hearted track
men were lowered cautiously dow the PREACHER
Gus height, and the work of rescue began. Mer-
rift Seeley, superintendent of the National Ex-
press 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 semple. His left thigh was broken,
and also his left leg at the knee, besides which
he sustained internal injuries from which he
will die. d. L. Crandall, postal clerk, was
lunged into the river, and got ashore with diff
Guilty. He was wounded about the head, and
his arm was fractured. The Fitchburg coach
was the only one that escaped the confa grafton.
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. The dead were taken to
Shelburn Falls. 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 liver and went to the bottom, barely
escaping 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 Dorgan, of
Greenfield, 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. E. Priest, of Littleton, N. H., had his face
and head cut Engineer Littlejohn. of North
Adams. was badly scalded, it is believed fatally.
TT 49,
board of selectmen. was badly hurt, but his in
juries are not fatal.
Great excitement prevails all along the road
between here and North Adams.
Being interviewed by wire from Shelburn
Falls. conductor Foster said: II am unable to
state how many men were on the train. Only
three men have thus far been found who escaped
injury, and they set the Lumber of. passengers
all the way from twenty five to one hundred.
No doubt half a dozen were Killed outright.
while fully as many more were fstally injured.
The locomotive is a complete wreck. but re-
mains on the track, while its tender is down the
bank"
The following persons were taken to Shelburn
Falls more or less injured:
FL. G. LITTLEJoHN. brother of the engineer,
with lis wife and child, both Of whom have
since died.
A D. CORNELL. ALLEN LEWIS, E. B. Stowe,
A. c. HARVEY, of Boston, badly hurt.
j. p. FOWLER, A. r. WARNER. of Greenfield.
il, C~ogILLARD, e, w. DuNSELL, of Waltham.
A Miss CORNELIUS, badly hurt.
1t Is reported in Shelburn Falls that thirteen
were killed outright, but this was not verified.
Fears are entertained that the morning will in
crease the list of deaths and casualties. A por-
ton of the mail 10 reported lost in the river. At
IL o'clock 10 night men were still working at the