Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-11-08
TRAIN wRECKERs.
Ano'ner Villainous Attempt at Derailiue
in Farmingdale.
iasy Nights Train Strikes Ob.tr,..,.
on the Track.


me track of the Maine Central ra;,ro.d
TOT TWO miles above Gardiner has becoma ~
.orious Tor attempts to derail pa.s;na ,r.;,.
ny placing distractions, usually sieena,.
upon the rails That no disaster ha. eve,
Incurred Is wonder and the railroad com.
pahy has been able to avert accidents on,v h,
exercising the utmost vigilance No, oh,
mas the track been patroled but sbrewd ao.oo.
''e' nave oeen at work on the case. The place
~here the murderous attempts have been made
is not over half mile in length between the
hnlckerbocker ice houses and the louer s,d
vi tne Farmlngdale siding, and the operations
VI the would-be wreckers have extended over
period OF several years.
FRIDAY evening last the villains. for ,
seventh time, obstructed the track. the train
which reaches here at o'clock in the even
Ing being the object against which their cold.
FLOODED work was directed. The train con.
sisted OF five cars, one baggage, one mail, a
Pullman, and two passenger cars. The train
was ten minutes late and was running faster
IMAM usual to make up time, Will Sampson
or this city, the engineer, being at his post
A point had been reached a short distance
ABOVE the north Knickerbocker ice houses
and quarter of mile below the siding when
one side of the locomotive bounced into the
air several iaches, as though the wheels had
oeen raised to higher level. The engiHeer
al once tried the air brakes and, finding it did
not operate, reversed his engine; but before
ne could come to full stop another obstruc-
ton was struck about two car lengths from
the hrst. Although rocked and thrown about
'he train did not leave the rails, but ran ahea d
about cars length and stopped The en-
glneer was unable to see the obstructions be-
fore he was upon it, owing to dense fog
An investigation at once followed and the
hrst obstacle was found to be spruce plank,
twelve feet in length and five inches in thick
ness, which had been placed inside close to
ono rail, so that the wheels ran over and
along the wood. This, of course, was re-
moved. The second impedment was two
sleepers laid across the track These were
tossed of by the pilot The engine was not
injured farther than little paint and varnish
rubbed off. The disabling of the air brake
was caused by the swapping of an iron brake
rod by the jolt when the first obstruction was
reached. At the point where the foul deed
was done there Is steep embankment, fall.
ing off on both sides of the track, and had the
train left the rails the result must have been
very serious.
An order has been issued to train men to
run slow at Farmingdale and as the attempts
to wreck are far between no immediate dan.
ger is apprehended. The company will exert
every effort to discover the guilty wretch and
employ an efficient force to protect the track
If caught the culprit should suffer the ex-
IRENE punishment Of the law, for he not only
endangers the property of the railroad but the
lives of the people. 1t is believed he fancie:
that the railroad company has wronged him
and is endeavoring to get satisfaction by de-
railing their trains.
1t is related that one night recently psto
bullet came crashing through window of the
accommodation train going down, when pass
/, ing through Farmingdale, and it is though
by some that the pistol was fred by the train
Wrecker.