Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-04-10
by fire, by drowning and BY frightful mutt.


river seems nothing short of a miricle. Yet
there are two or three who went almost un-
scathed through an experience that for the
moment each one believed marked the crisis
of his terrestrial career. So complete has
been the obliteration of train and contents
that no one can yet accurately measure the
extent OF the disaster in its effect upon human
life. The record as thus far made up is ten
dead and twenty-eight injured. No wilder
spot III this wild corner of the State tould be
picked ont where railroad accident weuld
be more disastrous. The road creeps along
narrow ledge, artifcislly widened with
earth to make it broad enough for two tracks.
Above towers steep Hill several hundred
feet high. Below the restless Deertield
swings around the base of the hill two hun.
dred feet distant, but at the foot of decliv.
ity so steep that it is easy to shy stone into
the boiling water. The slope is composed OF
great rocks, sharp and jagged, radely tossed
down apparently from above and burying
from sight the natural soil. il any exists Ii
Is impossible to descend of scale the rough
steep with safety without the aid of life
line carefully fastened above.
When the doomed tram approached this
ugly spot last evening the track appeared to
be IN sound condition, as usual There were
two or three feet Of apparently solid earth
outside the outer rail. A heavy freight train
had passed safely over less than two hours
before, and one or two section men had been
working there duriag the afternoon. Engi-
neer Littlejohn had a train of six cars, and,
having just pulled up the grade from Bard
wells, the speed did not exceed Is miles an
hour. AT a spot perhaps within ward of the
worst that could have been polluted out, En-
pineer Littlejohn suddenly felt the track
sinking from beneath his engine. He knew
what II meant and in an instant he had thro Sn
back his reverse lever and turned the air
brake cock. 1t was OF no use. The soft
water-soaked earth beneath the outer rail
yielded like sand 10 the pressure OF boot
heel. The rail slumped two feet below the
level of the parallel iron, and the train began
TO tip toward the river. The locomotive
crossed the weak spot, but the tender felt the
treacherous influence, and in an instan
twisted of from its connection, tipping the
main body OF the engine over the edge of the
bank, where it perched upon its side. Every
car in the train, in its order, went in the di-
rection taken by the tender. With a single
exception the six cars whirled over ana over
like Immense rectangular spools grinding
themselves to bits On the cruel rocks in a
race to reach the river below. Nobody could
count the revolutions as they whirled with
the accelerated speed of gravitation into the
rushing stream. The fifty people thus shaker
in great dice boxes hardly realized what was
happening. There was not an instant
warning. No one had chance to make more
than the most instructive movement for self
preservation. Some could not even grasp the
seats in which they sat before they were
whizzlng heels-over head. Five of the cars
plunged into the river, which is twelve feet
deep near the shore. Three or four per-
sons received their death wounds during the
whirllng fall; as many more were plunged
beneath the water and knew no more. With.
in a few moments fire burst out at several
places in the mass OF broken wood and metal,
and the most terrible death of all was added
for others. Under such a terrible combina
tiOn OF circumstances the experiences of the
half hundred victims were as various as
their individual numbers. No two suffered
alike. Some suffered in greater or less de-
gree from all three dangers and lived, others
persisted when apparently more favorablv SIT
uated. The danger by fire was the only one
that could be fought, but ii was a crippled
and fainting little band of those less unior-
tunate that rallied TO the aid of those in
greater peril. A few were rescued, all in
fact who were exposed to fresh danger, be-
lore tnc names DESTROYED all tnAt was cum
bustible in half the wreck
Nne-tenths of those on board the train
were killed or hurt. There faced the survi
vOrs the appalling necessity of scaling the
sharp and slippery rocks to the roadbed above
1t was as painful pilgrimage as group OF
sufferers ever undertook The desperatel,
hurt were lifted from rock TO rock BY THEN
stronger companions, and finally all reached
the spot rom which the plunge was taken.
The accident happened Just before dusk, al
about six o'clock. Within au hour the first
help from outside. summoned by Brakeman
Sturtevant, arrived, and adequate assistanc,
was given the sufferers. Wrecking train,
from North Adams on one side and Fitchburl
on the other arrived with large gangs of mer
in due time. Surgeons came to minister tC
the injured and unnecessary suffering wa
soon alleviated. Three or four bodies of tn,
dead were taken from the wreck during tn,
night, but all marvelled at the worse conse
quences that had been escaped. With torche
and bonfires the strange scene soon becam,
weird and uncanny. 1t began to snow fas
and a white veil was soon spread over every
thing. The most noticeable feature was tn,
body of one passenger car from the centre o
the train, which was all that remained intact
and which lay perched on end at a sharl
angie near the edge OF the water. But II wa
at davbreak that the sight became strangest o
all. Everything, twigs, telegraph wires, re
mains OF the wreck and all else, were hung al
| inch thick with breath-weight snow. Tht
sun burst out clear for a few moments owe
the nearest mountain. There was nothing T.
suggest disaster and suffering in the magnifi
cent, dazzling river gorge save the presenc
of 800 or 400 men toiliDg above and belo,
the steep ascent The return of dayigh,
| however, only redoubled the efforts of tn
workmen, and they made more rapid pro
! gress. Three or four more bodies were take
! from the debris before noon. Thirty or fort
bags of mail matter we're taken from tn
river, and few articles of baggage were re
covered. A considerable quantity of proper
/ ty was recovered from the river some mile
below at Deerfeld. Meantime, half tn
wounded and survivors had been taken t
/ Greenfield and half to ShelburDe Falls. |
was not until after several hours rest tina
any involved in the calamity we're able to re
| hearse, even in their own minds, their thrill
| ing experiences. In the course of the da'
some Of the detailed facts regarding to tn
| disaster began to appear.