The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-04-08
FRIGHTFUL PLUNGE
OVER A sTEHr EMDANKMENT
Over Two Hundred Feet High-A Horribly
Fatal Railroad Accident in hAISAshu.
Sstts-.TWO Cars Take EiFs-Numbsr
OtPsrons Killed and Wounded.

GRRENPRLD, MASS, April IA terrible
disaster occurred on the FitChburg rail
road tonight midway between Barkwel
ferry and West Deer6eld Station, the east
bound passenger train due at Greenfield
at 8;O5 r. NJ, going over on enbSnkmeni
200 feet high, Six bodies have already
been taken out OF the ruins. and it Il
not known how many others were
killed. The train was the Eastern Ex'
press and consisted of baggage car, q
smoker, sleeping car, mail car and two
ordinary passenger cars. The train was
in chargeof conductor Foster with Her
bert Littlelohn " engineer. The point
where the accident occurred Is the most
dangerous on the road. The train runs
on the edge OF an embankment two hun
dEed feet above DeerReld river.
DOWN TWO HUNDRED FEET.
The bank ia steep and is covered with
huge bouldsrs and masses OF rock. When
the train arrived at this point the track
commenced to settle under 1t for dis.
lance covering its entire length. The
coaches broke from their trucks and went
rolling over and over down the preCipiCe,
The engine broke from the tender, tear
ing up the track for 200 feet, Below roll
ed the Deer6eld 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 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 not known
Is imprisoned in the wreck OF
the sleeper, where he Is being
burned alive. 0ne little girl was picked
up dead. AS soon as the news reached
Greenfield y special train was made up
and sent 10 the scene Of the disaster, hav-
ing on board several physicians, section
men and q few citizens. On arriving at
the scene Of the wreck a horrible sight
was witnessed. Darkness had settled
over the spot. Far down on the river
bank could be seen the smouldering Elm.
bers OF the holocaust. 1t was impossible
to tell who was killed. Stout hearted
trackmen were lowered cautiously down
the treacherous height and the work OF
rescue began.
RRsCUING THE VICTIMS.
Merritt seely Superintendent OF the Ma.
tlonal Express Company of Boston was
found in the wreck aud taken into the re-
lief car. He had q wound four inches
long aud halt an inch wide over his left
temple. His left hip 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 plunged
into the river and got ashore with dill.
Guilty. He was wounded about the head
and his arm was fractured. The Fitch
burg coach was the only one that
escaped from the conaagration. Depu.
ty Sheriff Bryant, OF Greenfield,
who was in this car rescued two children
from the flames, but one was dead and
the other was dying. Theirparents were on
board but cannot be found. Some
OF the injured and dead were taken
10 shelbufn Falls and some Of the
wounded to Greenfield.
O. p. Bell, OF Nashua, N. H., was cut
slightly on head and leg but not seriously
hurt. He was thrown head foremost into
the river and went to the bottom, barely
escaping drowning. Conductor Foster Is
reported safe and but slightly injured. d.
o. Wells, Of Andover, had his shoulder
hurt and his head cut.
The car In which he was broke In two
and stood on end within q few feet OF the
river bank. Nicholas Dorgan, OF Green
field, had his left arm and ankle broken
and was seriously injured internally.
DIED IN MS ARMS.
A little girl was a passenger on the
train died in lis arms from injuries re.
ceived. j. L. Priest, OF Littleton, N. H.,
had his face and head cut.
Engineer Littlejohn OF North Adams
was badly Bcalded, II 10 believed
fatally. A. K. Warner, Chairman Of the
Greenfield Board Of SeleCtmen, was badly
hurt, but bis injuries are not fatal. Great
excitement prevails all along the road be.
tween here and North Adams.
Being interviewed tonight at shelburne
Falls, Conductor Foster said; II am un-
able to state how many were on the train.
Only three men have thus far been found
who escaped injury, and they set the
number Of passengers all the way from %
to 1907
No doubt halta dozen were killed out
right while falling and as many more
were fatally injured. The West bound
Express was delayed at Greenfield two
hours while relief train with surgeona
and their assistants was sent out on Its
time. The locomotive is q complete
wreck, but remains on the track while ita
tender Is down the bank.
INJURED AND KILLED.
The following persons were taken to
shelburne Falls more or less injured:
II. G. LlrrLEjonN, brother Of the engineer,
with his wife and child, both Of whom
have since died.
A. D. CoRNwRLL, L. B. STowr and A. O.
HARVEY, OF Boston, badly hurt.
]. P. FotNLER, A. X. WARNER, Of Green.
Field.
H. CoNlLtAED OnAELENoNr, F. W. Dun.
MEL, Of Waltham.
Miss Darby, and MAY Gowixo and q
Miss CoRNRLls, badly hurt aS 10 mail
agent PUTNEY.
A. M. Waterhouse 10 missing.
II was reported In Shelburne Falls
that thirteen persons were killed outright,
bat this could not be verified, Fears are
entertained that the morning will increase
the list Of deaths and casualties.
A portion Of the mail is reported lOst In
the river. At II o'clock tonight men
were still working at the wreck. II is
learned that the injured at Shelburne
Falls number 10.
THREE MORE BODIES FOUND.
Later information states that Engineer
Littlejohn is dying. Henry .. Conillaid
viii ile before morning. Three more
dead bodies have been found at the wreck.
me train, at the time Of the accident,
vas running at the rate Of about twenty
miles an hour. Frank Lane, Of Boston.
salesman for q New York firm,
jumped from the train and is
knIjavsd n hA the ohlv berHOfi