Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-04-16
Last Weeks Railroad DIsaster---What
Caused At.

"Wbst do you understand was the direct
cause of the accidentI' was asked Of State
Railroad Commissioner kinsley after he had
carefully looked over the scene Of the wreck
THAT is something which cannot be stated
absolutely" he answered. The theory ad
vanced by Manager Locke seems to me to
have considerable circumstantal evidence
back of it. | examined the track and all the
surroundings this afternoon, and am inclin-
cd to give 1t great credence As you proba
bly, know, a track walker passed over the
fatal spot in the embankment at 4:4I T. NJ
Wednesday He found nothing wrong but
ditch stopped up little. This be remedied
At 1903 a freight train had passed, and at
5:45 along came the hapless train 35. On
the engine were Engineer Littlejohn, the fire.
man and coal inspector. Tney saw the
outer rail bend and give, and in a moment
we're falling. Nov Manager Locke on COM
ing to the scene from North Adams, and, run.
ming his eye over the 200 feet or so where
the train left the track, noticed at once that
a large bowlder, weighing several tons, which
bad long been known to all employees of the
road as a land mark, lay some six feet from
the outer rail 1t had formerly laid close to
the track, and now bore no marks of being
struck by the train. The conclusion imme-
diately formed by Mr.. Locke was that the
, water constantly percolating the embankment
from above had slowly, during the 90 years
since it was built for the state by Engineer
Haupt, honey -combed the road bed This
bed was originally huge masses of shale rock,
into whose interstices dirt had been thrown.
The gradual withdrawal of the earth finally
reached such point that a cave-in suddenly
came This in, Mr.. Locke thinks, came
between 4;45 and 5:45, when the rock slid
away from the track. The track walker will
NaGfifu that II elnaa IN fha rail at ba fnr
mer time. Then all that was needed was the
weight of the express to depress the bank
and cause the fatality. Manager Locke is
supported in this by Engineer Potter. In
deed this afternoon l seemed to see the re-
suit of the cave.in aud depression in bulge
| of the embankment toward the Deerfield riv-
or. Everything was all right within l2 hours
after the accident. The Fitchburg road peo-
pie have done everything within the limit Of
their power and in fact all that human in
genuity could prompt to set things straight.
Superintendent Adams himself went at once
to the scene and worked with energy and to
effect"
In justice to the road which suffers so much
from such a calamity, it is said that this is
the first serious accident to the passenger
traffic in its history. Not passengers life
had been lost prior to Wednesday night.
One man who attempted to jump from a car
while in motion, some years ago. was killed,
as we'll az several employees The people all
along the line did everything in their power
to relieve the suffering and several improvis
ed hospitals in their houses. A number are
prostrated from their exertions on that night
and the next morning. Track Walker Bates
is laid up with a sprained foot, bowldel
having rolled on him while he was helping
| up the distressed. Deputy Sheriff Bryant
F. S. Hager and Henry O, Oouillard by theil
prompt efforts saved several lives. Not badly
hurt themselves, they managed to crawl ou
OF the debris and helped out the others, Mr.
Bryant carrying up one Of the little children
killed and helping the bruised and distracted
mother TO the top. Couillard, who was OF
his way to jail, but is now at Oharlemon
quite sick, has the public sympathy anC
would be promptly forgiven his legal sinl
for the good he did at the wreck II the peo
pie could have the pardoning power. Steps
will probably be taken in that direction at al
early day.