Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-01-11

! a. SOON a. tfiS acrilSEL OCCuIIeu Df- = ut
ney arrived and was soon followed by other
of the profession. In the station house th'
scene was a terrible one. Men were laid OIL
the floor where hay had been spread. In th'
ladies room were i've or six ladies' and they
were suffering terribly. Many of the injure,
were taken away in hacks by friends. and i
is impossible at the present time TO learn th'
names of all the injured. As far as can nov
be learned the injured are as follows:
| Mckeon, Louisville, newsboy, head Gu
and injured internally.
Rebecca Mckee, New Brunswick, les
| broken and head cut.
| Bertie Allen, Exeter, head cut.
VIM. F. kimball, leg broken in two pla
ces.
Frank Williams, No. a So. Market ST.
/ Boston, head cut and injured internally.
( G. c. Wentworth, head cut.
| Dennis Shannon, laborer, both legs brok-
en- and all cut up about the head
Geo. II. Odell, head cut.
Calvin Mckenna. Auburn, head cut and
injured about the body.
One of the saddest sights was the death OF
Mrs. c. Z, Goodwin and little, child of Ken
nebunk, who was riding in the second passen-
ger car with her little child in her arms, both
being instantly killed, as was her husband
Mr.. Frank Litrlefield of Portland Me, who
was in the smoker, in an interview with an
associated press reporter, relates his exper-
ience as follows | was riding in the forward
end of the smoking car in conversation with
auother gentleman and as we were about en-
tering the abutment of the bridge over the
Merrimac river, | was suddenly thrown over
two seats and rendered partly unconscious,
and knew nothing more for several min
utes, but upon gaining consciousness crawled
out of the window. Mr. Littletield escaped
with several bruises and was injured about
the body. His clothing was torn to shreds.
Later and More Authentic Account OF
the Catastrophe.
HAyERHILL, Jan. 10.
The Portland express which left Boston at
p. NJ, in charge of Conductor Weymouth,
met with serious accident at l.59 Z. NJ. at
Haverhll bridge over the Merrimac, by
which 9 persons were killed and 22 injured.
The train consisted of the engine Morris"
and eight cars. The engineer was Thomas
French. The train does not stop at Brad
ford and was running at great speed. The
Georgetown branch train was standing on the
sde track near the water tank house waiting
for the express to pass.
The engine tender was just passing on TO
the abutment of the bridge, when owing, as
it supposed to the spreading of the rails, the
forward trucks of the smoker left the track.
Two passenger cars following the smoker
were thrown from the track and completely
wrecked, crushing into and demolshing the
water tank house. In this house the section
hands were eating dinner.
j. O'Brien Il retired merchant of Bradford
who was talking with the section hands was
killed, with VIM. Taylor, one of the hands.
The first car that crashed into the water tank
house, knocked the foundation out and let
the heavy tank down upon the ear crushing
through the top and doing fearful work
within. The next car telescoped into this
car, adding to the fearful havoc of those
already killed.
The wounded were mostly in these two
cars. The cars behind these . ran down the
side track toward the Georgetown train bare
~ escaping collision with the engine of that
train. The people in the smoker had fear
full experience. One of the wheels on the
front truck broke and the car bumped
against the end of the bridge causing it to
career, this released it and the car ran on
the bridge some distance off the track and
finally carecred the other way and leaned
against the iron work on the side of the
bridge.
About thirty passengers inside found them
selves at the top of the car, while 1t seemed
to those who had presence of mind, that the
car was tumbling OF the bridge into the river
below. The passengers managed to crawl
out none being very seriously injured. As
soon as they got out such as were able,
rushed back and helped those imprisoned in
the wrecked ears.
~, ,;.
were summoned by telephone and were
quickly at hand, and the wounded were
cared for as soon as released. An alarm
was sounded at the depot and the fire de
partment responded, but their services were
not needed as the cars did not take fire.
Work of clearing the wreck Immediately
commenced At $50 O'Clock, . bodies
were ;aken from the ruins, several disfgured
beyond recognition.
John Madden, for a number of years a
section boss, was eating dinner in the tank
house with others, at the time of the acci-
dent His leg was broken and he will pr b.
ably die. Dennis Shannahan, who was with
Madden, is probably fatally hurt.
Hugh A Lettengren of Brockton, who was
in the smoker, escaped with broken leg.
He was unconscious when removed from the
wreck.
A little boy named BERTHE Allen, enroute
for Exeter, received a terrible scalp wound,
but will probably recover. l.. V. Pau!ding
of this city, who was in the parlor car, es-
capped injury.
Mayor Chapman of Portland, was on the
train and escaped uninjured. Attorney Gen
eral o. d. Baker of Augusta. Me, who was
also on board, escaped uninjured though bad
ly shaken up.
An unknown man with card in his pocket
bearing the name of J. Haynes & Son, was
killed. Mayor Wiggin of Maiden, who was
on the train, escaped unhurt.
In the station house the scene was terri
BILE one Men lay on the floor, upon which
hay had been spread. In the ladies room
were five or six women and their sutferings
were terrible.
One of the saddest sights was the death of
Mrs. c. Z. Goodwin of Kennebunk, Me,
who was riding in the second passenger car
with her little child in her arms. Both were
instantly killed as was also the husband.
The list of the killed is at follows; Clar-
ence lIazelwood, residence unknown; John
O'Brien, Bradford; c. +. Goodwin, wife and
child, kennebunk, Me; VIM. Taylor sec
ton hand A. l.. Walker, Harrison, Me.
Chas ThurIow, Newton Junction, n. II. :;
.Josephus Shaw. Boston.
Following is list of the wounded, some
of whom are at private houses, some at the
hospital, and others at the Eagle hotel. The
wounded at the city hospital: George B.
Wentworth of Dover, \. H., scalp wounds,
shoulder blade broken; very comfortable ;
Rebecca Mckay of Somerville, \. B., has a
daughter residing in Lowell, compound frac-
ture of the leg; Fred Mckeon, Waverly
street, Somerville, newsboy, scald wound
severe head consusions; Miles Bolin of
Brockton, head and arm injured; Hugo S.
L of Brockton, injured in back and
leg. The last two men were enroute for
Pennington, Me, to work in the shoe fac
tory. W. +. kimhall of kimball Bros. of
Sudbury. fracture of the leg; John Maiden
of Bradford, compound fracture of the right
leg; Mr.. Hart of Portland Me, bruised arm
and bad scalp wounds; Dennis Shannon of
Bradford, feet and leg badly crushed and
scalp wounds, probably fatally injured; un-
known woman, apparently % years old, with
bai MI min ai ..I injured on