The Delta independent., 1888-01-17
DEATH ON THE RAIL.
A Passenger Train in Massachusetts
Goes or the Track, Causing
Grant Loss of Life.

A Passenger Train in Massachusetts
Goes on the Track, Causing
Great Loss of Life.
HAvRRHILL, Mass, Jan 10,-A fright
full accident befell the Portland express
train which left Boston at O'Clock this af-
ternoon. The scene of the disaster was
near the Haverhill bridge, which spans the
Merrimac river between Bradford and Ha-
verhill. The train consisted of eight cars,
Engineer T. Thomas Finch, and in charge
of Conductor Weymouth. This train does
not stop at Bradford and was going at
great speed. The Georgetown branch train
was standing on the track near the water
tank house at the Bradford end of the
bridge, waiting for the express to pas
over to Haverhill.
As the express rounded the curve two cars
left the rails and went crashing into the wa
ter-tank house, demolishing it. In this
house number of section hands were eat
ing dinner, John O'Brien, retired mer-
chant of Bradford, was talking to the Sec
ton hands and was killed, together with
William Taylor, one of the laborers. The
car that crashed into the tank-house
hoavy tank down upon the car, crushing
through the top of the car and doing fear
full work within. The next car behind tel
escoped the one ahead of it adding to the
havoc.
The killed and wounded were mostly in
those two cars. The cars behind these two
ran down alongside the Georgetown tram,
barely escaping collision with the engine
of that train. The people In the smoker had
fearful experience. One Of the wheels on
the forward truck broke and the car bumped
against the end of the bridge, causing it to
eareen. 1t ran upon the bridge for some
distance over the sleepers, then careened the
other way and leaned against the iron work
Of the side of the bridge.
The passengers, of whom there were
about thirty in the car, found themselves at
the top rof the car. while 1t seemed to
some of them that the car was tumbling off
the bridge to the river below. The pas
sengers managed to crawl out, none of
them being very seriously injured. AS soon
as they reached the ground, such as were
able rushed back to help those who were
Imprisoned in the wrecked car,
+ The entire force of physicians In the city
were summoned by telephone. They were
quickly on hand and the wounded were
cared for as soon as released. The list of
killed are as follows: Clarence Hazelwood,
residence unknown. John O'Brien of
Bradford. G. P. Goodwin, wife and child
of Kenebunk, Maine. William Taylor, sec
tion hand. A. l.. Walker of Harrison.
Maine. Charles Thurlow of Newton juno
tion, New Hampshire. Josephus Shaw of
Boston.
The accident is supposed to have been
caused by a switch-rod breaking after the
engine and three forward cars had passed
over the switch. The switch and its connec
tions were so badly broken that it is impos-
sible at present to ascertain the exact truth.
The train was one of the finest equipped on
the road and consisted of one of the COM
pany's largest locomotives and several cars,
arranged in the following order: Milk car,
baggage car, smoker and four new monitor
top passenger-cars with Westinghouse air
rake.
The train was running, according to the
nglneer's story, at about eighteen miles an
hour, and after the smoking car had broken
part from the rear portion of the train and
bounded forward on the bridge the air
brake on the car was applied and the car
was thrown on Its side. 1t is probable that
but for this break the car would have fallen
into the ice-bound Merrimac river, 100 feet
below. The hard pine stringers of the
bridge were badly splintered, but the bridge,
which is Of iron, ,withstOod the severe strain