Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-01-11
A Disastrous Railroad Wreck at Hayer.
hiIl-steam Heaters Prevent Fire.

Nine persons were killed and upward OF 1fty in
jured by an accident to the Portland express on
the Boston and Maine Railroad at Haverhill, Mass,
yesterday afternoon. The train which consisted Of
seven cars, was crossing the bridge over the Mer-
rmac. between Bradford and HaverhiI, at a high
rate OF speed, when the cars left the rails and
crashed into the water-tank house at the end Of
the bridge. In this house a number OF section
hands were eating dinner. Mr.. John OBrien, a
retired merchant OF Bradford, was talking with
the section hands and was killed, together with
VIM. Taylor, one OF the laborers. John Madden
another railroad hand. was with them He was
injured and viii probably die. The car that
crashed into the tank-houSe knocked the founda-
ton out letting the heavy tank down upon the
car, crushing through the top OF the car and doing
fearful work within. The next car behind tele-
scoped the car anead or IL, adding 10 the havoc.
The killed and wounded were mostly in those
two cars.
The people In the smoker had q fearful expe-
rience. one OF the wheels on the front truck
broke, and the car bumped against the end OF the
bridge, causing 1t to careen, and the ran upon
then csreened the other way and leaned against
tue ironwOrk OF the side OF the bridge. The pas
Sengers, OF whom there were about lorty, found
themselves at the top OF the car, while it seemed
20 those who had SUFFICIENT presence Of mind to
think, tbat the car was rumoling OF the bridge to
the river below. The passengers managed 10 crawl
out, none being very seriously injured AS soon as
they reached terra flrma, such were able rushed
back and helped those who were IMPRISONED in the
wrecked cars The entire force OF physicians In
the city was summoned by telephone, and was
quickly at hand, and the wounded were cared for
as soon as released.
The list killed fOots up nine, as follows: CIar-
ence Lakewood, residence unknown: JnO O'Br1en,
OF Bradford; c. p. Goodwin, wife and child, OF
kennebunk, Me-; VIM. Taylor, section hand; A.
H. Walker, OF Harrison, Me-; ChaS. ThurlOw, OF
Newton junction, N H., and JOsephus Shaw, OF
Boston. The Goodwin family were all killed To-
gether, the child in It's mothers arms. They we're
In the second coach.
Three or four of the injured are likely to die,
while several Others have fearful wounds. The
ACCIDENT Is supposed TO have been OccaSiOned by q
sWitch-rOd breaking after the engine and three
forward cars had passed over the switch. The
switch aud It's connections were so badly broken
That IL 10 impossible at present 10 ascertain the
exact truth, though some think the spreading OF
the rails at this point caused the accident
Inc train was rum ng, according 10 the engi-
neer'S story at about Is miles hour, and after
the smoking car had broken apart from the rear
portion OF the train and bounded forward on the
bridge the air-brake on the car was automatically
applied, and the car was thrown on its side. 1t Is
probable that but for this break the car would
nave fallen into the ice-bOund Nerrimac River, 100
leet below. The hard pine StringerS OF the bridge
were badly splinteret. but the bridge which is Of
IRON, withstOOd the severe strain and was In no
way injured. The passengers In the smoking car
escaped without severe injuries, although nearly
all OF them were badly shaken up, and number
bad their clothing torn from their bodies. All the
cars were equipped with the Baker steam heater,
and no portion OF the ears caught fire.