The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-01-11
A FRIGHTFUL DISASTER
ON A MASSACHUSETTS RAILROAD,
Several Passengers Killed and Injured in
a Peculiar Accidental Traln CrhshsS
into = Water Station, killing
and MAimIug the Occupants.

HAvRRHILI, MAps., Jan. 10.-A fright
ful accident bsfsl the Portland expresl
train which left Boston at l O'Clock this
afternoon, the scene Of the disaster bsipg
near the HaverhiIl bridge, which spans
the Merrimsc river between Bradford and
Hayerhill. The train contested Of eight
cars, Engineer Thomas French, and in
charge of Conductor Weymouth. This
train dosa not stop at Bradford, and was
going at great speed. The Georgetown
branch train WAS standing on the track
near the water..ank house at the Bradford
end ofthe bridge, waiting for the express
to pass over to Hsverhill.
As the express rounded the curve two
cara left the rails and went crashing into
the water tank house, dsmolishing it. In
this house q number Of secLlon hands
were eating dinner. John 0'Brien, q re-
tired merchant OF Bradford, was talking
TO the section hands aud was killed, to-
Sether with William Taylor, one OF the
laborers. The car that crashed into the
tank house knocked the foundation out,
letting the heavy tank down upon the
car, crushing through the top OF the cor
and doing fearful work within. Tho next
car behind telescoped the one ahead Of 1t,
adding to the havoc.
The killed and wounded were mostly In
these two cars. The cars behind these
two ran down slongside the Georgetown
train, bsrely escaping Q collision with the
engine OF that train. Tho people in the
smoker had fearful experience. One OF
the wheels on the forward truck broke
and the car bumped against the edge Of
the bridge, cauaing 1t to caresn. II ran
upon the bridge for some distance over
the Hlsepers, then csreened the other way
and leaned ngainss the iron work Of the
side OF the bridge. The passengers, Of
whom there were about thirty in the car,
found themselves OF the top OF the car,
while 1t seemed to some OF them that the
car was tumbling of the bridge to the
river below. The passengers managed TO
crawl out, none Of them being very seri-
ously injured. As soon as they reached
the ground, such as were able rushed
back to help those who were imprisoned
in the wrecked cars. The entire force oi
physicians In the city were summoned by
telephone and were quickly at hand, and
the wounded were cared for as soon as
released. The list OF killed is as follows:
CLARENCE HAZLEwooD, residence IN.
known.
JOHN O'BRIEN, OF Bradford.
o. P. GOODWIN, wife and child, Of Kenne-
bsc, Maine.
WILLIAM TAYLOR, section hand.
| 81 uaV,f1An Mas,.n
CHARLES rHURLoW, OF Newton Junction,
New Hampshire.
JOSEPH SHAW, Of Boston.
The following wounded are at the city
hospital:
GEO. B. WENTWORTH, Of Dover, N. II.
RKBEccA MCKAY, OF somerville, N. B.
FRRD MCKEoH, Somerville, newsboy.
W. F. KINBAIL, OF Kimball Bros, Boston.
JOHN MADDEN, Of Bradford.
An unknown woman, apparently about
So yearo old, with dark hair ond wearing a
breastpin marked a." injured ou the
head, and internally, probably fatally.
A large number OF those slightly wound
cd continued on their destinations and
their names could not be learned.
Tho people OF HRverhill are doing every
thing possible for the wounded. The &C.
cident is supposed to have been caused by
q switch rod breaking after the engine and
three forward cars hsd passed over the
switch.
Tho train was running, according to the
enginesr's story, at about eighteen miles
an hour.
All the cars wero equipped with steam
hsaters and no portion Of the cars caught
lire. The two passenger cars are com.
pletely wrecked. The loss to the road
upon rolling stock will not reach over
$4,000. Trains are now wrunning as usual.