Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-04-09
WASHED OUT.
An Embankment GiYes Way, Carrying
With il a Passenger Train.
The Engineer and Fireman Killed and
Twelve Other Persons Injured,
Two Seriously.

escape from an accident of serious nature
on the Rutland railroad, Saturday, caused by
washout on the line about six miles north
of here. The night express train which left
Boston at Z. NJ, left here at IL. Ii con
sisted of locomotive No. 81, in charge of
Engineer Moses Pratt of Rutland, and ex-
press car, coach and sleeping car. The train
was in charge of Conductor :. NJ. Whitney
of Rutland. At the point of the wreck the
surface water during the night had leaked
through the sandy soil and inundated the
track for the distance of one hundred feet.
0n rushed the express, the passengers not
dreaming of danger, but as the engine came
on the track sank beneath its weight, and the
iroissmonster was thrown down the steep en-
bankment. The tender and baggage car sep
arated from the engine, and were turned
over and over until il landed al the bottom Of
the bank.
The coach ran off the track and stands on
the slope in an almost perpendicular position.
The rails spread, letting the trucks of the
sleeping car drop, and this car alone remain
ed above.
Immediately fire broke out in the baggage
car, which, with baggage, express and mail
matter was consumed. Fortunately the fire
did not spread to the coach. The engineer
and fireman were both wedged in on the en-
gine and instantly killed. Their bodies were
recovered and are now at this place. The
baggagemaster, Andy Leonard. aud Express
Messenger Otis escaped in some unknown
manner from their car, and aside from a few
bruises, are uninjured. In the coach were
seven passengers; all went over the embank
ment in the car. Shrieks and cries re 1t the
air. A repetition of the Hartford accident
first entered their minds, but all escaped
without serious injury, though all were
injured to some extent. physician who
was on the train rendered assistance to in
jured passengers. No one in the sleeping
Ger was injured. All the passengers and train
men have been sent on to Rutland, SO it is i'm
possible now to ascertain their names or the
extent of their injuries.
There is no telegraph or telephone within
two miles of the wreck and train man was
obliged to walk some distance before the
alarm could be given.
WreckiGg trains have arrived at the scene
from Bellows Falls and Rutland, and large
force of men are at work clearing the
wreck.
A trestle will be built at once and during
the interval passengers will be transferred.
The scene of the wreck is about one-half
mile north of Rockingham station, at
sharp curve in the road. The track, for
some distance runs along ON high embank-
ment, 1t the base of which flows the VIII
liams river. On the opposite aside rises high
hills from which the wafer caused by the
melting snow, rushes III torrents. short
distance south of this point culvert had
been built large enough to carry OF the sur
face water, but for some reason the course
of the brook changed and following the line
of track gradually undermined 1T. -Four
hours before the accident the switchman
passed over the track and saw no indications
of trouble. 1t is probable, however that
the water had been working the soil away
for hours as tons of earth, together with
trees and brush, have beeh moved several
hundred feet. The washout is ITO feet in
length and from 10 to 30 feet deep.
The engine is demolished and lies on its
side half down the embankment. The ten
der and baggage car were landed at the foot
of the bank and turned completely around.
The baggage car was entirely consumed by
fire. The passenger coach is badly wrecked,
but is right side up short distance from the
track. The body of engineer Pratt was
found a short distance from the engine. His
head and body were terribly mangled. The
body of Fireman John Pratt was found at
the base of the slope, Both bodies were
taken to Bellows Falls, and will be sent to
Rutland for burial.
Superintendent Burdeu is at the scene,
and large force of men are at work build
ing a trestle, but trains will probably not
pass over it before Monday, As far as can
be learned none of the passengers or train
men received serious injury. All express
and mail matter was consumed with the ex-
press car, and it is a miracle how the coach
escaped the flames. An amount IF money
and valuable property was also burned,
Engineer Moses Pratt, who lost his life,
was about So years of age, and had been in
the employ of the railroad company over 30
years. He was resident of Rutland, where
he leaves a widow and married daughter.
Fireman John Pratt, the other victim, was
resident of Rutland, about 30 years of age,
and for several years an employe of the
road. He leaves widow.
Among those injured are V. Z. Burdick,
Middlebury. Vt, sprained left ankle, scalp
wound and back injured, serious; Mary
Lovely, Essex junction, Vt, cut in back
of hand and arm, not serious; Mrs Lewis
Moore, Burlington, VT, injury to left leg
and her child, Anna Moore injured in left
groin age years; Mrs. Clark Gibson, Shell
don Springs. Vt, injury to head, shoulders
and hip. These were all that was brought this
way. Each was taken along to his home in
a Pullman sleeper, under the efficient care
of DIR. John A. Mead of this place
Later Particulars Concerning the Ac-
cident.
BELLOWS FALLS, April s.
A careful examination at the scene of the
wreck at Rockingham substantiates the theo-
ry that when the embankment was made, on
building the road 80 years ago, a portion of
the soil from a hill, by the side of which the
road runs, being used in building up the en-
bankment. . Above that was used a poor
quality of sand, almost quicksand. The
lower stratum of soil held in place, while the
sand sloughed off. leaving the difference in
the soil clearly defined, the whole length of
the space that slid off. The road was built
in ls49 by the Rutland r. X. Co.. was leased
in 1871 to the Central Vermont for twenty
years, in three years it passed into the con-
troll of the Delaware & Hudson. The ques-
ton now interesting the public is whether
quite portion of the line is not built in
similarly faulty manner. Similar slides and
washouts have occurred during the past year
with one exception no serious damage re-
suited. The trestle is completed and train
crossed for the first time at seven o'clock to-
night. The record shows that freight of
twenty cars passed over the place about two
hours previous TO the accident. after which
the track inspector walked over it, and all
seemed right The railroad commissioners
will investigate this week.