The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-01-13
"a MODERN lNsTANCE.u
A Train Wrecked, But Steam Heaters Pre-
vent Its Being Burned.


HAvERH1LL, Mass, Jan. 1O.-A frightful
accident befell the Portland (Me.) express
train which left Boston At l O'Clock this
afternoon, the scene Of the disaster being
near Haverbill bridge, which spans the Mer-
rimac river between Bradford and Haverhill.
The train consisted Of eight cars. This train
does not stop At Bradford, and was going at
great speed. The Georgetown branch train
vas standing on the track near the water
tank house At the Bradford end of the bridge
waiting for the express to pass over to Haver-
hill. A. the express rounded the curve two
cars left the track aud went crashing into
the water tank house, demol,shing it. In
this house Z number of section hands were
eating dinner. John O'Brien. . retired
merchant of Bradford, was talking to the
section hands, and was killed, together 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 car, doing fearful work within.
The next car behind telescoped the car
ahead Of it, adding to the havoc. The killed
and wounded were mostly in these two cars.
The cars behind ran down alongside the
Georgetown train, barely escaping collision
with the engine of that train. The people
in the smoker had = fearful experience. One
of the wheels of the forward truck broke and
the cor bumped against the end of the bridge,
causing it to careen. It ran upon the bridge
for some distance, and 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 of
the car, while it seemed to some Of them
that the car was tumbling off the bridge to
the river below. The passengers managed
to crawl out, some of them being very
seriously injured. As soon IS they reached
the ground such as were able rushed back to
help those who we're imprisoned in the
wrecked cars. The entire force of physicians
in the city we're summoned by Telephones
were cared for as soon IS released.
The list of killed is as follows: Clarence
lakewood, residence unknown; John
O'B1ien, of Bradford C. P. Goodwin, wife
and child, of Kennebec, Maine; VIM. Taylor,
section hand A. l.. Walker, of Harrison,
Name !; Charles Thurlow, of Newton juno
ton, n. H.; Joseph Shaw, of Boston.
The name of the man reported unknown
is JOSEPH Shaw, of Boston. The accident is
supposed to have been caused by 4 switch
rod breaking after the engine and three for
ward cars bad passed over the switch. The
train was running, according to the engi-
Reer's story, at about eighteen miles an hour,
and after the smoking-car had broken apart
from the 1ear portion Of the train and bound.
ed forward on tie bridge, the air brake OF
the car was applied and the car was thrown
on its side. 1t is probable that but for this
brake the car would have fallen into the ice
bound Merrimac river, one hundred feet
below. There were about forty passengers
in the smoking car, as near as can be learned,
but they all escaped without severe injuries,
although nearly all of them we're badly
shaken up, and = number of them had their
clothing torn from their bodies. AH the cars
aUere equipped ,cith steam heaters, and no
portion Of the cars caught fire. The two
passenger cars are completely wrecked. The
first passenger car, which ran into the water
tank and section house, was ground almost
to atoms. The heavy tank crashed through
the monitor top, crushing it like an egg
nearly al the passengers received injuries
mostly of . severe nature.