The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-05
FOUR TRAINS IN ONE WRECK.
Il SWIFT SUCCESSION OF CoEEzsrcHs
ON THE NEW ENGLAND ROAD

Two Freight Trains Come Together. ssd .
Monent Later che Long LELAND Exvress
Dsshes Into the Wreck, Quiehiy Fol-
lowed by the Norwich Boat Trais-Two
Trainnen Kinea and = Passenger Burnea
To Death In One or the sleepers.
PROVIDENCE, Dec. 4.-Three men killed. four
or more seriously injured. two Of whom may
die; four locomotives. two freight trains and
tho coaches Of two passenger trains destroyed
this is the result Of one Of the worst acct
dents the New York and New En- gland road has
experienced in the last few years.
The disaster occurred at 6:45 O'Clock this
morning at the little station Of East Thomp-
son. seven miles east Of Putnam. There is no
village In the immediate vicinity. and the
place is one OF the loneliest spots in central
New England. It is merely junction
Of the Short southbridge branch Of the road
with the main line. The accident was singu-
lar. involving as it did the wrecking Of four
trains within Ave minutes. 1t all came about
primarily through an east bound trains run
ming on west-bound track without proper
notification to the telegraph offlces ahead
The dense fog no doubt aided In causing the
disaster.
The wrecked trains were local freight, q
through Boston freight the Long Island and
Eastern States express. and tho New York boat
train from Norwich. The coaches Of the Long
Island express suffered most, for the train
first ran into the wreck OF the two
freight trains and was then rarity telescoped
by the boat train. There were but twelve
passengers on the express and all but one es-
capped. His name is unknown. He was burned
with the Pullman vestibule car Midland. His
watch is intact, but only few bones scattered
among the debris Of the car are left Of the
man.
Harry Tabor. engineer Of the Long Island
Tabor fireman. Jerry Fitzgerald;
An unknown man In tho sleeper Midland.
INJURED
Engineer. Wild Of night freight 212. east
bound: seriously.
Fireman Boyce. also Of the night freight:
=, Engineer Hurley and Fireman Lowden OF
"A man named Chandler Of Chestnut Hill.
Express Messenger Marshall Of the boat ex-
Master 'Ehsse Of the boat train
charge OF Fred Si6ly of East Thompson. pulled
out OF tho car house on the west-hound track.
mShn 'ne s as
east;bound freight for Boston was due to pass
on the o5hsr track There e
fastest places on the line
m. fog was 50 thio one could scarcely
freight was either standing still or moving
very slowly when. without warning. a trail,
crushed into it. The engines struck head on.
raisediup and Eel. over on their sides. battered
masses OF iron. from which arose clouds OF
The trainmen Of the east-bound Boston
fsgt SAID that on account Of the fact
Island express were both overdue they had
received orders ct Putnam to proceed east on
the X a that H Be
received no notification Of the fact
~, The wrecked engines and cars lay over both
after being thrown down By the he's SHOCK St.
SsSS. ss. sss.s Into ss se5 %ssss
press: Harry Tabor. the englneer:. must 1f have
seen the obstruction. for he reversed his en-:
over among the other -wreckage. and both
Tabor and his fireman. jerry Fitzgerald. were
The cars Of the Long Island express-a bag
Midland ana not eape
ss sa = anu M ss sfiRs
fourth turned back. for what reason nobody ot
Hs Tad not got fer when there was ANOTHER
awful crash :he fast boat train piled itself on
to t!ie coaches, Of the Long Island express.
almost indescribablc. Ii ali happened Within
three minutes: certainly within five. Imme.
rom fhd f Fa Tia last ses s 4Sf shsS
were only only tTenty-nYe or thirty passengers
Pss hs1s g not Sas apd
late Of the single passenger Who was i burned ned
train went through the last car fully third Of
The first outside aid to arrive was a shifting
engine from raad Putnam M with fire pals Then
Southbridge train. A special from Webster
brought steam fire engine. but 1t was forty
The aWay e.
h sDd SsW
nearly on time. The track was Sufficiently
tSs ghost" train. which left b Bosto 'a"s It 3
Albert n n! Ar m t Ss:t ct MIllve Mass. was
Or ilys minutes s at Putnam toPermit the Long
ton; wills! s,,s tS H. bs % { Ss msfss sss;
minutes earlier 4 man had started back to
within q hundred feet Of the wr ok caught |
sight Of him. He had lust time to reverse the |
engine. put on the air brakes. and jump for |
his lie. The fireman Jumped too. WIS asleep !
In the rear car, tho train consisting OF an |
express car. smoker. and one coach, BESIDES
sn tbpsw and dd 5na
The Boat Go" train lying besde the tqaeE
i was carrying Hurley to & bank near By when
q woman screamed that there was an awful |
wreck ahead. looked up and saw a. terrible |
sight; The engine Of our train had struck
though It Tie tender Of tSs boat train Mdia
had telescoped back into the express |
car. and all about was q confused mass |
% wreckage from which rose cloud Of steam.
Fire began to break out from the centre OF the
Pullman ", and, bearing that some MESSENGER:
made repeated efforts to enter. but wers
almost stiAed each time by the smoke Pas
sengers ON the Midland could not account for
one map smaTdt,appeatbinS yy91unE fellow Of
gers escaped through the window. All was
confusion IT the wreck. There were no tools
by and see the wreckage burn until the ar |
N. IL