Morning journal and courier., 1891-04-20
AmIRACULOUS ESCAPE

Only One Bono Broken When Scores
Might Have Perished-OnIy Three
Men Injured-Crowds View the
Workers Yesterday.
About a quarter past three, Saturday af-
ternoon, as the 3:O5 Shore Line train from
New Haven bound for Boston WAS round
ing the curve, just the other side of the
long Quinnipiac bridge, near the Second
Congregational church, the flange of the
forward truck wheel of the locomotive on
the outer side of the curve broke, and in
a moment more off went the engine from
the track, and the engineer, Frank W.
Forbes of New London, who was leaning
out of the cab, was pitched out into the
ditch at the side of the track, followed by
the engine itself on top of him, but most
fortunately being held from crushing him
by the sides of the gully into which he
fell.
The fireman, Frank Delany of New Lon
don, a very heavy man, was also thrown
out behind the engine. The tender was
then dragged round by the engine and in
its turn showed the baggage car off on the
other side, which, breaking the connecting
link, bumped over the ties short distance
with the passenger coaches, till all were
by collision with the embankment on the
side of the track. The passengers then,
wondering what was the matter, hurried
back to the engine and found the engineer
covered with bruises, but otherwise whole,
crawling out from under the engine with
his left hand, his right being too badly
hurt for use. The fireman was also bruised
and his forearm broken. They were
promptly assisted by the passengers,
among whom were two New York physi-
clans, and assistance sent for. None of
the passenger cars left the rails and beside
the jolting and shaking the passengers re-
ceived, they were uninjured.
The wonderful part of this accident
were, first, that the train should be de-
rallied by the breaking of flange of one
small truck-wheel, and second, that no
one was hurt. The locomotive was held
by the embankment from crushing the en-
gineer in the ditch under it, bat had the
accident occurred a minute sooner all
might have been precipitated over the
high bridge of the Quinnipiac river. The
paggagemaster was crushed between the
trunks. The injured men were taken to
their homes in New London. The baggage
master, Sidney Chappell, of New London,
AeeA LAO ceSSn cO'OtSiy oIto'Acu ~ ZIG ~
cident. Engineer Delaney's injuries con-
sisted of many painful bruises. The fire.
mans right arm was broken and he was
severely bruised otherwise
The wrecking train sent to the scene fin
ished its work there at about 8 o'clock yes
terdsy afternoon. A pair of new forward
wheels was furnished the disabled engine,
and then. minus smokestack and cab, it
was towed back to the city by the wreck
ing train and back to the repair shops. 1t
is estimated that three thousand people
viewed the wreck yesterday. Engineer
Forbes tested the wheel that broke Just
before the train started from the depot
here, at which time it was all right.
Mr.. Potwin, whose residence is across the
street from the two churches, and Mr. Law
rem Humiston, who lives in the same house,
had lots of visitors yesterday. Their front
fence was knocked to pieces by the erring
which seemed bent on getting
into the house, but failed to get there. The
tender went to the other side of the track
The passengers the wrecked train all
considered most justly that they had one
of the most fortunate escapes on record.