The Portland daily press., 1892-06-21
Sad Result Of an Accident on the
Grand Trunk.
A TRAIN WRECKED AND FOUR MEN
KILLED.

which Mr.. Fl. M. Small, well known in
this city, met his death.
Mr.. Small, who was one of the Cana
dian Express Company's trusted agents,
left Portland Saturday noon on the train
for Island Pond, Vermont. There he re-
manned over Sunday, starting yesterday
morning on the o'clock train from
Island Pond to Montreal. This was not
Mr.. Small regular run, he having been
assigned to it specially to take the place
man.
When few miles west of Coaticook,
Quebec, the train ran over place where
the track had been undermined by water.
A very heavy storm set in Saturday,
and from that time the rain poured
down. as one despatch said. The train
reached a "deep cut" and the engine,
express and baggage cars
Took Fearful Plunge
forty feet down into the water below.
The washout was then about 100 feet
wide and 40 feet deep, but has increased
since.
The shock to the rest of the train was
fearful. The passengers were thrown
with great violence about, and all were
more or less injured. One passenger,
name not given, is reported killed, and
at II o'clock last night it was reported
that several others were dangerously in
jured. The following were on the en-
CINE and baggage and express cars when
the plunge was made. and all were
killed:
ENGINEER MARK DALE, of Island
Pond.
FIREMAN REID, of Island Pond.
EXPRESS MESSENGER HOWARD SMALL,
of Yarmouth, Me.
BAGGAGE MASTER CURAN, a Canadian.
The train s'No 81 local from Island
Pond to Montreal, left the Pond at 5
o'clock in the morning, and reached the
fatal "deep cut'' before the section men
had passed over the line. mo. 81 is a
fairly fast train, and the locality where
the accident occurred is very favorable
to fast driving. How the rest of the
train escaped the fate of the engine and
two forward cars is something
of mystery. AS soon as the
News of the Disaster
reached Montreal, the general and divis-
ion officers took prompt measures for the
relief of the injured passengers of sNo.
s." and for the removal of the blockade
of the road. Assistant superintendent
Freeman at once left for the scene of the
disaster, and ali day remained in the rain
directing the operations of large force
of workmen. He decided after reaching
the cut that it must be bridged, and
work in that direction was at once be-
gan.
All the bodies of those known to have
been killed. with the exception of that of
fireman Reid were recovered during the
day.
The rain was not quite so bad yester-
day afternoon as it had been during the
hours of the morning, but later in the
day the storm set in once more, and at
midnight there was every prospect that
| it would be even worse than before.
1t goes without the saying that the
Blockade of the Line Ways Complete,
making it necessary to tranship all pas
sengers. The passengers from Montre-
al and the West who should have
reached Portland at o'clock last
evening, were left at Richmond, Quebec,
and will get here today, and to make
matters still worse for the line, over 300
pilgrims from this section and several
hundred more from along the line, left
yesterday for the shrine of St. Ann de
Beaupre, very serious matter when the
| fact is taken into consideration that all
were sick and thus more likely to keenly
feel the exposure and detention. The
| Grand Trunk train from Island Pond to
Portland reached here last evening, but
direct communication West is cut off.
A very large number of passengers
were on No. 5. and it is feared that the
final report will show greater loss Of
life than is yet known. The direct loss
to the company will be large, and the
indirect much greater, because of the
detention.of passenger and freight trains.
A much longer continuance of the storm
VIII Result in Very Great Damage.
Where the disaster occurred, the water
courses are remarkably winding, and
liable to fill and overflow in case of a
protracted storm. This has given the
Grand Trunk considerable trouble OF
late. and threatened the line with wash
outs at many points. The men killed
were trusted and valued employees of the
company, the dead engineer being one
of the best known and most careful OF
the men of his department.
Superintendent Stephenson left Mon
treal last night for the fatal "deep cut, y
and will make a thorough investigation
of the accident. AS at present advised,
the officers of the line hold that the road
was not in fault, there having been more
than ordinary care exercised.