Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-09-15
Disaster.

BosToN. Mass, Sept. 1.-THE horror OF
lhe great Quincy accident was recalled
last night when q through freight tram,
west bound, on the titchburg railroad, ran
into passenger train standing Oh the out
bound track at West Cambridge Junction,
tcescoping the rear car, killing eight per
Ions outright and injuring nearly thirty
others. three of whom are reported TO have
Jince died.
Passenger train No 1871, due to leave
Boston at 1915 started on time. When
West Cambridge junction was reached, the
engineer found it necessary, owing to the
lense fog. to run close 10 the crossovers III
order to see if be had the right Of way from
The signal tower which is located close 10y.
The passenger train was said to be hVe
minutes late, and about the same hour the
local passenger train from Wal;ham, sched
uled TO leave there at 1850, was due at
West Cambridge junction also. The west
bound train which left Boston had come to
full stop, in order that the east bound
rain from Waltham, which had the right
II way, could pass that point before 1t
rossed over to the Watertown branch.
Nhi!o standing near the cross-over, the
express freight train watch was bound west
came laundering along, and just as the
passenger train started TO cross the ater-
Gown branch, the freight train crashed into
she rear end of the passenger train with the
result above described. The passenger train,
surins. and the forward truck OF the smok-
lng car crossed over on the branch track
which left passenger cars Nos 80 and 1jS
On the cross.over, and No. SO, the fatal car
Handing on the main west bound track.
When the engine struck the rear car it
,ntered it as wedge, splitting it into two
pieces each of which Iei outward upon the
racks. while the roof Of the car lodged on
top OF the locomotive.
The recoi from the collision drove the
heavily loaded freight cars backward and
although the two cars neXt the engine
Which were Il refrigerator car, and Bur
son stool; car, We're not injured, the ~ or
T. cars behind them were smashed into
Tndling wood. Several of these were load
ell with lumber and this strewn all
along the track. he cars were piled upon
one another in indescribable confusion,
completely blocking both tracks fully 100
yards.
As soon as the accident occurred word
was despatt he'd by telephone TO the variou;
police stations in Boston, Sonerv.le and
cambridge, asking them TO send surgeons Il
The scene. Among those who quickly re-
.ponded were Drs. Mccarthy and Dryer Of
Cambridge.
The train despatcher's Office In Boston
was notified at once, Superntenden'
Adams was on the scene and gave instruc
iiors to have all the medical assistance
available sent by special train. DR.. W. 4,
Dunn and DR.. Collins, both of the norti
end, went out on the special train which
left at 1l:5j. Fifteen minutes later th'
wrecilng train, consisting OF the tool cal
end derrick car, was sent out, but owing tC
the fact that man was forced to run Of
foot in advance 10 90 flag duty, the relic
and wrecking trains were slow in reaching
their destination.
On arriving at tho scene they found tina
Iix Of the bodies had Leen removed from thu
debris and v ere laid out in the West Cam
bridge passenger depot. Those bodies wer,
removed to the undertaking rooms OF \. T.
Long 23S North avenue, Cam bridge, Il
were the bodies Of two Others recovere,
later A large force OF laborecs wore pu
TO work. clearing away the debris and by
O'clock this morning all visible bodies hat
been removed from the wreck and th
wounded had been cared for by willing
bands.
Tho pilot and cylinder boxes Of the freigh
engine were poked underneath the ioTwar'
truck OF the rear passenger car, which mad
TO escape without injury who occupied seat
in that cur. On the rear end Of the ill-tate
car mans legs were dangling, tho trun
being found u quarter OF a mile down tn
nacs. The prevailing impression was tina
II was a tramp stealing n ride on the pilo
OF the freight engine or tucked away on ia
rear truck Of the passenger car.
The rear brakeman Of the passenger train
who was shortly before the accident sen
bac, about 600 feet to notify the enginnee
Of tho freight train Of danger ahead, state
that ne went back as directed and sgnalle
the freight train, ard his signal was an
swered by two whistles, which Is the usut
answer that all signals are seen and noted
Tho reason for tho collision he feels sure
was that tho engineer of the freight trai
could not control his train, which was c
so cars, the greater part Of them contain
ing lumber, all very heavily loaded
The train was the regular Saturday Nigh
Western heavy freight which was unusua
~ heavy last night. Tho train is schedule
to leave Boston about o'clock, but las
night did not leave until after 10 o'cioc
and was running at the rate Of about
miles per hour whsn the collision occurred