The record-union., 1893-09-01
A Limited Express Train Goes
Through a FraiI Iron Bridge.
FOUR WAGNER CARS SMASHED TO
KINDLING WOOD.
At Least Thirteen Persons Killed Out
right, Several Others Fatally In
jured, and Score or More Badly
Hurt-The Scene of the Accident
One and a Half Miles East OF Ches-
ter, Massachusetts,.
Special to the REcoRD-UN1oy.

Cptcltl 10 Tue 1NECOEI-O MON
SPRINGFIELD (Mass.), Aug. 3l.-The
Chicago limited express train for Boston
broke through frail iron bridge on the
Boston and Albany Railroad, one mile
and a half east of Chester, about 1890 to-
day, and four Wagner cars were crushed,
killing at least thirteen persons, fatally
injuring several others, while at least
score were badly hurt. The wreck was
the worst ever known on the road.
The bridge was being strengthened for
big locomotives. and the workingmen
who were putting on the plates were at
dinner when the crash came. The loco
motive passed over the structure, but was
smashed, the water tank being thrown
long distance. The buffet two sleepers
and dining-car were smashed to kim
ding when they struck the stream twenty
feet below, but two day coaches and the
smoker in the rear did not leave the track
There had been thirteen dead bodies
taken out at 6 o'clock, and twelve of them
had been identified. 1t is believed there
are two more bodies in the ruins. The
list of identified is as follows: ]. E.
Dewitt, Portland, Me-, President of the
Union Mutual Life Insurance Company:
T. Kelly, Boston; Miss Susie Cotting.
Boston; Mrs. c. b. Bishpom. Philadelphia;
Miss Emma Delerty, Columbus, o.; II.
c. Ives, Chicago; Frank Sedgwick,
Palmer Express messenger; John Nc
Masters, Springfield; brakeman j. II.
Murray, Greenbush, n. "; Baggage
master George w. Morse, Boston; Wag-
ner car conductor, j. 9. Stackpole, Hart
ford, Conn; K. G. Hitchcock, Bellows
Falls, VT; Mrs. J. S. WincheIl, Oneida,
n. Y, and an unknown woman. appa-
rently about 45.
There were about fifteen seriously in
jured, and five or six may die.
The train was seven minutes late at
Chester, and the railroad hands say it
was going at the rate of twenty miles an
hour when it struck the first of the two
spans of the bridge as the trusseS col
lapsed and fell over to the south. The
conductor was taking tickets in the day
coach, and, although thrown violently
down, escaped serious injury.
There are only few houses in the vi
cinity, and man driving by gave the
alarm through the village. In lew min
utes hundreds were on the scene, render
ing aid to the imprisoned people. The
heroes of the hour were DR.. George L.
Wood of Collinsville, who went 70 the
train to meet his wife, and the colored
porters and walters in the dining-car.
A1IuOugn LDelf faces were bruised and
cut and covered with blood, they did
splendid work.
The injured were soon removed to
houses near by and cared for. Many Of
those killed were horribly mangled and
only ten were recognizable by their
clothes. Pitiful scenes were enacted by
those who found either friend or loved
one among the dead. Many narrow es-
capes are recorded.
The bridge looks as though it had been
thrown from its abutments, rather than
broken down, and lies to the right. These
facts suggest the theory that the blow of
the locomotive as it struck the bridge
from curve sent it bounding off It's
foundations into the river. Railroad Off
cials say they find no marks on the
bridge such as would be made by a de-
rallied train. They have no theories TO
account for the fall. but promise com
plete investigation.
FATAL WRECK IN TEXAS.
BRENNAN (Texas), Aug. 3l.-A freight
train on the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe
was wrecked to-day at burned bridge.
Engineer Swanson and two unknown
tramps were killed, and others are re-
ported in the ruins. The fireman and
brakeman were fatally hurt.