Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-09-01
An Awful Wreck on the Boston and
Albany Railroad.
FIFTEEN PEOPLE WERE KILLED
Instantly and Many More Were
Iniured-The List of Fatalities
Likely to Be Increased-The
Dead and Wounded Shocking
ly Mangled-The Bridge Was
Undergoing Repairs When the
Accident Happened.

SPRINGFIELD, MASS, August 81
The Chicago limited express train Tor
Boston broke through frail iron
bridge on the Boston and Albany rail-
road, one and half miles east OF CheS-
ter, about 1890 to-day, and four Wag-
ner cars were crushed, killing at least
thirteen persons, fatally injuring seV-
eral others, while at least d score are
badly hurt.
The bridge was being strengthened
and the workingmen were putting on
the plates. The buffet, two sleepers
and dining car were smashed to Kind
ling when they struck the stream'twen-
W feet below, but two day coaches and
q smoker in the rear did not leave the
track. There had been thirteen dead
bodies taken out at six o'clock and
twelve of them had been identified.
1t is believed that there are two more
bodies in the ruins. The list OF identi-
fed is as follows:
j. L. Dewitt, OF Portland, Me-, presi-
dent OF the Union Mutual Life Insurance
company; IT. X. Kelly, OF Boston; Miss
Susie Cotting, OF Boston; Mrs. G..
Bishpam, OF Philadelphia; Miss
Emma Delerty, of Columbus, o..
H. c. Ives, OF Chicago; Frank Sedg-
wick, OF Palmer; Express Messenger
John McMasters, of Springfield; Brake
man J. Il. Murray, OF Greenbush, n.
Y; Baggage Master George w. Morris,
OF Boston; Wagner Car Conductor G..
Stackpole, of Hartford, Conn; K. c..
Hitchcock, of Below Falls, Vt; Mrs.
J. S. Winchel, of Oneida, n. Y; an un-
known woman, apparently about 25
years old.
There were about Is seriously wound
ed and or may die. The train
was going at the rate OF 20 miles an
hour when it struck the bridge. In a
few minutes hundreds were on the
scene. The shrieks of the imprisoned
were terrible.
The hospital was a group Of apple
trees In an adjoining orchard, where
scores were taken. Teams brought
| loads OF straw, bedding and food.
The dead were, many Of them, horri-
bly, mutilated, heads crushed in, limbs
| torn, and often only recognizable from
the clothing.
Mrs. John ). Howard, of Boston,
| whose stage name is Hattie Blanchard,
was one of the five saved in the sleeper
next in front Of the dining car which
was the worst wrecked She says that
she felt the car going down and reached
| for her hat in the front seat.
In an instant she was pinned down
| by beam across her waist. A chand-
lier had crashed down over her. She
extrlcated herself and turned to Mrs.
! Bishpam, who was crying for help. Her
head was wedged under car seat arm.
When she saw that it was impossible to
extricate the woman, the poor victim
| squeezed her hand with q "God bless
you; goodbye" She pulled a car seat
off a man, and then started out.
L. II. Talbot, of New York, for Is
years editor OF the Iron AJe was on q
day coach. He thinks the railroad is al
! fault for running heavy train 20 miles
an hour over a bridge under repairs.
"The woman who screamed most, "
said Mr.. Talbot, was wringing her
hands and moaning because the rail-
road would never pay for seal skin sack
she lost. helped one woman 76 years
old out and she begged me to 90 back
after her son. She was most unseltiSh
amid most terrible suffering. When
put a carriage cushion under her she
said, 4 can never repay you for this
kindness"
The railroad officials say that they
| find no marks on the bridge. such as
would be made by deraied train. They
have no theories to offer to account for
the fall, but promise complete inyes-
| tiQatiou,