The Helena independent., 1893-09-01
WENT THROUGH A BRIDGE
Thirteen Persons Killed, Several Fa-
tally Injured and Many Seri-
ously Hurt
Buffet, Two Sleepers and the Din
Ing Oar Went Down Into
the Stream.
worst Wreck That Ever Occurred ON tn o
Boston g. Aibany-1he Killed Fright
fully Manslod.

ePnrNaFIELD. Mass. Aug. 31.-The Chi
csgo limited express train for Boston broke
h'ough frail iron bridge on the Boston d.
Albany railway, one and . half miles east
OF Chester. about 1890 to-day, and four
Wagner oars we're crushed, killing at least
Thirteen persons. fatally injuring several
others. while at least a score were badly
hurt The eek was the worst ever known
on tho road. Tho bridge was being
strengthened for big locomotives and the
wo kinRmen who were putting on the plates
were at dinner when the crash came. The
locomotive passed over the structure, but
was smashed, the water tank being thrown
long distance. The buff !. two sleeper 8
and the dining ear were smashed to kind
Ling wood whom they st uck the stream,
twenty feet below. but the two day coaches
and the smoker. in the rear. did not leave
the track. There had been thiltsen dend
bodies taken out at ak O'Clock and twelve
Of them have bssn identified. II is be-
lisvsd there are two more bodies In the
iuias. The list Of identified Is as follows
]. 4. Dewitt, Portland, Me-. president
Of the Union Mutual Life Insurance com.
any; I. Kelly. Boston; Miss Susie Cot
ting, Boston; Mrs. G. Bishpom. PhiIadel-
plia; Miss Emma Delsrty. Columbus, o.;
II. G. Ives. Chicago; Frank 6edgewiok
Palmer. express messenger; John MoMas-
tess. Springfield, brakeman; ]. H. Murray,
Giesnbush. N. Y. baggage master; Mrs. j.
&. Winohell. Oneida. N. Y; an unknown
woman. apparently about 45; George w.
Morse. Boston. Wagner ear conductor; j.
9. Staekpole. Hartford. Conn; II. G.
Hitchcock, Below Falls. W.
There were about fifteen seriously in
jured and Ave or six may die. The train
was seven minutes late at Chester. and
railroad hands say IL was going at the rate
of twenty miles per hour. Whom 1t struck
the first Of the two span bridges the trussss
collapsed and fell over to tho south. The
conductor WAS taking tickets in the day
coach, and although thrown violently down.
oscar ed serious injury.
vicinity. and a man driving by gave the
alarm through the village street. In few
inmates hundreds we're on tho scene, rom
derinR aid TO the Imprisoned people. The
he ses of the hour were DIR. George l..
Wood of Collinsville, who went TO the
tors aud walters in the dining car. Al
though their faces were bruised and cut
and covered with blood they did splendid
work.
The wounded were soon removed to
houses near by and cared for. Many of
those killed were horribly manRled and
only ten were recognizable by their cloth
ing. Pitiful scenes were enacted by those
who fonnd either q friend or loved one
among the dead. Many narrow escapes
were recorded. he bridge looks as though
il had been thrown from Its abuttments,
rather than broken down. and lies TO the
tight: Those facts suggest the theory that
the blow Of the locomotive. as IL struck the
bridge from the curve, sent II bounding off
Its foundations 70 the river. Railroad
officials say they find no ma'ks ON the
bride such a. would be made BY de allied
ain. They have no theories to offer to
account for the fall but promise . COM
pleto inveatigation.