The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1893-09-01
DOWN WENT The BRIDGE
And With II Went Two Sleepsrs, The
Buffet and Tho Dining Car.
AT LEAST 1, PERSONS DEAD
Another Horrible Railroad Accident
-Herolsm OF the Colored Port
era = No Theory to Ac-
count for 1t All.

SPRINoFIELp. Mass, Aug. M.-The Chr
cago limited express train for Boston
broke through tho iron bridge on the
Boston q Albany railway, one aud one
half miles east OF Chester, about l2:3O
o'clock to-day, and four Wagner cars were
crushed, killing at least Is persons, fatally
injuring several ottiers, while at least
score are badly hurt. The wreck is the
worst ever known on the road. The bridge
was being strengthened for big iocomo-
tives, and the workingmen 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 buffet. two slcepers and the dining
car were smashed to kindlings when they
struck the stream 20 feet below, but the
two day coaches and tho smoker in the
rear, did not leave the track.
There have been Il dead bodies taken
out mt o'clock and IL of them have been
identified. II is believed that there arc
two more bodies in the ruins.
The list of indentified is as follows:
J. 4. Dewitt, Portland, Maine. president
OF the Union Mutual Life Insurance com.
pany; 7. Kelly. Boston; Miss Susie Cot
ting. Boston; Mrs. C.. B. Bishpom. Phila.
delphia; Miss Emma Daierty. Columbus,
Ohio; II. c. Ives, Chicago; Frank Setlge-
wick, Palmer. express messenger; John
McNfasters, Springfield, brakeman; J. II.
Murray, Greenbush. N. Y; Mrs. ]. s.
wincheli. Oneida, n. Y; Baggage Master
George w. Morse, Boston; Wagner Car
Conductor j. C. Stackpoie, Hartford,
Conn. II. c. Hitchcock, Below Falls, w.,
and an unknown woman Of about As.
There are about l5 seriously injured and
five or six may die. Tho train was seven
minutes late at Chester and the railroad
hands say 1t was going at the rate of -
miles an hour when II struck the first
Of the two spans of the bridge. The
trusses collapsed and fell over to the
south. The conductor was taking tickets
in tho day coach and although thrown vio-
lently down escaped serious injury. There
are only few houses in tho vicinity and a
man driving by gave the alarm through
the village street. In few minutes hun
dreds were on tho scene rendering aid TO
the imprisoned people. The heroes of the
hour were DIR. George l.. Wood of Collins
vile, who went to tho train to meet his
" ife, aud tho colorcd portcrs and walters
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 maneled, and
only 10 werc recognizable by their cloth.
ing. Pitiful scenes were enacted by those
who found friend.or loved one among
the dead. Many narrow escapes are re.
corded. The bridge looks as II 1t had
becn thrown from its abuttments, rather
than broken down. aud lies to the right.
These facts suggest the theory that tho
blow OF the locomotive, as it struck the
bridge from the curve, sent 1t bounding
of its foundations to the river Railroad
officials say they find no marks on the
bridge such as would be made by de.
rallied train. They have no theories to Of.
fer to account for the fall, but promise a
| complctc investigation.