The herald., 1893-09-01
THROUGH A FRAIL BRIDGE.
An Express Train Dashed to
Pieces.
Thirteen People Killed and
Many Injured.
Bodies of the Victims Mangled in
Horrible Manner.
The Worst Disaster that Ever Happened
in the History of tho Boston and
Albany - Who Is Responsi-
BILE for the Accident?
By the Associatsd pra,s.

SPRINGFIELD. Mass, Aug. 31.-The
Chicago limited express train for Boston
broke through frail iron bridge on tho
Boston and Albany railroad one and one
half miles eastof Chester about 1890
today, and four Wagner cars were
crushed. killing at least 13 persons and
fatally injuring several others, while at
least score were badly hurt. The wreck
ia 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 ct
dinner when the crash came. The loco
motive passed over the structure, but
was smashed, the water tank being
thrown'a long distance. The buffet, two
sleepers and the dining car were smashed
to kindling when they struck the stream,
20 feet below, but the two day coaches
and the smoker in the rear did not leave
the track. 81
40 se THIRTEEN DEAD BODIES.
There had been Is dead bodies taken
out at O'Clock, and IL of them have
been identified. 1t is believed there are
two more bodies in the ruins. The list
of identified is as follows.
J. E. Dewitt, Portland, Me-, president
of the Union Mutual Life Insurance
company.
T. Kelly, Boston.
Miss Susie Cotting, Boston.
Mrs. @. Bishpom, Philadelphia.
Miss Emma Delerty, Columbus, o.
II. @. Ives, Chicago
Frank Sedgewick, Palmer.
Express Messenger John McMasters,
Springfield.
Brakeman J. H. Murray. Green Bush,
N. Y.
Baggsgemaster George W. Morse.
Boston.
wagner-csr Conductor j. q. Stack
pole. Hartford, OF.
r. G. Hitchcock, Bellows Falls, VT.
Mrs. J. S. Winchell, Oneida, N. Y.
An unknown woman, apparently about
As years old.
FIFTEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED.
There are about 10 seriously injured,
and five or six may die. The train ives
seven minutes late at Chester, and the
railroad hands say it was going at the
rate of 20 miles an hour when it struck
the first OF the two spans of the bridge.
db blo VI ub6O6 CQlldpbcu anu 1911 OV6I CO
the south, the conductor was taking the
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 a few
minutes hundreds were on the scene
rendering assistance to the imprisoned
people.
HEROES OF THE HOUR.
The heroes Of the hour were DR.. G. Z.
Wood OF Collinsville, who went to the
train to meet his wife, and the colored
porters and walters in the dining car.
Although 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 mangled and
10 were only recognizable by their
clothes. Pitiable scenes were enacted
by those who found either q friend or a
loved one among the dead. Many mar
row escapes are recorded.
THE WRECKED BRIDGE.
The bridge looks as though 1t had
been thrown from it's abutments, rather
than broken down, and lies to the right
OF the wreck. These facts suggest the
theory that the blow from the locomo-
tive as it struck the bridge from a curve,
sent it bounding off its foundation to
the river. The railroad officials say
they find no marks on the bridge such
as would be made by derailed train.
They have no theories to offer to ac-
count for the fall, but promise COM
plete investigation.