Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-09-07
ATLEAsT THIRTEEN KILLED.
Terrible Accident on the Boston &
Albany Railroad.

Albany Railroad.
A Train Falls Through a Defective Bridge
Thirteen Dead Bodies Taken From the
Ruins--Fifteen People injured, Of whom
Several May Die.
SPRINGFIELD, MASS, Aug. 3l.-The
Chicago limited express train for Boston
broke through frail iron bridge on the
Boston g. Albany railroad, one and a
half miles east Of Chester, about 1890
o'clock to-day, and four Wagner cars
were crushed, killing at least 10 per-
sons, fatally injuring several others,
while at least u score are badly hurt.
The wreck is the worst ever known on
the railroad. The bridge was being
strengthened for the big locomotives and
the working men, who were putting on
the plates, were at dinner when the
crash came.
The locomotive passed over the struc-
ture but was smashed, the water tank
being thrown long distance. The
buffet, two sleepers and dining car
were smashed to kindling when they
struck the stream 90 feet below, but the
two day coaches and smoker in the
rear did not leave the track. There had
been 10 dead bodies taken out at 8
o'clock, and 12 of them had been iden-
titled.
The list of the identified dead is as
| follows:
j. IL. Dewitt, Portland, Me-, president
of the Union Mutual Life Insurance
Company.
T. X. Kelly of Boston.
Miss Susie Getting of Boston.
Mrs. C. b. Isham of Philadelphia.
Miss Emma Delerty of Columbus, o.
H. G. Ives of Chicago (supposed to be
chief OF the Department of Fine Arts at
the Worlds Fair.
Frank Sedgwick of Palmer.
| Express Messenger John McMasters
of springfield.
Brakeman ]. H. Murray of Green
bush, N. Y.
Baggage Master George W. Morse Of
Boston.
| Wagner Car Conductor ]. @. Stack,
pole OF Hartford, Conn.
r. c. Hitchcock of Bellows Falls, Vt
The train was seven minutes late a
Chester, and the railroad hands says i
was going at the rate of 20 miles al
hour when it struck the first of the two
spans across the Westfield river. The
locomotive seemed to leap across The
bridge as the trusses collapsed and fel
over to the south.
The conductor was taking tickets in !
day coach, and, although thrown vic
lently down, escaped serious injury
There are only few houses in tn
vicinity, and man driving by gave tn
alarm through the village street.
, The heroes OF the hour were DI
J George l.. Wood of Collinsville, VIII
went to the train to meet his wife, an
the colored porters and walters in til
dining room, who, although their bruise
and cuts bled, did splendid work.
The hospital was group of appl
4 trees in an adjoining orchard, wlIer
4 scores were taken. Ok teams arrive
, with loads of straw, cushions, beddin
: and food.
The wounded were soon removed I
the houses of N. A. HARDWOOD, Washing
ton Moore and j. g. Croker, and a
|, that remained ON the appie-strew
: ground were 10 bodies, covered with re
3 blankets from an adjoining stable.
I. The dead were, many of them, horr
it bly, mutilated-heads crushed in, liml
. torn, and often only recognizable fro
y the clothing.
y Mr.. Scull of Philadelphia, was wit
y his sister, Mrs. Bispham, in a Wagn
car. She was instantly killed and
= was pinned down, but finally extricate
N The Inflated train was one of b
rs fastest expresses on the road, stoppil
o, only at Pittsfleld from Albany
a Springfield. 1t carries the largest e
CINE and best cars of any train runni
5 west of Springfield.
All through trains are being held
Pittsfield going east and in Springfe
el going west.
~ Superintendent Cone of Chester, W
OF has charge of the Mountain Division
es the road, took charge of the wreck, al
e with the assistance of the extra engil
VI and section hands here, did much
ITS ward clearing away the wreck beft
'rs the arrival of the wreckers from Spril
e. field. The physicians of Huntingt
mo- arrived on the scene, and did much
IJ relieve the sufferings of the injured.
w. The scene of the accident is but
eo short distance below Chester, and is j
90 below the steep grade going up
ate mountain.
The buffet car and two sleepers ar
total wreck. The bridge was two-sI
sxt lattice structure, 221 feet long, and v
IN. built in 1874.
Tina bridge bad been recently repair
" and it had not been properly braced
Oh withstand the weight of heavy trail
to SPRINGFIELD, MASS, Sept. 4.-Ra
be De Forest of Boston, the cook on
e a dining car which went down in
it'll Hne S,S wfech, t Iieu yes'eiuay' mah
W. |