Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-06
NE, FRIDAY MORNING. JULY 6. 1894.
WEST OUTLET DISASTER.
Stery Of Terrible Suffering and Also
of Heroic Work.
Fireman Mcdonald Still AIive-BeIiei Grows
That Train as Wrecked. y

tha1 IRAN as wrecked.
WEST OUTLET, Moosehead Lake, July
5.-(Special. The seventy feet of the
trestle demolished by ,he accident is re-
placed by temporary trestle, and trains
A large crew worked all Tuesday night, the
head light of an engine, torches and fires
giving light to sid the men. The scene
was one not soon TO be forgotten. The en-
gine lays on its side two hundred feet from
the end of the trestle half buried in mud
and water, with hugh boulders packed
about it, and one inside the
front end of the boiler completely
filling it. The tender platform was bottom
up as also the water tank little one side.
Next to this is the mail car on its side badly
wrecked. Next to this lay the baggage car
nearly bottom up and split nearly ia two.
Next to this was the second class car torn
and splintered. telesooped few feet into
the baggage cary In this car mail agent
Starkey was killed IA large stump stands
up half way to the Top of the car and it was
this that crushed him in his berth. The
man over him was not hurt. One of the
most miraculous escapes occurred here.
III. B. Blackmore of New York was sitting
in the front left seat. He found himself
bound in by timbers, and iron
rods that had crushed through the
side and end 4of the car all about
him. A car axlesw was pressed across his
body in front, and car seats solid against
his breast. He could only move one hand
a little but kept pulling out splinters about
him till he was able to free himself from
the wreck.
No one looking at the place would believe
it possible that man could come out Of that
spot alive. Still he got off with few
bruises and bad cut on the head. He is
very powerful young man and after get
ting out rendered great assistance to- the
sufferers. He ran five miles to get help
and was back inside of two hours. Next
to this car was the first class car, one end
down in the gully and the other on the
road bed.
Mr.. Hoyt of Fort Fairfield, was killed in
the second class car, being terribly mangled.
The railroad commissioners were at the
wreck all day Tuesday and nearly all night
examining every timber of the trestle and
the stills as fast as they could be exposed.
The structure was sound and the heavy tim
bers broken and splntered, gave every in
dication that the cause of the accident
must be found elsewhere.
Engineer Leavitt met his death at his
post and was found with his engine. Sta
zion Agent Foss of Greenville, and Agent
Grant of Jackman, were on the engine.
Foss was literally boiled. He lay in a
pool of hot water which run out of
the engine in hole made by the
engine in its terrible plunge. He was
alive when taken out, more than an hour
after the accident but died very soon. He
must have suffered untold agony. Grant
was partly under the tender tank. He is
alive but lies like one dead.
The writer saw him Wednesday
morning at Mooseheadl Inn, and also
Mcdonald, the fireman who jumped from
the engine and was found near the end of
the trestle.
One of the most fortunate occurrences
was that DR.. c. p. Thomas of Brewer, who
was waiting at Moosehead station four
miles east of the wreck. One of the pas
sengers had run down for aid. DR.. Thomas
was returning from fishing trip, apd when
the messenger arrived he fell into his arms
exhausted saying for Goods sake 60 to the
wreck and take off the dead and dying"
The doctor was accompanied by bis
brother-in-law and taking hand car started
west. On arriving hastily examining those
most needing care, leaving the dead un-
touched, he worked in the hot sun all day.
A gentleman who was with him most of
the time said he never saw a man so cool
under such trying conditions. The fire.
man was first to receive his attention.
He was lying face down and suffocating
by the blood clo.s in his throat.
Withdrawing his tongue which was split in
two he removed the clots and placed him in
better position, having not the slightest idea
he would live., His chin was broken and
the upper jaw split open, and extending to
his forehead. From one to another he
hastened taking up arteries in one, sewing
up wounds or injecting brandy or NOR
phine. He was covered with blood and did
most heroic work.
He improvised hospital in the rear of
the train, by using car seats, and sheets for an
awning, had force to carry water to bath
and care for the sufferers.
The prevailing opinion is that the train vas
deliberately wrecked. No one but the fire.
man can settle this question. His life
hangs upon a most slender thread. Every
one is anxious to know why he jumped.
That will explain the mystery or settle
doubts. He must have left the engine be-
fore it struck the trestle, or his body would
have been beyond where it was found. he
engine was found with lever reversed, indi-
eating that the. engineer saw some obstruc-
ton, or that it jumped the iron before
reaching the bridge.
The railroad commissioner will probably
hold an investigation soon, though it
may be delayed till the fireman RECEIVERS so
as to tell what he knows about it.
NEWE NlICCETy