Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1894-04-27
A Terrible Accident.

A Terrible Accident.
The Grand Trunk Road has been in
hard luck the past week, occasioned by
washouts. The first occurred last Fri
day, a short distance east of Ncrth
Strattord station, brought about by a
jam of logs in the Connecticut river caus-
ing it to overflow it's banks, and the
track being in close proximity to the
river was partially washed away. Re-
pairs are being made, and in the mean
time the trains are run over the Maine
Central Road which runs parallel with
the Grand Trunk in this vicinity. The
second washont occurred last Saturday
night some ten miles west of Island Pond
but it very fortunately was discovered by
the Scctionmen only an hour or so before
the Montreal passenger train was due
The third, and most serious happened
Sunday morning. At els Il. m, work
train made up of twenty fiat cars and
van, in charge of conductor Thos Brown,
engineer John +. Tracy, fireman Arthur
Danforth, brakemen Thos. White and
Edward Finnegan, with gang of thirty
men left Island Pond to assist in the re-
pairs being made at the first mentioned
washout. The train proceeded tender
forwards, running very slowly. and when
at the iron bridge across the Nuhegan
river, Just as the tender had passed over
he bridge collapsed, caused by the weak
ening OF one corner of the stone abut-
meut by the water rushing rourd it,
and the engine and fourteen of the cars
tumbled into the chasm, one truck of the
fifteenth car hanging over the bank. In
he engine were engineer Tracy, fireman
Dantorth and brakeman White lust be-
fore the crash came they had seen weak
place which they intended reporting, and
The last words uttered were by Mr.. Ira
cy cautioning them to keep sharp look
The engine went down, turning over on
one side in the descent, and lay within
two feet of the stone abutmcnt, the cab
OF the engine shutting out the light. The
water poured through at terrific pace,
and it's force undoubtedly hurled Tracy
and Dantorth through the cab window
for the first that Mr.. Tracy knew. after
a seemingly long struggle for life, during
which, as he informs us, he had commend
ed his soul to God believing there was no
possible escape for him, he was grasping
something which enabled him to reach
ton of seeing Danlorth by his side. He
asserts that never once did consciousness
forsake him. Poor Tommy must evident
" have been pinned down by something
in the engine. and undoubtedly met his
death by drowning, for there are very
few scars on his body. He was young
man of good habits, very much attached
, to his widowed mother and family. and
he was very popular among his associates.
His death comes with crushing force to
Mrs. White and remaining children, and
they have the sympathy of the entire
community in this sudden and shocking
bereavement. Also the young lady to
whom Tommy would have been united
in marriage ere many weeks. How the
other two, dazed and stunned, escaped
from that terrible hole with their lives is
utterly beyond comprehension, and is
only to be attributed to a merciful in
terposition of Divine Providence, and we
are very glad to say it is so regarded by
them. As soon as possible they were
taken to the residence of Henry Gilbert,
where they were treated with the utmost
kindness and consideration. DR.. Blanch-
ard of North Stratford and Ellie of Island
Pond were promptly in attendance and
an examination of the men showed that
Danforth had dslocated a shoulder, was
bruised on one side, and some cuts on
other parts of his body; Tracy is badly
cut about the face, has a blackened eye,
and his back is injured, but both men are
doing well, and able to get about some.
interviewing Mr.. Tracy Tuesday after
noon we found him full of courage, with
an expressed determination to be out in
the village in few days, but that ne
would not play base ball! As may be
expected the sad affair has cast gloom
over this community, tempered, however,
by the thought Of what might have been,
and the fact that two men had been
snatched from the very jaws OF death,
Conductor Brown walked all the way
from the scene of the disaster to sum mon
assistance and relieve the anxious fears OF
his wife. The authorities acted with be-
coming promptness and the two wound
ed men were brought home to their fami-
lies early Sunday afternoon, but the body
OF young White could not be got at until
Monday moraing, Funeral services were
held at the Roman Catholic Church on
Wednesday, and the large attendance, the
beautiful flowers, and the tokens o.
sympathy manifested must have afforded
some consolation TO the widowed
mother. All fee! for her in her distress
I and preot aorrOw