Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-07-22
DEATH IN AN INSTANT.
Four Men Run Down by a Fitch.
burg Express Train.
Attempted to Cross Track In
a Carriage.
Scene Of the Catastrophe a Dangerous Spot
Near Miiamstown.

WILLIAMsT0wN, Mass, July 22.-The
"Dugaway," place two miles west of
this town, was the scene of a terrible grade
crossing accident yesterday afternoon.
Four men were instantly killed and two
Others escaped death by the merest chance.
The party was returning from drive
to Pownal, VT, and had stopped a few
feet from the crossing to allow an east
bound freight to pass. Passenger train
i67, Engineer Wcatherby, west bound,
CAME laundering down the other track,
but was hidden from the fated party by
the freight.
The carriage was directly across the
tracks when the engine struck 1t. Prindle
and White had just time to jump, thereby
saving their lives. The other men, with
the carriage and one of the horses at
tached were hurled into the air and came
down in an indescribable heap. Dudley
was the only who breathed after the acci-
dent and he expired after a few brief
gasps. The others lay as they fell, among
the broken and twisted remnants Of the
carriage in which they had been driving.
The mangled carcass of the horse lay a
little to one side, while beside and still at
tached to it by the harness stood its mate,
uninjured.
Did Not Heed Danger Signals.
The team drove to within a few feet of
the crossing and stopped to allow freight
to pass. White jumped out of the wagon
and attempted to board the train, but fell.
Just then the freight engine began to give
short whistles.
Prindle, who has worked on the rail-
road, knew that was danger signal and
"a c< I'm
until both tracks were clear They laughed
at him, however, and no sooner had the
caboOse of the freight passed than they
whipped up their horses to cross the tracks.
Prindle was alarmed and begged the
men to stop. They continued on their
way, but no sooner had they gained the
tracks than the passenger train, which had
been hidden from their view by the freight
cars, dashed into them. There was a
short, blood-curdling cry terrific crash,
and four men We're hurled to death.
It was the worst accident that has oc-
CURED in this vicinity in many years, and
both Pownal and Williamstown were
greatly excited over 1t.
Railroad Not to Blame.
1t appears that absolutely no blame at
taches to the railroad company. William
Blake, who resides within q stones throw
of the accident, and who heard the crash,
Is positive that the engineer of the pas
senger train whistled at the proper dis
tance from the crossing.
Prindle distinctly remembers the warn
ing whistles, while the other survivor
could not be found this evening, and
nothing could be learned at Williamstown
concerning the families of the dead men.
Prindles escape from death was re-
markabie. He lost both feet in railroad
accident some time ago, and how he
jumped from the wagon to safety is a
mystery.
He appeared dazed when interviewed,
and could scarcely realize the terrible
fatality, but he told his story in straight
forward manner and 1t agreed with that
of other witnesses.
AS soon as possible the train was stopped
and several people rushed to the scene.
The bodies were taken out from among
the wreckage, and borne to the baggage
car and thence to the Pownal (Vt.) sta
tion, half a mile beyond. Later they were
taken in charge by Undertaken Comisky
of North Adams, and removed to that
place.
1t is stated that both engineers whistled
and rang the bell at the proper distance
from the crossing, but that these signals
were either not heard or were disregarded
by the men in the carriage.