The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-06-11
BODIES BROUGHT HOME.
Continued from First Page.

trains bound in both directions were held
up.
The train which leaves Boston at 8
O'Clock in the forenoon did not reach
Portland until 43O o'clock, while the
train due here at O'Clock did not arrive
until 7.2O p. m. The train due here at s
O'Clock did not arrive until 11.20 last
night and this was followed in about
half an hour by the night trains which
leave Boston at z O'Clock. They were
not very late but owing to the uncertain
condition of the track on both divisions
all trains were moved slowly.
On the eastern division of this road
things were in still worse condition if
possible, only there had been no one
killed. At Seabrook night freight
| train had plunged into washout and
as this is a single track at this point the
road was completely blocked. All trains
over this division were obliged to trans
fer their passengers and mails by this
wreck in teams and they were all late
into Portland by four to six hours. A
big wreck1ng crew was at work at this
| spot all day yesterday and by midnight
last night had the road cleared SO that
trains could pass over it. To make mat
tiers worse there was another washout at
Benefits road just beyond Kennebunk
and all trains on the Western division
out of Portland had to take the eastern
division tracks at Scarboro crossing and
run on this division to North Berwick
where they were again transferred to the
western division and as soon as the wreck
at Exeter had been cleared away were
able to proceed to Boston on this road
| All of the night freight trains were
cancelled yesterday and last night there
were three trains all made up in the
Boston q Maine freight yard here wait
ing for orders to proceed to Boston. AT
6 o'clock this morning another large
wrecking crew will leave Portland and
proceed to Exeter to aid the crew already
at that place in putting the track in con-
dition for traffic. 1t was stated last night
that half of the cars in the wreck at Exc
ter We're utterly ruined by the accident
and that the locomotive was also badly
smashed up. The damage done to che
Boston 4 Maine by the heavy rain is
very large and it is impossible to estimate
| it, This is the first serious accident that
has occurred on that road for many
months and it has been good many
years since a big washout has been
known on the Boston & Maine at this
time of year.
The fireman, Daniel King, resides in
this city at 1855 St. John street. He was
said to be very badly burned about the
head and body but it was said that he
will recover. He is being carefully cared
for at the Cottage hospital in Exeter.
The bodies of the men who were killed
in the wreck were brought to Portland
last night on the train which arrived here
at 11.30. There was large crowd at the
depot to witness the arrival of this train
and among those awaiting the train were
some of the relatives of the unfortunate
men. Mr.. Rankin, the engineer of the
train lives just opposite the Union sta
ton in very pretty little cottage house.
In the chamber and parlor of this modest
dwelling the family of the engineer
awaited the arrival of the train which
should bring to them his body. 1t was
a very sad hearted procession which bore
| to this dwelling the body of him who had
| left it only short while before in the
best of health and spirits and the little
knot of railroad men who stood about the
sidewalk while the casket was carried
into the house made no attempt to conceal
the tears which rolled dove their cheeks
as they aided the undertaken and his as
sistants in carrying the casket into the
] house.
Fireman King was conscious yesterday
morning and said: "The first thing I
knew was going over and over. The
steam was scalding me and thought my
last day had come. AS the engine struck
bottom was hurled into the mud and
water. My cries for help were heard by
Conductor Thurston, who tried to help
me up the embankment. Help was sum-
mond and was brought here"
Engineer Charles Rankin was found
dead between his engine and tender. Both
| legs were cut off. He left wife and
four children.
Brakemen Young and Chandler were
found almost buried in the mud. They
were crushed under the cars.
| Since the accident there has been con-
tinual washout going on at the rate of
two feet in two hours. The loss to road
bed, rolling stock, etc, is estimated at
nearly $1oo, 200.
| One car was loaded with granite, con 1
signed to Exeter, and one with potatoes.
| The others were loaded with cotton from
Biddeford.
| At 1870 residents near the accident were
awakened by the noise and cries of those
| hurt, rushed to the wreck and then rang
in the alarm from Box 81 getting out the
fire department. for help. No such acct
dent happened in Exeter in recent years.
The scene Of the wreck was visited by
hundreds of people.
Charles Rankin, the engineer of the ill
fated train, who was killed at Exeter,
lived on St. John street. He leaves a
wife, two sons and four daughters.