The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-31
TIE TRAIN PLUNGED.
Left the Rails ar Curve With Dire Re-
suits TO Occupants.

Left the RailS az curve with DIRE Re-
suits to Occupants.
Bangor, Me-. Jan. 3l.-Four dead and
more than 30 injured are the sequel to an
accident which occurred Saturday after
noon on the Maine Central railroad near
Orono, two of the most seriously injured,
Daniel Cunningham OF Troy. Me, and
Rev. Matthew II. McGrath of South Bos-
ton, stationed at Winn, Me, having died
Sunday
The disaster happend to the provincial
express which, while bound from Boston
TO st. John and Halifax. plunged over an
embankment six miles east of Bangor.
This express is not scheduled TO stop
at Orono. but Conductor Eupea in taxi
ing tickets found that a number OF uni
versity of Maine students on their re.
turn TO college from passing the winter
vacation had boarded II. He decided to
let them off at Orono. and signaled En-
eineer Fred Little TO stop. The engineer
put on the air brakes, and in an instant
the cars left the iron.
That particular point Is the highest
Smbankment for miles and every car
save the private one of President Wilson
was hurled down its side. The escape Of
this car which was the last on the train.
was miraculous. The draw bars which
held II 20 the next car broke just In time
leaving IL poised and balancing on the
brink Of the pitch. Its position was so
precarlous that the firse move OF the
wrecking crew on reaching the scene was
10 fasten guy lines to it to prevent a sud
den gust of wind from blowing IL down
the bank.
The other cars rolled over and over
again. Four of them landed on the ice
rof small pond. while fifth was hurled
into a field fully $50 feet from the track
Where the train plunged over the EN-
bankment 1t moved down the poles and
wires OF the telegraph companies so that
telegraphic communication was cut off
and the disaster was reported by tele-
phone to Division Superintendent A. A.
White OF the Maine Central wreck
ing train was sent out without delay
end on 1t we're all the doctors who could
be obtained in the short time available.
with nurses and supplies from the hos
pital. Three Orono surgeons were al
ready at work when the train arrived
and later four more came from Oldtown,
al of whom were sorely needed.
Asto the cause of the accident there are
many rumors and conjectures. but no
definite knowledge. The officials viii say
nothing. and there will be no satisfactory
Information on the subject until next
Friday, when probably the railroad com
missioners viii hold hearing in the case.
The railroad officials say that IL is moth
ing unusual for trains to be slowed down
on the curve and that so far as they
know the track was In good condition.
The weather had been very cold for some
days and Il is thought that the action
OF the frost may have so affected the
fastenings OF the rails as 10 cause them
TO spread. That the rails spread is the
most generally accepted theory. but this
ds only one of a dozen theories.
The list Of dead and injured. as far as
can be aSccrtaiued. shows four dead
Daniel Cunningham and wife Of Troy
Me-; Mrs Jennie S. Murray. supposed to
be Of Calais. Me. and Rev Matthew N.
McGrath Of South Boston. These are
seriously injured: Stanley Bean of
Passadumkeag. Me-. fracture OF base OF
skull: Howard L. Maddocks. Skow-
hogan. Me- fractures OF skull; n. r
Atherton. student In Bangor theological
seminary. cuts on head and severe shock:
Mrs John Treat, Enfield. ribs broken.
fingers crushed scalp wounds and gen
eral bruises: \. r. Mclean. 81. John. \.
B.. ribs broken. spine injured and severe
shock' Frank T. Jenkins. brakeman
Nanceboro Me. ankle broken. back In
Jured. many bruises; J. T.. Leavitt. Old
town. Jaw broken I'm four places. bruises:
w. X. Thcmpson. Plttsburg. scaip
wounds, cut face, severe shock. In addf-
tlon 20 these - others suffered Injuries
more or less painful