Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1898-08-25
.REAR-END COLLISION
Frightful Accident on a Mas.
sachusetts Railroad.
THE SIGNALS FAILED TO WORK
seven People Killed and Twenty .six
wounded-scsIdcd by Escap-
ing Steam.

| Sharon, Mass. Aug. %. "A frightful
rear.end collision occurred in the
Sharon station Of the New York, New
Haven 81 Hartford railroad, at 7:3t
| O'Clock tonight, when an express train
which was running as the second sec
tion OF a long train. crashed into the
fret section, composed OF local cars.
II As q result seven persons were killed
and 26 seriously injured. The injured
were nearly. allremoved TO Boston on a
special train, which was met by ambu.
lances and surgeons. The rear car Of
the local train was completely demol-
ished. and portion OF the second car,
while the engine Of the express train
was crippled. The dead aie:
4 franklin M. Waters, Somerville,
Mass; Mrs. w. J. Fitzpatrick, Boston;
Mrs. w. J. Fitzpatrick granddaughter,
Mary Fitzpatrick, l0-year-old girl;
Mrs. Fitzpatrick's grandson. 10 years
old; woman, supposed to be Mrs.
Watson, OF Westerly, X. l.; Mrs. H. G..
Brisco. Revere, Mass; O. b. Frye.
Revere, Mass.
The two trains which were in the
collision were usually combined into
one long train, but as the traffic today
was go heavy, 1t was divided, the first
section running as local accommoda-
tion, while the second, which started
from Mansfield Is minutes later than
the first, ran as an express. Tho local
train due at Sharon at TOO was Is
minutes late. II left Mansfield on
time, making two stops. and had lost
the lS minutes between Mansfield and
Sharon. 1t was due in Canton juno
tion, the next station beyond Sharon,
two minutes ahead Of the express
train. which should have passed it
there. Sharon is situated on curve,
and both the outward and inward
tracks are protected by electric block
signals.
After the accident II was thought the
block signal protecting the inward
track was set at danger, showing, as 1t
was intended, that there was a train in
the station. There was no warming
given by the conductor of the Mans.
field local, TO show the approaching
train that the track was not clear at
the station, and 1t was not until he was
within 800 feet OF the station that the
engineer OF the express noticed any.
thing wrong. He Immediately set all
brakes and whistled a warning, but IL
was too late to stop the express. II
crashed into the rear car, splitting il
asunder and completely demolishing it,
with the exception Of the roof Its
speed was not slackened until the
engine had penetrated fully five feet
into the rear OF the second car. The
escaping steam entered the car and
badly scalded number OF the occu.
pants. The roof of the last car was
forced on top of the engine Of the ex.
press, and remained there as the only
portion Of the car intact.
Engineer Getchell and Fireman
Holmes. Of the express train, both
jumped. Getchell was cut and bruised
about the head. He stated after the
accident that he lsft Mansfield prompt
ly on time and there was no incident
until he was within 400 feet Of the
Mansfield train. Then he saw the red
lights of that train and shut off steam.
Meanwhile he had whistled for brakes
and used every effort to stop his train.
Every one OF the killed and injured
was on the Mansfield train, and the
only explanation of tho fact that the
number of fatalities is not larger is
that the passengers were all in the
forward end OF the car, and most of
them at the time Of the accident were
either upon the front platform or stand.
ing by the door.
Mary Fitzpatrick, 10 years old, was
taken from the wreck unconscious, and
died just as the special train heaiin
the injured started for Boston. Twenty
one OF the injured were taken on this
train.
The scene about the little station at
Sharon was terrible ono. A large
corps Of surgeons and two undertakers
arrived soon after the accident and im-
mediately set to work to relieve the
suffering and care for the bodies OF the
dead. There were very few lights about
the portion OF the track whore the ac-
cident occurred, and the surgeons were
compelled to do their work in almost
total darkness.
Fifteen ambulances waited tho ar.
rival of the train at the Park square
station, which brought the injured from
the scene Of the wreck. A great crowd
had assembled, and force OF police
men were necessary TO keep them from
crowding onto the tracks.
Lined upon the platform were IL
stretchers, while 80 hospital attend.
ants and number OF surgeons we're on
hand.
Daniel q, MoCann, an express mes
senger on the New Bedford train, had
his right hand and arm badly lacerated
and his right knee painfully injured in
extricating man who was pinned be-
tween tho engines head plate and the
flooring OF the telescoped car, just in
front Of the prisoner lay his wife,
crushed and bleeding, and he was tn-
able to move hand or foot to help her.
The woman died in few moments.
Steam was arising as iu q Turkish
bath. The heat from the escaping
steam was intense. MIR, McCann said
that many people we're slightly burned,
though ii their heroic endeavors to
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