Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1898-08-24
FATAL REAR IND COLLISION.
SIX KILLED TWENTY-sIx HURT
Terrible Accident in Railroad Sta
tiOn at Sharon, Mass.-TwO Sec
tiOns of a Train Smashed Into
Each Other, TeIescOping Cars.

Sharon, Mass, Aug. PA frightful
rear end collision occurred in the Sharon
station of the New York, New Haven &
Hartford railroad at 1880 o'clock last
night, when an express train which was
running as the second section of a long
train crashed into the first section, COM
posed of local cars. AS result six per-
sons were killed and 2G seriously injured.
The injured were nearly all removed to
Boston on u special train, which was met
by ambulances and surgeons. The rear
car of the local train was completely de-
molished and portion of the second
car, while the engine OF the express train
was crippled.
The Dead.
The dead are: Franklin M. Waters,
Somerville, Mass; Mrs. w. j. Fitzpatrick.
Boston; her granddaughter, Mary Fitz
patrick, l0-year-old girl; her grandson,
l5 years old; woman supposed to be
Mrs. Watson of Westerly, K. l.; Mrs. IL.
G. Briscoe. Revere.
The Injured.
The injured are: James H. Fitzpatrick,
Is years old, Boston; j. III. Whitcomb.
Boston; Mrs. j. IL. Whitcomb, Boston;
Mrs. James, Ray and her aged mother,
Jamaica Plains; Mr.. Crockett, Somer-
vile, Mass; Mrs. Alice Braman, South
Boston; Mr. and Mrs. Ericsson and child;
Daniel C. Cantor, d. c. McCann, South
Boston; Fred Tudor, South Boston; j..
Ogden, Lowell; Mrs. j. Ogden, Lowell;
Mrs. Maggie O'Connor and two children;
George Quinn, Providence; Miss Fitzpat-
rick, Boston, years old; Mr.. and Mrs.
John Gordon, Boston; c. w. Dadman,
Boston, Mrs. Ida M. Walker, Waltham;
j. Philips, Boston; A. L. Newark,
Pttsburg; Joseph NJ. Mann, Providence;
Mrs. Della V. Brennan. South Boston;
Marguerite NJ. Grimshaw. Somerville.
How the Accident Occurred.
The two trains which were in the col
lision were usually combined into one
long train, but as the traffic today WAS
so heavy it was divided, the first section
running as a local accommodation, while
the second, which started from Mansfield
10 minutes later than the first, ran as an
express. The local train due at Sharon
at 1902 was l3 minutes late. 1t left Mans
field on time, making two stops, and had
lost IL minutes between Mansfield and
Sharon. 1t was due in Carton Junction,
the next station beyond Sharon, two min
utes 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 elec-
trio block signals. After the accident
it was thought the block signals protect
ing the inward track were set at danger,
showing, as it was intended. that thare
was train in the station.
There was no warning given by the
conductor of the Mansfield local to show
the track was not clear at the station,
and it was not until he was within 300
feet of the station that the engineer Of
the express noticed anything wrong He
Immediately set all brakes and whistled
warning, but it was too late to stop
the express. 1t crashed into the rear
car, splitting it 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 es-
Gaping steam entered the car and badly
scalded a number of the occupants. The
roof of the last car was forced on top
of the engine of the express and remain
ed there, as the only portion of the car
intact.
The Engineers story.
Engineer Getcheli and Fireman Holmes
of the express train both jumped. Get
chell was cut and bruised about the head.
lie stated after the accident that he left
Mansfield promptly on time, and there
was no incident until he was within 400
feet of the Mansfield train. Then he saw
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 local, and the only ex-
PLANTATION of the fact that the num-
ber of fatalities is not larger is that the
passengers were all in the forward end
of the car in the act of alighting 1T
the station.
There were about 80 people in the last
car, and most of them at the time of the
accident were either upon the front plat
form or standing by the door.
Mary Fitzpatrick, 10 years old, was ta-
ken from the wreck unconscious and died
Just as the special train bearing the in
jured started for Boston. Twenty-one of
the injured were taken on this train and
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