The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-22
A REAR END COLLISION
Express Train Crashes Into a
Section of Local Cars.
THE KILLED AND INJURED
A Death List OF Seven-The Rear Car
Was Completely Demolished-The
Engine of the Express Was
Crippled.

Sharon, Mass, Aug. 21.-A frightful
rear-end collision occurred in the Sha-
ron station of the New York, New Ha-
ven and Hartford railroad at 1880
o'clock tonight, when an express train,
which was running as the second sec
tion of long train, crashed into the
first section composed of local cars
AS a result seven persons were killed
and twenty-six seriously injured. The
injured were nearly all removed to Bos-
ton on special train, which was met
by ambulances and surgeons. The rear
car of the local train was completely
demolished and a portion of the second
car, while the engine of the express
train was crippled. The dead are:
FRANKLIN NJ. WATERS, Somer-
vile, Mass.
MRS. w. ]. FITZPATRICK, Boston
MARY FITZPATRICK, her grand
daughter, ten-year-old girl, and her
grandson, Is years old.
A woman supposed to be MRS. WAT
SON, of Westerly, r. /.
MRS. Fl. G. BRISCO, Revere.
The injured: James II. Fitzpatrick,
is years old, Boston. j. II. whitcomb,
ioootOI' hTS. d. II. w nlICOInD, BOSTON,.
Mrs. James Ray and her aged mother,
Jamaica Plains. Mr. Crockett, Somer-
vile. Mrs. Alice Braman, South Bos-
ton. Mr. and Mrs. Ericsson and child.
Daniel c. Canter. ID. c. McCann, South
Boston. Fred Tudor South Boston J.
Ogden, Lowell. Mrs. J. Ogden, Lowell.
Mrs Maggie O'Conner and two chill
dren. George Quinn, Providence. Miss
Fitzpatrick, Boston, s years old. Mr.
and Mrs Iphn Gordon
Dadman, Boston. Mrs. Ida NJ. Walker
Waltham. j. A. Philips, Boston. A. l..
Newmark, Pittsburg. Joseph NJ. Mann
Providence. Mrs. Della V. Brennan,
South Boston. Marguerite NJ. Grim
shaw, Somerville.
Two trains which were in the collision
were usually combined into one long
train, but as the traffic to-day was so
heavy it was divided, the first section
running as local accommodation; while
the second which started from Mans
field 10 minutes later than the first, ran
as an express. The local train, due at
Sharon at 1902, was 13 minutes late. 1t
left Mansfield on time, making two
stops, and had lost the 13 minutes be-
tween Mansfield and Sharon. 1t was due
in Canton Junction, the next station be-
yond Sharon, two minutes ahead of the
express train, which should have passed
IL there. Sharon is situated on a curve
and both the outward and inward tracks
are protected by electric block signals
After the accident ii was thought the
block signals protecting the inward
tracks were set at danger showing, as
ii was intended, that there was a train
in the station. There was no warning
given by the conductor of the Mansfield
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 anything wrong.
He Immediately set all brakes and
whistled warning, but it came too late
TO stop the express. 1t crashed into the
rear car, splitting it asunder and COM
pletely demolshing it with the excep-
ton of the roof. Its speed was not
slackened until the engine had pene-
trated fully five feet into the rear of
the second car. The escaping steam en-
tered the car and badly scalded a num-
Der of the occupants. The roof of the
last car was forced on top of the engine
of the express 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 left Mansfield prompt
ly on time and there was no incident
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
Everyone of the killed and injures
was on the Mansfield train, and the
only explanation of the fact that the
number of fatalities was not larger IS
that the passengers were all i'm thu Cor-
ward end of the car, in the act of
alighting at the station. There We're
about so people in the last car and
most of them at the time of the acci-
dent were either upon the front plat
form or standing by the door,
Mary FitZpa trick. 10 years pld. was
taken from the wreck unconscious and |
died just as the special train bearing
the injured started for Boston. Twenty
one of the injured were taken on his |
train and four others whose names they
refused to disclose remained in Sharon. |
The scene about the little station at |
Sharon was a terrible one. a large |
corps Of surgeons and two undertakers |
arrived soon after the accident and |
Immediately set to work TO relieve the |
suffering and care for the bodies of the |
dead. There were very few lights about |
that portion OF the track where the |
accident occurred. and the surgeons |
were compelled to do their work in al |
most total darkness.
Fifteen ambulances awaited the ar 1
rival of the train at the Park Square /
station which brought the injured /
from the scene of the wreck. A great 1
crowd had assembled and a force of 1
policemen were necessary to keep them
from crowding on the tracks. Lined 4
up on the platform were IL stretchers. |
while so hospital attendants and a
number of surgeons were on hand.
Quite a number of the patients We're
taken in charge. but the greater num-
ber were taken to their homes. Daniel /
c. McCann. an express messenger on
the New Bedford train, had his right
hand -nd arm badly lacerated and his
knee painfully injured in extricating a
man who was pinned between the en-
gine's headlight and the flooring Of the
car. Just in front of the
prisoner lay his wife. crushed and |
bleeding, and he was unable - move
hand or foot to help her The woman