The Portland daily press., 1898-01-31
FATHER McGRATH AND MIR.
CUNNlNGHAM DIE.
List Of Injured Number Over Thirty
Persons.
TRUE CAUSE OF ACCIDENT STILL
UNEXPLAINED MYSTERY.

Superintendent Mcdonald Visited Scene of
the Disaster Yesterday-Discredits the
Too Sudden Stop Theory-spreading of
Rail Generally Accepted Explanation
The Injured in the Hospitals and Ho-
tells Nearby-Thousandsv Visit Scene of
Accident.
Bangor, Me-, January 80. -Four dead
and more than thirty injured is the sequel
to the sad accident which occurred yester-
day afternoon on the Maine Central rail
road near Orono, two of the most serious.
ly injured, Daniel Cunningham of Troy.
Me-, and Rev. Father Matthew H. Nc
Grath Of South Boston, stationed at
Winn, Me-, having died today. During
the day large corps of physicians has
been attending to the needs of the suffer-
ers, who have received every attention
possible and have been made as comfort
able as their condition would permit.
Many affecting scenes between the injured
persons and their friends and relatives
who came to learn their condition and
offer their assistance, have been witnessed
today.
The list of dead and injured, as far as
can be ascertained tonight shows four
dead, Daniel Cunningham and wife of
Troy. Maine; Mrs. Jennie S Murray,
supposed of Calais, Marie, and Rev.
Matthew a. McGrath Of South Boston.
These are seriously injured: Stanley
Bean of Passadumkeag. Me-, fracture Of
base of skull, case critioal; Howard l..
Maddocks. Skowhegan, Me, fractures of
skull. condition serious; D. E. Atherton,
student in Bangor, theological seminary,
cuts on head and severe shook; Mrs. John
Treat, Enfield, ribs broken, fingers
crushed, scalp wounds and general
bruises A. B. Mclean, St. John, N. B.,
ribs broken, spine injured and severe
shock; Frank q. Jenkins. brakeman,
Vanceboro, Me-, ankle broken, back In
jured. many bruises; j. E, Leavitt, Old
town, jaw broken in four places, bruises;
W. Z. Thompson, Pittsburg, Pa, scalp
wounds, cut face, severe shock
In addition to these twenty eight Others
suffered injuries more or less painful.
AS to the cause of the accident there
are many ru1nors and conjectures but no
definite knowledge. The railroad officials
will say nothing and there will be no
satisfactory information on the subject
until next Friday, when probably, the
railroad commissioners will hold hear
ing in the case.
General Superintendent Mcdonald came
here today in special from Portland and
visited the soene of the wreck, returning
to Portland in the afternoon. One of the
wrecked cars has been placed upon the
track, but it will take week to clear up
the wreck. The track was cleared for
traffic few hours after the accident.
1t is known now that the conductor
signalled the engineer to stop when the
train was on the curve about six hundred
feet from Orono station, having just then
discovered that he had on board three pas.
sengers for that station. Whether or not
this had anything to do with the train
leaving the track can only be coujectured.
The railroad officials say that it 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 it is thought that the action Of
the frost may have so affected the fasten-
ings of the rails as to cause them to
spread. That the rails spread is the most
generally accepted theory. but this Is only
one of dozen theories. Two of the rail
road commissioners were at the scene to-
day and examined the place.
Some of tho injured are in OIdtown
hospital, one in Bangor hospital, several
at the Orono house. several at Bangor
hotels and many others at their homes or
those of friends.
The scene of the accident was today
visited by thousands despite the bitter
cold.