The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-14
Curious Feelings AS
One Makes the
"Camel's Hump"
THE STORY OF AN EMPLOYE.
Peculiar Condition Beyond
MilIbury Junction
Also Exists.

Grafton, Aug. 13.-"some day that
bridge will be the scene Of an accident
that will knock the Bridgeport trestle
bridge disaster silly" This remark
was made by a passenger on the Bos-
ton & Albany train the past week to a
Spy representative while both were
looking out the car window at MiIlbury
junction at the camel hump So
called trestle which represents a por-
ton of the Grafton & Worcester line
CONSTRUCTED last fall by the Consolidat-
ed street railway officials.
The trestle track in question, while it
is apparently strongly built, is consid-
cred by some, not necessarily cranks, to
be about as foolhardy a piece Of con-
struction as exists in Massachusetts,.
The trestle is near Millbury Junction
station, and on account Of the tracks
of the Boston & Albany railroad, which
connect Millbury with the junction, it
was necessary to cross above or below
them. Those who have ridden in the
one truck open cars which run over the
road, almost to man, say it gives them
the horrors every time they mount the
elevated railroad and plunge over and
down the other side.
No one has questioned the safety of
wooden trueSes, which are cross braced
so as to hold its burden easily and re-
sist against the universal law of gray
ity. But, nevertheless, whether they be
strong or weak, the fear remains the
same.
If a car, after leaving the earth
should, after gaining the trestle, ex-
perienee broken axle, fiat wheel or
broken fange, while there is a guard
rail there, it would in all probability
plunge downward to the ground. No
provision has been made to hold a car
in the event of such an accident
At the present time especially on
Sunday, the traffic is heavy and car af-
ter car is packed beyond it's seating ca
pacity. Men ride on the rear platforms
and many who are over and above anx-
ious to take the trip, ride on the run
ming boards. AS a rule, there are as
many on the latter as in the seats.
Should any person experience what has
been usual occurrence on some lines
some one might get a bad fall, which
might result seriously.
railing on the side would serve as
a preventive. Patrons of the shoot
the-chutes breathe more freely after
| the descent is made, and few If any
speed on toward Grafton after the ride
In mid-air. Several persons from the
centre experienced little fright some
weeks ago Among them was a we'll
known and influential citizen of the
town. His story as told The Spy repor-
ter, was:
eve were speeding toward Worcester
at flying clip, when we suddenly
mounted the trestle, and just over the
| sfIJr1 cfo, To-,
| and vice versa. There was a new mo-
torman being broken in and when they
went ahead, he laughed as if it was a
| good joke. But it was a great relief
| to get back on terra firma."
| AS matter of fact, however, wnlIe
| the trestle is dangerous, as bad OF
worse construction is found before
| Grafton is reached. About mile down
the line from the end of the trestle an
other trestle work serves as a roadbed;
this time it is constructed over the wa
ter. When riding in the cars a patron
| seems to be floating in the water.
| The car speeds away a scant -four
feet above the surface, and while a Few
| have awakened to the fact, others re-
main in ignorance that this is a dan
| gerous place, even more so as time rolls
| onward.
An employee of the road is an au-
| luOrlty LOT the statement Lnat the road
piles driver into the muddy bottom
have settled. The piles are driven -four
IN a row, closely together with the
rows several feet apart but those or
one side Of the track have settled in
the mud one to two inches out Of plurob
II this continues, an accident, 1t Is
feared, win be the result.
The horror in Bridgeport has brought
people to q realization of the dangers
Of trolley traffic. especially where tres
| tie work is an important factor. The
Millbury Junction trestle has beer
viewed by many the past week, and
one engineer. rather young at the bus
mess and looking for information, spent
several hours amid numberless refer
ence hooks and pencil recordings trying
| to find the probable strength of the
| bridge.
An employee of the road said he felt
fearful ever since he passed over the
line, lest an accident should happen
He said the officials were careful in
their selection Of men chat is how he
secured the job and had repeatedly
warned employees to use due caution
but he was afraid something would
break. despite every care.