Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-11-26
TWO MEN INJURED.
Engine Crashes Into Box Car at Salem
Mass III

Salem, Mass. Nov. IA misplaced
anitch caused an accident in the Salem
yard of tho Boston N Maine RailrOad
here. this morning. which involved 4
monetary loss OF SSA0 or $1,000, DELAYED
traffic Tor som. hours and resulted in i,i-
jarics 10 the fireman Of the Bangor
boston Pullman train and TO an Arm
strong Transfer agent.
An extra freight train from Boston fog
the east was standing on the outward
track waiting for the Pullman TO pass.
that il might proceed through the tuH.
n"l. The head brakeman. Of this freight
which WIS in charge Of Merrill u. Pray
conductor. had thrown the cross-oyer
switch, thinking that some cars were TO
be set on for Salem.
The brakeman. whose name is not
known here, found the switch light ont.
but did rot right 1t. nor did he when h..
iniDd that 10 cars were TO be set reset
the switch. He left the switch set as a
cross over TO III" track where the extra
freight was standing.
The Pullman. VIM. Cromwell. conduc-
tor. Frank kcnnard. engineer, and Bert
Woods. fireman. drew in from the cast on
time. a1I. made its usual stop in the Sa-
lem depot and then proceeded on It's way
To Boston. When it reached the mis-
placed switch about half a mile from the
station. il was going at the rate OF l. Or
Is miles an hour.
. The switch light being out and nothing
tu show that the switch was set against
him Engineer kennard had no warning
Of the impending crash until he felt his
locomotive. mammoth mogul. No. ~,
Swerve from the straight line and plunge
, fun into The side Of box car about mid
way the length of the extra freight.
This was an Erie Railroad car. loaded
with Cottonsecd meal. It was ripped open
like 4 pasteboard box. the meal strevn
for yards around. and the car WAS finally
tipped over on its side. The next box car
and the next were also topplefl over and
smashed. The pilot of the mogul was
mace.
work along its left hand sodc smashed
or and the cab plintercd into bits.
Fireman Woods was just raking down
his fire. and was therefore no struck, rs
hc wolld have been had he been on hi
seat but his foot was caught between
crushed. Engineer kennard was not in
iurcd in the least but stuck TO his seat
throughout the affair.
Yardmen who witnessed the affair
rushed toward the wreck. expecting TO
find all hands killed. when what their,
surprise to see i<cnu3rd wave his hand
out of the fragments of the cab and hear
him shout: I'm All right boys. Nobody
killed here.
The mogll was deraiIed by the glancins
blow it struck the freight and ran Tor
some Yards on the ground and sieepers
bat was not overturned
Thomas Mailing Of Sslem. messenger Tor
ths Armstrong Transfer Co.. who was II
Re rear ear when the crash came, was
thrown down. stepped upon by others
ana sustained serious internal injuries.
Wm. Cromwell. conductor of the Pull
man. was also thrown down and his arm
was badly vrcnched. Several other pas
s"ngcrS ana mail clerks We're bruised ana
shaken up by being thrown from .heir
seats and bcrthS.
Several hours were necessary TO replace
the rolling stock on the rails and ~ r.
pair the track, which had been baui!
torn IN by the accident.