The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-19
Result OF a Collision Between n Pas
.enser and a FreIstt Train
at Avon, Masf.
SWITCH WAS NOT SET RIGHT
AND THE TRAINS CRASHED To-
GETHER AT GREAT SPEED.
TIVE OF the Victims Unidentified
Three Were Well Khown i'm
Business Circles.

BROCKTON, Mass Sept. 1S.-A switch not
properly set brought a passenger express
and heavy freight train together with
the resultant deaths Of six passengers on
the express train and injuries TO twenty
five others this afternoon on the line OF
the New York, New Haven & Hartford
Railroad at Avon. The express left Boston
at los p. m. and il was running forty miles
an hour at the time of the accident. OF the
six persons who were killed, but four have
been identified ana these are:
EVERETT JOYCE, OF Brockton, OF
Joyce q Fletcher, shoe manufacturers.
GUSTAVUS HAY, jr., LAWYER OF Boston.
MISS NJ w. TONKIN. of, Oil City. Pa.
a student at Howard Seminary, Bridge
water.
WILLIAM ]. COUGHLIN, Lowell, real
estate dealer, Of Boston.
The two unidentified bodies are those OF
women, one elderly and very large H. hg-
ure. The other was apparently twenty
eight years of age. light hair, evidently
Swede The bodies were taken Immediately
to a freight house near by.
OF the twenty-five injured those most
seriously hurt were taken to the BrocktOn
hospital on a special train.
The accident occurred about 1000 feet
above the Avon station, between two
stretches of thicket and by the side of a
steep embankment. The EXPRESS was one
minute behind time at Aven at ISL A
freight train Of thirty cars laden with
granite. coal and gravel had just been
made up on a siding and was proceeding
south i'm the same direction as the express
Engineer Sheldon, of the freight train
figured he had five minutes to spare TO get
on side track further down. one OF his
over In such manner t1at when the
freight engine struck IL. a turned
on TO the main track. Engineer Sheldon did
not notice this switch quickly enough TO
enable him to stop his train and before he
realized il the express dashed past on the
other track.
The engine of the express and the bag
gage car succeeded in getting by before
the freight engine reached the train, but
the second car Of the train, the smoker.
was struck squarely in the middle and
turned over being thrown down the steep
embankment landing on its side in some
soft mud The third car Of the train. a
passenger coach, was dragged over by the
force of the impact and likewise landed
on its side in the ditch. The last car
the train stayed on the track
The collision came with such suddenness
that the passengers were thrown with
great force from their seats. As the cars
were instantly thrown upon their sides
many passengers fell upon each other and
those underneath We're forced through the
windows into the mud beneath. The
bIOhGu seats anu the neaNN pieces OF lifn-
Der pinned them down. Many were forced
through the windows by the sudden shock.
The cylinder on the right side OF the en-
CINE was torn off and escaping steam added
to the horror. The noise caused by the
accident attracted a crowd Immediately
and it was only short time before hun
dreds were assisting in the work of rescue.
All those who were killed outright
seemed TO be in the third car while most
Of those who were injured were I'm the car
which was struck by the engine. Miss
Tonkin was eighteen years of age, the
daughter of John TOnkin. or Oil City, Pa,
prominent citizen of that place.