The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1901-01-19
lsrEc1A1 TO the rREss.J

LtFEAAAI 40 THE ftthSosl
Lockes Mills, Me-, January ls.-The
worst head-on collision for years on the
Grand Trunk Railroad occurred at II 20
this morning when two trains, east
bound 4th No. 90. and west bound No.
S5, collided about two miles west OF this
station.
East bound train 4th No. 92, in charge
OF Conductor L. Foley and Engineers
Barker and Hill with engines Nc. S14
and No SIS. coIlided with west bound
train No. S6, Conductor B. q. Damon
and Engineers Roberts and Thompson
with engines No. 900 and No. sll at the
foot OF Walkers grade under full speed,
killing Engineer Roberts, Engineer
Thompson, Fireman Ross, Brakeman
Oliver and two tramps, names unknown; |;
also seriously ininring Engineer HIN.
soon after the accident tire caught and
the whole mass was in flames, consuming
thirteen loaded cars which were piled in
heap on top of the four engines.
Engineer Thompson was taken from
the wreck before It caught fire and lived
tifty-five minutes. His remains were
taken to this station and sent TO Berlin
on the forenoon train. The other unfortu-
nate men are cremated in the ruins.
Engineer Barker, Engineer Hin and
firemen OF 4th No. 92 jumped for their
lives and Engineer Hill hit q telegraph
pole ana was seriously injured. though
at this writing nothing definite can be
obtained.
1t Is reported that the night operator at
Shelburne was asleep when the east
bound train passed that station thus fall
ing to give them orders which had been
received for them, and as soon as he
caused by his carelessness he forged the
signature of Conductor Foley thus en-
deavoring to shift the blame from him
self.
All the deaths occurred on train No. S5,
west bound, they not seeing the east
bound train In time to jump. AT an
early honr this morning the Berlin fire
department were asked to send an engine
TO extinguish the burning trains. They
arrived at about s. so this morning, but
owing to their not bringing hose connec-
tions they had to send to Berlin alter
than. This caused a delay of four or tive
hours. After that they could not draw
water from tie river so had to take the
enei Inc of the car and place it side OF the
river. At last at $50 they succeeded in
getting a stream OF water on the wreck.
Work In clearing away the wreck is
progressing fast as possible but at four
O'Clock tonight small progress had been
made on account of the intense heat.
The railroad officials refuse TO di sclose
anything, but the above is given out as
being ooi rect by the trainmen and others
who know the circumstances,
The thirteen cars consumed contained
as follows: Two cars paint, one car
lead, one car pulp, one car apples, one car
dress goods, one car peas, one car honr,
and the balance being loaded with
through freight for the west.
Passenger trains run as far as ths wreck
and then transfer passengers and bag.
gage but 1t will be several hours before
traffic will be resumed.
Another account says: The wreckage
early Friuhy morning When uho PSoDko
from the surrounding country arrived on
the scene was fearful 20 behold. Cars
were still burning and exploding. Some
of them were loaded with chemicals ana
explosives ana every few minutes one
would blow mp with q great boom ana
with o scattering OF goods all about over
the scene Of the accident.
Two miles from Bethel there is long
hat meadow across which the railroad
embankment runs,
The railroad is elevated here some
twenty or thirty feet above the meadow.
There Is considerable grade. The train
going west drawn by the two locomotives
was slamming along down the grade at
great rate of spsed for this track was sup