The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1901-01-19
Six Men Now Are Reported to
Have Been Killed.
Trains Running Regularly at g O'Clock
Last tNight-PrOpcrty Loss S2OO,OOO.

posed to be clear and the engineers were
hurrying to reach the next siding.
Down around the next curve the train
going east was doing Its best to get up
sDeed for the grade ahead. Both firsmen
were snoyelllng coal into their fire boxes,
both engines were putting like fiends and
the red flare from the fireboxes palpitateo
on the trails Of smoke stretching away
into the night.
OF course the olamor or the laboring OF
the engines drowned all sounds from
distance. Added to that was the thick
ness OF the night. Suddenly ths head
lights of the approaching trains hared at
each other through tine darkness They
were so near then that 1t was impossible
TO do anything to check the speed.
Those who were on the cars at the reor
and those who escaped from the engines
can give no intelligihle account OF the
terrible scene Rt this nomsnt OF collision.
There Wasn't time Co know whas
struck u.s." said one Of ths conductors
who was able to jump and save himself
when those four engines came piiing up
together going as they were at twenty
tive mile an hour clip there was sight
that have never seen pArallslsd and
have seen one or two smash ups in my
time. When they struck there was Just
one great blaze OF red FIRE that aImost
blinded q man. There was the shock Of
the collision that shook the ground fer
miles about. Then came several ex-
plosions from the engines that had locked
themselves in a death embrace. No rail-
road collision in the country ever offered
a more awful spectacle. for it isn't often
that four engines come together at full
speed. / shall never get over the shock of
that sight and that horrible noise."
When the gigantic impact of the tons OF
steel occurred, a dozen cars came pillng
on top of this locomotives that mAssed
themselves together in inextricabIe con-
fusion. Immediately these cars took
fire and the flames were communic lted
to the telescoped cars piled In dreadful
confusion along the track and at this foot
Of the EN- mbankmeht.
The survivors after picking themselves
out OF the snow where trey leapsd,
sought to save their companions who
Peter Thompson, aged thirty five, and
Montreal man, was buried under his
engine. His screams led the rescuers to
him. When the men pulled him out his
lett foot was detached at the first pull
aud remained under the driver that had
cut 1t on. Thompson died IN few min
utss after he had been removed from the
wreck. His body was taken to the station
at Loekss Mills.
The engineer and the fireman in the
first engine jumped and saved themselves.
They received only bad bruises. One
fireman had his arm and shonlder ba dly
injured ana 6undry, another fireman,
came In contact with telegraph post In
his flying leap. One eye WAS knocked
out and he Is badly broken up and re-
ceiyed internal injuries that may cause
other complications. Engineer Thomas
Parker escaped without serious injury.
There were two conductors riding In his
engine and they jumped with him ana
escaped.
W. q. Oliver of Bangor, a brakeman,
was instantly killed. He leaves wife
and three children.
Engineer Thompson leaves a widow.
He had been married but few weeks.
One OF the tiremen who saved himself
tells the correspondent that there were
two tramps on a car, the third one back
from the engine and he declares that
both these men were killed. He states
that soon after the wreok and before the
fire Ielche1 the bodies be saw the intestI-
mems or one of tne.e men sticking out
through the shattered car. or course
nothing Is known as to the identity OF
thee men.
GORHAM MEN INJURED.