Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-12-29
AN EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT
n'ASress laden WITH Holiday Visit
sFs Hits Freight Tvain-Victim.
ssher In the CelI-Operatsr
May He Blamed,

and was caused by the collision OF OK.
press No. 5, known as the Pacific ex-
press, westward bound, with an east,
bound freight train. The express was
travelling ut the rate OF fifty miles an
hour. 1t was crowded to its utmost
capacity with passengers returning to
their homes from holiday visits.
The latest estimate of the fatalities
Is that thirty were killed, while thirty
five Or more We're injured.
Fire Horror Averted.
The darkness and the raging of a
Dllzzaru added horrors to the wreck
fortunately the IRE horror was avert
ed There was fire IN the wreckagp
OF the day coach. but it was smothered
with snow and coats which were
thrown on 1t before it gained any head
way.
The Pacific express is very fast
train 1t was delayed by the heavy
travel two hours, and at Wanstead 1t
was speeding to make up time. The
freight was working slowly east under
orders to take the switch at Wanstead
and allow the express to pass.
In the binding snowstorm neither
engine driver saw the the other train
approaching apparently, and the freight
had just commenced to pull in on the
siding when the passenger train came
UP.
The trains came together squarely
head on. In Il second the baggage and
express ears Of the passenger train tele
srop9l into the day coach. This day
coach was reduced to splinters and
fragments back to the last three win
,lOws. As it was crowded the results
were terrible.
For three hours or more wounded or
ma lined passengers were pinned under
meath 'wreckage, crying piteously for
help, while they suffered from expo
sure 10 thu clements.
Cuid gaused Terrible Suffering.
Exposure undoubtedly FASTENED the
Heath of some of those who might
have been saved If it had been only
question of extrioating them from the
wreckage.
The Pullman cars remained OH the
track and were comparatively unin-
tured, although the passengers in them
were severely shaken in the shock.
As soon as possible word was sent to
this city of the wreck, and a relief
train, with dozen London doctors,
was dispatched to the scene. The work
of removing the dead and injured was
at once begun. Half dozen bodies
were recovered within short time
and a number Of wounded removed
from the wreckage. Trains were made
ND to send the wounded to London
hospitals.
Edward Boyse of Prescott was taken
from the wreck alive. but he was 80
friRhtfully injured that he died two
hours after being placed in the hospital
in this city.
T. A. Lamonte of Wyoming was the
night operator at Watford, the teie-
oranh station nearest to the siding at
Wanstead. 1
responsibility for the wreck has not
heen fixed. 1t is said by some that 1t
came through confusion In orders
ror which Lamonte was responsible.
r,amonte was in some way injured IN
the wreck.
Havoc In the Smoker.
r,, ,,rock WAS complete. and it Is
+bouyht that hardly single passenger
IN the smoker escaped injury.
One Of the passengers describes the
..cident as follows: 1--WE were running
At about forty miles an hour wnen
w,thont the slightest warming the two
trains met with terrific force. On ex-
animation 1t was found that the TWO
zines were in the ditch. The bag
90 90 car was thrown on top OF the first
class coach, instantly killing a ereat
mopv and pinning about fifty otner
ra ssengers in the debris Tne screams
means and prayers Of the injured were
heartrending. -. ,o,a.u+
..a mt been definitely fxed, but Ht Is
s Sav to have been due to an opera
49,. . error. The operator at one OF inc
~. lions where the two trains stoppeo
.ars an order to the freight to pass NO
3 ~. pacific express, at Wanstead
D. =, ,a the system Of the Grand TRUNK
.,,,s oder should have been dupiicatea
. |. cony being given to the conductor .s
I'D S'e engineer Of the express Instead
spt t,;s the conductor Of the express re-
o oa,. .. = clearance order telling him 70
e e.,' r,eht through. The freight tra.n
run run r stopped at wan'tead to
side track. v.n.+oad ia not usu.
-. IN duty at night. but ne nappeneu
any - o n the ONCE for few minutes AZ
10 70 ~ I'm. Of the smashup' He was Jus.
the me-, .,D mt at the door when he heard ara
60! so'n ts.,eer.ph instrument click ana A., ea'
the sns. .s TIE message. "stop NO. 49, o.
f' Ss,.,nr a lanterrS the Wanstesd opea
30 dsshed for the door. ana -. =.
s !.s '. 4 behind him he heard tn. aw.
s':' 800 Of the collision hall a mile w