Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-09
NARROW ESCAPE
From Terrible Accident on the
Rines Hill Crossing.
Electric Car on Track in Front of the
Accommodation Train.
Train Stopped in Time-No One Hurt
Slight Damage.

1t was only by rare combination of
circumstances, which were attended by
good luck that was a trifie short of
marvellous, that there was averted, at
the Rines Hill crossing, Saturday after
noon, a railroad accident of such hor-
ror of detail that it is too terrible to
contemplate.
Rines Hill crossing is probably one
Of the most dangerous grade CROSSINGS
in the State. Rines hill, from which
the crossing takes it's name, rises to the
southeast from Water street at an an
gle of about per cent, over which
passes the track of the Augusta, Win
throp & Gardiner Railroad Co. At the
foot of the hill the track crosses the
double track of the Maine Central, the
rails of the two tracks intersecting
diagonally. The approaches to the
crossing are blind on both the steam
and electric roads, as far as seeing each
other is concerned, and while of course
there are gates and signals maintained
by both railroad companies, still there
have always been approximations felt by
many people in account of the posi-
blity of an accident of such a nature
as that which occurred, Saturday af-
ternoon.
The accident occurred shortly before
$50 o'clock it being collision between
train No. 800 on the Maine Central,
which is the South Gardiner and Au-
gusta Accommodation due in Augusta
at that hour, and car No. II of the Au-
gusta. Winthrop & Gardiner Railroad
which is also due in the city at $50
The Accommodation train was in
charge of Conductor Warren w. Wight,
Engineer Emery Adell and Fireman
Walter Trask, while on the electric car
were Conductor Geo. Boynton and
Motorman Ola Robbins
AS near as can be ascertained the
accident was due to a slippery or
greasy" rail ON the Electric road.
is the custom, and as the red ball at
the crossing was down, as well as the
gates Indicating that train was APP
preaching, the brakes were set, and an
attempt was made to stop the car; but
it was futile, and the car continued to
move down the hill.
At the same time train No. 500 came
i'll sight. Jos. l.. Simpson, who is gate
man at the crossing, saw that there
was trouble with the car, and that q
collision was inevitable, and at once
tried to signal the approaching train
by partly raising the red ball. and by
other means. Engineer Geo. White Of
the shiftcr, was also on the crossing.
and he, too, signalled the train.
1t happened that the train had a few
minutes to spare, and Engineer Adell
was running slowly, so that when he
set the emergency brake, rs he passed
the standpipe, the train was stopped
almost within its length. The car by
this time reached the crossing, and
had come to a stop directly in front of
the train, which was barely moving.
Put in spite of this fact the pilot
of the engine hit the car with
force enough to tip it up on one side
and throw the rear set of trucks from
the track, besides tearing some OF the
finish from the side of the car. The
only damage done to the locomotive
was to break one of the flag sockets on
the pilot. One of the gates at the
crossing was broken by being struck By
the car as it came down the hill
There were between Is and 80 people
l.
When the car had nearly reaching the
crossing, the majority of the passen-
gers hurriedly jumped to the street, so
that when the collision occurred there
were but very few in the car. There
We're a number of ladies in the car.
and in jumping several Of them were
thrown to the ground, but aside from
some slight bruises, none were in
jured.
Both the motorman and conductor on
the electric stood to their posts. Mr..
Robbins the motorman, is one of the
oldest. in length of service, on the road.
as well as one of the most careful, and
Conductor Boynton is also a trusted
employee. and both did all that was in
their power to avert the accident.
The car was not injured sufficiently
to interfere with it's running, and after
it had been worked back onto the irons,
it continued its trip up Water street,
and was on the route during the even
ing.
1t was most lucky that the accident
happened as it did, for had it been an
express train or a freight which caught
the unfortunate car on the crossing,
no estimate can be made as to the re-
suits. The Accommodation train is a
light one, and can be easily stopped,
but with a heavy train, moving at a
good rate of speed the damage would
have been great, even if not accompa-
MED by loss of life.
w. ?. Berry, clerk of Augusta Camp,
No. 400, has paid to Mrs. Lorrn Chap
man, a check for $1,000 the amount of
insurance which Mr.. Chapman had in
the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr.