Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-04-04
A MASS OF ROCK
Wrecks the Montreal Express
Near Mortified, Vermont.
Fireman 0'Neil KilIed-0ther Engine
Men Had Wonderful Escapes.
Two Engines With Heavy Train Crash
Into the Rocky Mass.


rock which had fallen onto the tracks
of the Central Vermont Railway one
mile south of Mortified, caused the
wreck of the northbound express run
ming from Boston to Montreal at $40
A. NJ, Friday. The locomotive and
three cars plunged over an embank-
ment 40 feet high, but only one man
lost his life, Timothy O'Neil of North
field, the fireman. Although nearly all
on board the train were violently shak-
en-, none of the other train hands or
passengers were injured beyond a few
slight bruises.
The express was the regular night
train which leaves Boston at $50 p. M.
and runs over the Grand Trunk via.
White River Junction. Thursday
nights express was made up of IL cars,
three of which were for mail. baggage
and express, Pullman sleepers, day
coach and second class cars. AS the
train was quite heavy one there had
been some delay at points south. AT
Bethel the regular express locomotive
became disable and it was found nee
essary to order on a freight engine. In
charge of this was John Lynch of st.
Adams, engineer, and his fireman was
Timothy O'Neil of this town.
The train was due here at 2.40 o'clock
but was fully an hour late.
When at a point about one mile south
of Mortified where there is narrow
cut, the engineer was startled to see a
great pile of rocks covering the tracks
within range of the headlight.
The speed of the train was fully 80
h1,t fhnro
an instant in which to act. Lynch
says he does not remember anything
further after reversing the engine and
applying the brakes until he picked
himself up from beside the remains of
the big locomotive and three of the
cars which had been hurled down an
incline. the bottom of which was 40
feet from the roadbed.
The locomotive struck the pile of
rocks with terrific thud, which SEEM
ed to life the huge machine into the
air. The forward cars, express, mail
and baggage, left the rails and would
have piled upon the locomotive had not
the mass suddenly swerved from the
road and tumbled over the embank-
ment, the cars sliding ahead of the en-
CINE in the descent.
Engineer Lynch supposes he must
have jumped during the progress
downward. but his memory on this
point is not clear. His escape is re-
garded by the other trainmen and by
himself as miraculous.
Fireman O'Neil was buried in the
ruins of the ponderous machine and it
required half days labor before his
mangled body could be extricated. He
had relativesNin this town.
All the cars containing passengers
did not leave the roadbed, although
one or two were derailed. The people
in the Pullmans were not as severely
shaken up as those sitting in the day
coaches. although some of the Pull
man passengers were thrown from
their berths. Among the second class
passengers were quite a number of
French Canadians, who it is supposed
had been working in the Lowell cot
ton mills and were on their way to
Canada. None were hurt.
The tracks were torn up for dis
lance of about four rods and traffic was
blocked all the forenoon, making sew
eral transfers necessary at White Riv-
err Junction. The wreckers hoped to
have the line open during the after
noon.
II is supposed the mass of rock which
caused the accident became loosened
on the side of the big bluff by rain
washing away gravel supporting the
stones. Action of the frost late in the
winter it is thought may have loosened
the rocks and made their descent on
the road possible. All those who have
viewed the scene of the accident mar
veled greatly that the wreck was not a |
much worse one in view of the condl-
lions and nature of the land in the vi |
cinty.
Arrangements were made during the |
forenoon to transfer the passengers |
and baggage to train which will take |
them to their destination.
After the crash the intense darkness |
added much to the difficulties of the |
trainmen. When all but the unfortu- |
nate fireman had been accounted for,
Conductor Sweeney walked to North
field and notified the railroad officials
Of the accident. Word was sent to st. |
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