The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-09-11

A freight wreck in which there were
none killed outright but which resulted In
serious injuries 10 a brakeman and 3wo
ether men, occurred on the New London
division OF the New York, New Haven
and Hartford railroad company at Wood
River Junction last night. A local freight,
No. $40. was switching on the SPUR
track TO Hope Valley and Wyoming.
when an extra train made up OF eight
cars loaded with horses which the Ad-
ANS Express company were forwarding
TO New York crashed into the rear end.
Instead OF telescoping the rear cars, the
engine OF the special mounted the rear
cars and made a bad pile up which
blocked both the tracks on the main line
for several hours.
The car which was picked up at ProT-
dence was the worst smashup OF the ex-
tro train though the horses which came
from the summer colony at Newport were
said TO be unintured. Two attendants who
were In this car were Jammed by splin-
tered timbers and Matthew H. Hatch, a
brakeman on the extra train was badly
hurt. He was attended by DR. Saunders
OF shamrock. who accompanied him 10 the
hospital at New London, where II was
found that three ribs were fractured and
the left shoulder blade and clavicle were
broken. His condition is considered dan
gerous
The other seven cars which came from
New England points further east were
practically uninJured.
A wrecking train was sent out from this
city and as II was several hours before
the tracks was cleared, the 9:OS from
Providence TO New York and the regular
Adams Exprese train were held over here
The Gilt Edge from New York was bull
letined 2h hours late and It was sent
around by way OF Pittsheld
GILT EDGE ENDANGERED
Residents in the vicinity of the place
where the accident happened state that
the noise OF the shock could be heard
Tor three miles and the farmers were
awakened from sound sleep and many
OF them hitched up their rigs and drove
over 10 see what was the trouble, so
that there was nearly 100 wagons and
carriages I'm the vicinity. The Gilt Edge
express. which was due at Wood River
Junction had a narrow escape from being
involved In the smash-up and was only
saved by the prompt work OF w. Fred
Clark of Wood River Junction and
Charles Low OF Boston, a brakeman on
the special trains whose signals were
seen by the engineer in time TO bring
the fast train with its precious freight
70 standstill. The train was a little
late or II would have reached the scene
when everyone was occupied about the
wreck, but II was detained at Westerly
where an unusually large amount OF ex-
press matter was Neft.
1t was supposed that the signal opera-
Dor woud protect the trains which were
involved In the pileup. but the engineer
on the Gilt Edge states that he had n
clear track and had he been 30 seconds
sooner nothing. but a miracle could have
saved them. for he had received signals
forsa clear track.
The thought OF the danger OF the an
preaching train appears 10 have first oc-
curred to w. Fred Clark, who "a an en-
p1oyee of the railroad at Wood River
and he rushed down the track with a ian
tern and Mr. Low. with red signal and
torpcdos ran down the track with an fsea
OF doing what they could 10 stop the ex-
press.
Fortunately the engineer noticed the
frantic waving OF the lantern and
brought his train TO n standstill just in
time.
PASSENGERS WE'RE GRATEFUL.
Many well known persons were on the
train, including Hon. Melville Bun. VIII
liam Campfon, OF Hyde Park. Mass. Mr..
Morgan. son OF J. Pierpont Morgan.
Pembroke Jones and other Newport peo-
pie and Mr.. Charles r. Duckworth OF the
J. b. and s. M. Knowles Co. OF this city.
Mr.. Duckworth states that the pas
eengers were shocked. when they learned
how near they had come 10 n collision