Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1904-09-24

was careless, nine persons were kllleu
and II were cruelty bruised and
manned by the explosion of 50-pound
box of dynamite cartridges on Main
street, Wyoming, at 74S Wednesday
evening. Eighteen others were treat
ed for minor injuries.
Because some one was negligent in
loading this high explosive on an al
ready heavily laden express wagon;
because some one, regardless of the
consequences, did not take the pre-
caution to securely fasten it, one box
dropped to the rails Of the Boston &
Northern street railway on Main
street, near the corner of Wyoming
avenue.
A heavy box car, bearing 80 per-
sons, men, women and children, to
their homes rushed toward the danger
GUS obstacle. The street lamp was out
on account of it being moonlight
night. The motorman unwittingly ran
his car into the obstruction.
In an instant it exploded, whether
by the contact of the wheels, or be-
cause of the electric current, no one
knows. But 1t eXerted its terrific force
with fatal results. The car was torn,
shivered and splintered.
Winfield F. Rowe, the motorman,
was blown 200 feet away and killed.
The hapless passengers were hurled
in every direction. Some were crushed
by the heavy timbers of the car frame.
Others were dismembered by the force
of the explosion and blown through the
windows and the openings made In
| the destruction.
All the injured suffered from very
| painful wounds.
Ex-Mayor Gould, walking by on the
: Sidewalk was injured by ying glass
| and splinters.
| Acting Chief of Police George Fuller
summoned Roy Fenton, driver for
Eastman's express, to police head
quarters, and detained him there pend
ing an inquiry.
FentCn drove an express wagon from
Boston to Melrose with two 50-pound
boxes of dynamite on the wagon. The
boxes are said to have been imperfect
ly loaded.
Fenton had driven half mile be-
yond to the stable before he missed
the box. He was then too late. Pre-
caution, anxiety and energy were OF
no avail then.
The accident happened to car No
IA. an eight ht-wheeled box vestib"led
ear, operated by the Boston & North
ern railroad.
The car left Scollay square. Boston
at 635 p. M, for Melrose, running by
way of Chelsea and Maiden.
Winfield Rowe of Howard street
Melrose, a Harvard student, was th'
conductor.
On the way passengers were dis
charged and Others taken on, severa
persons boarding the car for an even
ing ride out to Melrose and back
When the car approached Wyoming
avenue there were 80 persons ol
board.
IL was Just 7.4S when Motormal
Rowe ran over the farther crossin
of Wyoming avenue and, unaware @
> the danger ahead, brought his car Il
contact with the box of dynamite ly
ing. across the right-hand rail.
There was a terrific roar. blind
, flash followed and for seconds ther
was the rattle of crashing timbers, tn
breaking of steel and the shivering c
n | GLASS all about the scene
s Eye-witnesses saw the body of tn
n motorman hurled from the platfori
0 and dismembered as the trunk wa
thrown 300 feet from the spot. In
mediately, from both sides of the ca
@ there came the manned bodies CT pa:
D sengers.
e The huge car bulk was lifted an
i carried Is feet beyond the spot whel
/ the dynamite had been encountere
g and left a heap the trucks being II
. only consistent sections of the stru
;; ture. Beneath the shattered roof al
q the pile of splinters that had bee
IS the sides and the frame OF the bt
car Law injured men and women groa
- ing
The rescuing of the injured aboun
ed in heartrending difficulties. Fr'
Mayman, a fireman. found an old ms
lying on what had been the floor
the car with two heavy timbers ov
Il him The fireman cut away the c
" struction and lifted the old man to
o cart. going to the hospital with hi
a The saddest sight of all was lit
o Esther Berry. with both ankles ma
o gled, lying beside her manned a
o bruised sister The force that h
> mangled her limbs had blown h
:, shoes 500 feet down Wyoming aven'
q. For half an hour after men a
70 women with bleeding hands and fat
is appeared at the drug store nearby a
e at all of the doctors offices in tt
T. vicinity. Many of them, injured
40 the flying glass and splinters, were
~ the street some distance from the c
n By $50 p. m. all of the injured W.
Is ON the way to the hospital. 7
z, bodies Of those who were killed q
re RIGHT by the explosion were carried
Al Cburchills undertaking rooms.
~ IN William ]. Trafton, superntend
.o of this division of the Boston Nor
cd ern railway. arrived soon after
its accident. MIR. Trafton could net
rm n remnant of the cash register,
es, said that he should judge from WI
lat little he had learned from the coma
ay -w- - ~
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