Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-01-05
a BAD RAILROAD WRECK.
Narrow Escape From Dealt, by Snow
Piow Crew Near Burnhan.


| hcaG-on collision between trains Of liz
Maine Central Railroad. While IN
| collision OF Saturday night WAS of IN
head-on variety. Vet The fact that VII,
train was Ill / SlandSti!l made il pos
Sihle for the accident ID be deprived
Of the horror usually attendant upnr
sac Il collisions. 1t is enough that on,
train crew is on the injured list. suffer
ing broln bruises and contusions 20.
numerous to mention. but without seri-
Gus injuries.
Among the specials sent out from
this station. Saturday night. 70" III,
purpose of keeping the road open in
ihe face of the worst snow storm III ihe
season WIS one made up of a ploW, en-
@ine ana v&booSr 1idIgr digger. This
WAS in charge by Conductor Charles
Huci,. Engineer Edward 'Ghlirn. With
James Coyne as fireman and two
brakemen named Goodalv and Stinson.
Freight train NO. % from Bangor for
this city Was on the read and MAS due
in this city about midnight. and rs Il
srcJi&l Was bound for Bangor. cross
ing orders Were given both trains Tor
Eugnhaln.
Train No. IS. with heavy string
of freight cars staggered along in the
binding storm ANA reached Hurnha.n
head OF the special. There No. II
>,..>!o 10 4 Stundsti!l on the nfain line
ANA waited for tho ploW train. IL WAS
si-G.tiy before the hour d y that the
s,.eci;,l went buon.!Ilg along rear Bum
ham station. Just where the rcspol:-
II. =
10, been determined W.. as the Incl
dent has rot been fully Investigated by
I'LL officials Who qualified 20 such work
Nil il is certain that the special went
lnaIipnG into tie freight ana miXup
:, lI5l,GG which Will be long remember
cd 10y those who We're in il. The en-
sine pulling No. IS va; one of the liG
fellows which is net 10 ~ lifted or its
lrrt ana tuniblei over the ill by any
Hide smoker like that which PULLS tie
construction train under Ed Cohurn
and performs a heap of special duty
q. Just such nights as was Saturday
night. The big frci&hter stood its
ground ana received the impact like a
veteran. With the result that tie little
smoker Went into the mir along With
one good-si2ed snow plow. the tender
went onto It's sid" ana appended
against the cab, Coburn won't flying
through the cab window. Cuyne WAS
! He'd il. d heap un.icT i Pile Of coal and
engine tools. Rack ana Tie tWo brake
men in the scIuicr went lying in All
Gi. Y, lions. ANA H@ far as the confines
o! The car would permit. ANA the tWc
trains failci to cross that night at
E;i.nhauh.
\ vrecl;cr was sent out from this
City with DR.. &. W. Eowrr on hoIrd.
II was / sorry sight which greeted ,l"
eyes Of the Wrerltrrs I H. spc' ial Wa.
piled in 4 heap and broken parts much
after the conlitiVn Which would natUr-
ally be expected to exist when Il EiHss
bail is thrown against a granite rock.
TIE hig f:eighte:, with its stacl, askew,
its number rlate gone, ana liz pilot
crashed to srnit Acrcnns. sn0ted away
as though it had been playing. mastiif-
like with 4 fox terrier. One could
easily imagine that if the big thing
could speak il would have said:
Never touch me-
Fireman Coyne is probably the most
ial. He has 4 bad cut over the eye ana
an injured knee. while he is also very
badly strained about the body. DR..
Bcyer thinks. however. that Coyne will
be ali right again III 4 few days. All
the othc;s OF TIE crew are badly
scratched. bruised ana confused about
the head and body. ana will be very
sti,f and sore for several avs. ~.
Boyer was surprised after looking at
the wreck that no one was killed ard
,-ost wonderful Of all, that no bones
were fractured.
Tho work or Cloa,inG tie tract, or the
wreck progressed rapidly progressed in
spite o: the blizzard and the regula.
traffic OF Sunday was not delayed.
Why the accident occurred viii not
be known until afte. the regular off,
Gals have investiel ted fully. Ii is csr-
tain that both train crews hal orders
TO cross at Durham. These orders
We're being complied with by train 90.
1t has been suggested that Engineer
Coburn. well known to be q good er.,:-
neer and 4 careful runner, mist have
lost his bearings and was not aware Of
his exact location on account Of the
storm and he could not see the
light Of train No. 26 By reason OF tile
plow being ahead OF him. as the acct
dent occurred on piece OF straight
trek
Conductor Buck ard Engineer CO.
burn nave been running together on
construction trains and general road
work for several years. Both are CON
sidered careful and obedient employees.
The damage to the rolling stock will
to several thousand dollars.