New-York tribune., 1905-11-27
FOURTEEN DEAD In WRECK
IMPRISONED IN FLAMES.
Way Train and Montreal Epmess
an Collision.
[Ry Teleerapn o mae Trinune. ]

BY Telegraph 10 The Tribune-I
Lincoln, Mass, Nov 26-At least fourteen
persons were burned or crushed to death early
tonight when the Sunday night Montreal Ex-
press crashed into Marlboro way train at
Bakers Bridge. small flag station about mile
and half away from here on the Fitchburg d-
vision OF the Boston and Maine Railroad. Two
score more were injured. most of them fatally.
The scenes of horror and suffering were the
worst which have attended any wreck in this
State for years. Women and children lay pin
ioned under the wreckage in most cases prac-
tically uniniured. awaiting the slow approach OF
the flames. which ultimately burned them to
death.
Bakers Bridge is only a hamlet. with fire
fighting apparatus available. Nothing could be
done for those who could be writhing in
the flames. and the fire burned itself out for lack
of fuel by the time the wrecking train arrived,
an hour or r.ore after the accident
heavy fog which came up from the Sudbury
River was responsible primarily for the wreck.
The way train, in which were all the killed but
two and of the wounded left Boston at
7:1J. Half an hour later the Montreal express
pulled of the north station. 1t consisted of
nine ears and two locomotives. The way train
passed through Lincoln few minutes behind
its schedule About minute later the express
tore by the station al full speed 1t was i'm
the engine driver of the express failed to the
tail lamps of the Marlboro train and piled his
train up on the local just as it pulled out of the
station The last two cars of the local were
demolished entirely. One locomotive. smashed
into its component parts. held down the wreck
age. The Goals from it's frebox dropped in
among the splintered cars. and in few minutes
the mass of timbers and human bodies had be-
come a huge funeral pyre
The uninjured passengers, the train crews and
some of the villagers rushed to the assistance of
those imprisoned IN the roaring furnace, but
were able to rescue only a few of the less in
jured-those who lay on the edge of the heap.
Then the heat of the flames drove them back.
after the hair and clothes of some of the res
cuers had been burned frcm their bodies. After
few minutes. fierce and desperate work all
they could do was to watch the teath of the
victims.
1t was some time before word could be got to
Boston, and it was not until 9:35 o'clock that
the wrecking and relief train, consisting Of two
wrecking cars and coach filed with surgeons
and nurses, left the yard of the North Station.
reaching here half hour later. Most OF the
relief party came from the emergency hospital
station in Haymarket Square. Dozens of physi-
clans from Waltham, Lincoln. Concord and
other nearby places were summoned by tele-
phone and rushed to the wreck by carriage ana
trolley BY the time they arrived all those inn
prisonei in the wreck of the last cars were dead
At IL 80 all the most seriously injured, who
had been in the other cars who could be moved
in safety were put on a special train for Bos-
ton. where they were met by every available
ambulance at the North Station. and rushed to
the City and Emergency hospitals. Every house
in Bakers Bridge turned into temporary
hospital and was filed with the manned, while
the station served as a morgue, with injured
lying beside the dead.
The Marlboro way train consisted of four day
coaches filled with returning suburbanltes.
Nearly all the casualties occurred in the two
cars which were burned. most of the passengers
being bound for Concord, West Acton. May
nard Hudson Marlboro and several smaller
towns in the Assabet Valley. Practically the
sole casualties on the Montreal express were
the deaths of the engine driver and fireman OF
the first locomotive.
The Montreal express does not stop at the
way stations and ordinarily after passing wal
than does not stop until 1t reaches concord
two miles west of Bakers Bridge, leaving the
,,roi, treck at acton. The local train had
dropped train at Bakers Brldge
with signal light. but he did not nave tlIne 10
fire II The express crashed into the local with
all the momentum to be gathered from the
weight of two locomotives, two milk cars, Two
beggage cars a mail car three coaches and a
PuIiInan sleeper going at thirty-hYe miles an
hour The forward engine c1Inoed Oh Top VI
the last two cars of the local, the rear car nav
ing been tossed on top of the one before IT.