The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-12-01
FIFTEEN KILLED,
THIRTY INJURED
Fog Caused Rear-End Collision Near
Boston.
THE VICTIMS BURNED IN WRECK.


Lincoln, Mass, (SpeeiaD THE most
disastrous railroad wreck in this state
for many years occurred at 8.15 o'clock
at Bakers Bridge Station, mile and a
half west of Lincoln, on the main line
of the Fitchburg division of the Boston
and Maine Railroad. The regular Sun
day night express which left Boston at
7.45 o'clock for Montreal via the Rut-
land system, crashed into the rear OF a
local train which started from Boston at
7.I5 for points on the main line and the
Marlboro branch.
At least IS persons were killed outright,
burned to death or suffocated, and 80 or
more were seriously injured. Many pas
sengers sustained minor cuts, bruises and
burns.
The wreck was primarily due to thick
weather, which apparently obscured sig
nails set by the forward train, which at
the time of the disaster was standing
in front of Bakers Bridge Station The
Montreal train, drawn by two locomo-
tives and consisting also of nine cars,
crashed into the rear of the Marlboro
branch local, demolishing the two rear
cars.
All of the passengers killed and seri-
ously injured were. in these. The passen-
gers lived in Concord, West Acton, May
nard Hudson, Marlboro and several
smaller towns in the Assabet Valley.
None of the passengers on the Montreal
train was seriously hurt, but the engineer
and fireman of the leading locomotive
were killed
The wreckage caught fire, and some of
the passengers were incinerated. Few
persons live in the vicinity OF Bakers
Bridge Station, and no fire department
was available, so that the flames practi-
cally burned themselves out The unin-
jured passengers and number of train
hands, assisted by villagers, went to the
aid of the injured and many persons were
rescued. -
A special train was sent from Boston
by the Boston and Maine management at
o.35 o'clock and reached here inside OF
half hour The train brought NUM-
Der of doctors, while many doctors from
Waltham and other places in this section
were sent to the scene in carriages and
by other trains
The railroad station and number of
dwelling-houses were turned into temper
airy hospitals and many volunteer nurses
assisted in relieving the suffering of the
injured. just before II.3o o'clock spe-
cial train carrying those who were the
most seriously hurt, who could be moved
in safety, left for Boston, where arrange
ments were made to have all the avail
: able ambulances convey them TO the hos
pitfalls.
The train upon which practically all
the casualties occurred left the North
Station in Boston at us o'clock with
four cars filled with passengers, most of
whom had been visiting relatives in that
city and vicinity. The train runs over
the main line of the Fitchburg division
and stops at way stations.
The second train which figured in the
collision is known as the Sunday night
Montreal express, with St. Hyancinthe,
Quebec, as its destination.
The Montreal train does not stop at
the small stations, and after passing
Waltham does not stop ordinarily until
it reaches Concord, two miles west of
Bakers Bridge Station. Owing to the
heavy local traffic the Marlboro branch
train was behind time when it reached
Bakers Bridge. According to the state
ment of persons who were at the depot
there, brakeman was sent to place a
fuse or red-fre torch in the rear.
The night was unusually dark, partly
owing to dense mist which came up the
Sudbury River According to those at
the station at the time the torch had
not been set more than minute before
the roar of heavy train around curve
short distance east of the depot was
heard.