Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1905-07-08

Fitchburg-Two engineers and one
brakeman were instantly killed, a
fireman severely injured, and another
mans left leg was fractured In a
headon collision between two freight
trains on the Boston & Maine rail
road late Wednesday afternoon. The
other brakemen and a fireman es-
capped with slight Drulses Uy jumping
from their trains.
The collision occurred about 100
yards west of the Wach4seHtItts sSHIt sta sttfftni9M2} Lon
The trains were No. 1887, coal train,
in charge of Conductor George b..
Powers of this city, and train No. $40,
a fast freight which leaves Bellows
Falls at ll.20 a. M daily for Boston.
The latter train was in charge Of
Conductor A. Nj. Fregeau, and was
made up Of 80 box cars, loaded with
pershable goods.
Conductor Powers was stationed at
Wachusett station this afternoon un-
loading coal from the cars. When all
were emptied the train was started
west to cross over on the switch to a
siding. Engineer Clifford A. Smith,
who resides at 80 Winter street, this
city, was in charge of the locomotive,
with Fireman A. H. Blood.
The train was backed up and the
switch was thrown for the train to
cross over. Just as the locomotive got
in the middle of the eastbound track,
train No. $40 came around the curve,
going at the rate of 40 miles an hour.
1t struck the locomotive Of train No.
1887 in the middle, and hurled the
cars in all directions. Engineer Cliff
ford A. Smith was taken from the
wreck shortly after, dead. His left
foot was missing, and he was badly
burned about the body and face. DR..
A. p. Pierce of Leominster, assistant
medical examiner who viewed the
body, said death resulted from being
scalded.
Engineer Charles r. Kendall, who
lives in Charlestown, was in charge Of
the locomotive of train No $40, He is
buried under the locomotive, and his
body had not been recovered up to a
late hour
Brakeman John H. Behan also re-
sides in Charlestown. He was head
brakeman ON train No. $40. His body
Mas taken fEqm uneef e6fh the wkA waepriS r aS
pieces
Fireman Joseph A. Cox Of Roslin-
dale. of the fast freight, is at the
Burbank hospital suffering from the
shock. He has several injuries about
the body. 1t was said that his con-
dition was not serious.
Cox said that he eccaped by jump
ing from the locomotive when he saw
that the collision could not be avert
ed. He says the train was moving
at the rate of 40 miles an hour.
A man. who was employed shovel
ing coal on Conductor Powers train,
and who gave his name as Jacob Per,
kio, a Polander, was taken from the
wreck to the Burbank hospital, his
left leg being fractured. The bones
near the ankle were broken in two
DldCtb. lhlO Dtltu lhuL hC ""o iAA
one of the coal cars when the COLI.
sion occurred and that he was thrown
from the car into the field. He also
is suffering from shock.
Fireman A. H. Blood Of the coal
train escaped injury by jumping from
the engine to the embankment. He
said that he warned Engineer Smith
to jump also, but Smith remained at
his post and did not attempt to get
out. Brakeman Brooks of Conductor
Fregeau's train also jumped from the
top of the train to the embankment
He escaped with few slight bruises
The wreck is the worst that has oc
Cured on the Fitchburg division OF
the Boston & Maine railroad for many
years. The tracks tonight are
blocked, 19 cars being piled up in q
heap Four wrecking crews are at
work clearing the debris.