The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-12-07
FOUR KILLED


Lewiston. Me, Dec. -Four persons
were killed and three others seriously in
jured in a head-on collision between
special and a regular freight train on the
Maine Central railroad near the small sta
tion Of Anna nabessacook late last night. The
wreck was said 10 be due To nisundsr-
standing of train orders.
Both trains were going SO fast when
they met that eight of the l3 cars OF the
special were hurled over the engine and
demolished with the greater part OF the
contents. The track was blocked for
hours.
TIE DEAD.
FOREST FLETCHER, South Portland.
engineer OF regular train. Leaves wild
ow
A. r HARTMAN, Portland. engineer
s II. HODGES. Portland. hreman of
extra train.
A. " LOWE. Lewiston. brakeman of
regular train.
The injured:
Charles f. Freeman. Portland. fireman
of regular train, sustained compound frac-
ture OF the arm. which probably will be
amputated.
Thomas Harmon. Portland. brakeman,
cut about tho head and neck scalded
Benjamin Franklin, Portland slightly
injured.
charge OF the regular train. was in his
caboose with two OF his brakemen and be-
W nd A shaking-up and minor wounds es-
C1ped unharmed. as did Conductor Rus
sell I'm charge OF the special. who was
ian his caboose The dead and injured
were nearly all riding in the engines
owing to the late hour at which the
accident occurred all the telephone and
telegraph offices I'm the vicinity were clos
Ell and great difficulty was experienced
III getting word through 20 this city for
help The survivors rallied from the
sudden shock OF the. catastrophe when
they saw its extent and worked desperate
iv 10 reach their comrades imprisoned be-
meath the wreckage some OF them silent
in tho sudden death that had stricken
them, others groaning with the pain or
their injuries and the horror OF the es-
Gaping steam.
Engineer Hartman, OF the special was
taken from his cab alive and fingered un-
til several hours afterward In the morn
ing when he succumbed
Engineer Fletcher was also practically
burned TO death but IL could not be told
whether the others had been killed out
right or died before aid reached them,
As soon as wrecking crews and physicians
could reach the scene arrangements were
made TO carry tho wounded TO the Central
Maine hospital at Lewiston, but later 1t
was decided to remove them directly TO
Portland.
ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY.
The regular train was bound from Wa
terville for Portland aud the special from
Portland To Waterville over the Maine
Central line known as the back or upper
route Conductor Russell OF the special
assumes all responsibility for tho accident,
according TO DIR. Blake of Monmouth, one
OF the first physicians on the scene.
Russell stated that he had received in
strlctions that the regular train was 20
minutes late and the special was given 20
minutes on the regulars time I'm order to
make a siding at Winthrop. Russell said
that In reading the orders he noted the
regulars time for leaving It's destination
at l1IO which was an error Of an hour,
the regular being due To leave Watervillc
at 1910 Basing his calculations on the
wrong time he thought he had time 10
make the siding at Winthrop and gave
the fatal order To go ahead.
CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
While the regular, under full head OF
steam had started UP the grade into
Monmouth and making good speed the
special came rushing down Hill and the
first that either OF the engineers knew of
the others whereabouts. was the head
light Of each on-rushing locomotive,
which was flashed into his eyes aS he
rounded a curve.
There was ono brief second Of dazed
surprise and then came the terrific I'm
pact Into that brief instant. however
was crowded an example OF a quick and
selfish heroism With the flashing Of the
bright light of the special Into his eyes
and as his hands worked with swift i'm
stinct at the levers Fletcher's first
thought was OF his cabmate, Jump
Charley" he cried
Freeman obeyed on the instant and.
although nc does not understand how. he
cleared the engine before the trains met.
Immediately behind the engine of the reg
ular train was n car loaded with lumber.
Freeman had scarcely landed ia his SOM
ersault through space before the lumber
OF this car came rafting about him.
burying him deep beneath the debris.
STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.
Stunned for = moment. but spurred on
by IN excruciating pain Of the depressing
plauks and the steam which had already