The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-10-04
BAD WRECK
ON RUTLAND
Flyer Hits Freight at North
Bennington.
ONE ENGINEER INJURED
Locomotives We're Wrecked and
Traffic Held Up Until Early
This Morning.

Passenger traffic through North
Bennington was delayed through n
large part OF yesterday afternoon and
most OF the night by wreck just north
OF the station. The Rutland flyer due
In North Bennington ut $40 collided
with Boston Il Maine freight caus'
ing q mixup OF wreckage that was not
cleared away until early this morning.
II Is remarkable that there we're no
fatalities. Both engine crews jumped
and all escaped without injury except
Engineer Edward Hastings OF the pas
senger train. Hastings is large man
weighing over 200 pounds and when he
struck the ground he was thrown heav.
lily on his side and dislocated shout
der. lie also received slight cuts on
one OF his knees. Local physicians
we're summoned and the dislocated
shoulder was put In place. Later tire
Injured mao was taken to Rutland ov-
err the Delaware & Hudson road.
The passenger train was made up OF
engine 20i3 which was in the wreck at
Walloomsac last winter, combina-
ton express and mail car, smoker,
three coaches and Pullman. II was
In charge OF Conductor John Lee,
Engineer Hastings and Fireman Frank
Sampson and had on board an unusu.
ally large number OF passengers.
Sampson was on the engine when 1t
went tn cugh the Walloomsac smash
up and his face and arms are yet bad
ly SCARED from the burns caused by
escaping steam at that time.
The Boston & Maine freight was Ia
charge OF Conductor Conley Hsrrigan
Engineer William Riley, and Fire.
man Gordon Shaeffer.
The two trains came together short
distance south OF the curve some 200
yards north OF the station. The freight
was proceeding slowly north prepara-
tory to backing on to siding TO make
way for the flyer. The freight had al
most come to standstill when the fy-
err came around the curve. Engineer
Riley had barely time to put on the
air brakes and jump before the two
engines came together.
Engineer Hastings being on the right
hand OF the cab was unable to see the
freight until the engine was we'll
around the curve. He at once put on
the air brakes and did all in his pow
err to check the speed of his train but
the two engines came together with Q
crash that was heard long distance
away.
The freight train sustained the most
damage. The cab of the engine was
crushed against the boiler, the tender
was thrown into the ditch and one OF
the IA freight cars was completely
smashed. The passenger engine drove
SO far into the freight that the smoke
stacks nearly touched.
w ucu tuo Drdhco WCiO ohuo uO"h ~
the flyer the speed was reduced so rap
idly that the passengers were thrown
forward against the seats in fro mt OF
them but there we're no injuries except
in the case OF an unknown elderly wo-
man who received sprained knee.
The freight cars were soon pulled
out of the way with the exception OF
the smashed box car and passenger
train was made up from coaches here
and at North Bennington to convey
the south bound passengers. The
special got away about 6 O'Clock and
the wreck train arrived from Rutland
at about the ,ame time.
The responsibility for the accident
has not been placed. That the freight
train was shifting on the time OF
the flyer is evident but to whom the
blame should be given is not known.
Engineer Riley OF the freight train is
one OF the most careful men in the SER
vice and has an excellent record.
About four o'clock this morning the
wreckage was cleared and the road
put in condition for traffic.