The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-07-02

Plymouth to London, Having on
Board Forty seven Passengers
From This Side Who Had Just Dis
embarked From steamer New York,
Jumped Halls at Cathedral Town III
Salisbury and Lenping tn Another
Track Stuck II MIX Train While
Travelling at Rate OF Nearly tile
Minute-COaches Were Torn to
Pieces and Passengers' Bodies Man
EIed Almost beyond Identification.
LONDON, July >. - The American
line express, with passengers from the
steamer New York from Plymouth for
London, was wrecked near Salisbury
and twenty three persons are dead and
eleven were badly injured.
The accident was caused by the de-
railing of the train. Some of the pas
sengers, badly shaken up and bruised,
arrived at the Waterloo station by or
binary train and included the con
ductor of the train, who had marvel
GUS escape from being killed.
Mayor George B. Mcclellan of New
York and Mrs. Mcclellan. who We're
passengers on the New York, did not
board the boat train, continuing their
voyage on the steamer.
After an uneventful voyage the
steamer New York of the American
| line arrived at Plymouth. Eighty pas
sengers debarked, forty seven of whom
! took the late night special train NJ TO
London. This train reached Salisbury
at o'clock In the morning and passed
the station platforms at very high
speed. Just outside the station the To-
comOtlve jumped from the track at
sharp curve and, blowing up the rails,
crashed into westbound freight train
| The engine mounted the girders Of the
/ railway bridge over the river Avon
! passenger coaches in the train The
first of these shot past the locomotive
and crashed into the railway bridge
and was smashed into splinters. por-
| tiOns OF the wreck being hurled com
| pletely over the bridge. The second
and third passenger cars were toppled
over on the line and completely ami
! hilated. The conductors van, contain
ing cooks kitchen. was saved by the
conductor, who promptly applied the
brakes. The scene was appalling.
Rescue parties set at work Instantly.
but to little purpose. and the injured
were forced to remain buried in the
debris long time. AS the bodies OF
the dead were extrlcated they were
laid In rows on the station platform
awaiting Identification.
The body of the engineer was found
on top of the frebox, charred beyond
recognition. 1t was necessary 10 saw
away parts Of the compartments Of the
railway coaches In order 10 release the
survivors and to secure the bodies of
the dead. In one compartment all Of
the passengers except two were killed.
and the rescue of the latter was eX
ceedingly difficult The injured were
later removed 10 the Salisbury lnhrm-
AIRY. where the entire staff. assisted 10y
the local volunteer surgeons. attended
them.
When the engine left the track II
leaped across the adjoining track,
striking with terrific force and destroy
Ing the guards van of milk train
that was slowly steaming IN the oppo
site direction, killing n guard occupy.
ing tie van Lurching forward. the
wild locomotive plunged against the
standards and Orders OF the bridge
The bridge wlthstood the impact Now
the battered engine rebounded aud
crashed into another engine standing
on another track, overturned and stop
ped. the wreckage of the two engines
lnterlocked In n great mass Of broken
or twisted steel aud iron. Throughout
the wild plunging of the engine Driver
Robins. Il issnOt known whether alive
or dead. remained In his cab. Hours
afterward his charred body was found
grilled over the fire box.
The first couch shot over the engine.
the first shock having wrecked the
connections, and careened onward IN
III II was hurled against the parapet Of
the bridge and smashed into frng
ments, killing or manning almost
every occupant one man was shot
through the window. cleared the para.
pet and fell dead In the street below.
The second coach luruhed forward
aud rolled toward a stationary train
aud practically destroyed itself before
It's wild hight was ended.
The third coach dashed forward with
the rest. left the rails aud encountered
some obstruction, overturned and col
lapsed.
The guards wan and buffet. the rear
most car Of the train. was saved 10y
the courage and quickness OF Guard
Richardson. With the first shock Rich
ardson jumped forward and set the
brakes and saved himself and his com.
rades. The van plowed forward. lniur.
Ing some Of III occupants. but prac
tlcally maintained its equilibrium.
The surviving passengers and train.
men describe the sound Of the wrec L