Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-12-07
FOUR DEAD IN THIS WRECK
Head-0n Collision on the Maine Genital Railroad Causes a
 Bad Wreck
ORDERS WERE MISUNDERSTOOD

pie were killed and three others se
 riously injured in head-on collision
 between a special and regular freight train on the Maine Centra
 railroad near the small station oi IAnnabessacook late last night. The wreck was said to be due to a mis understanding of orders. Both trains were going so fast when they met that eight of the thirteen cars of the special were hurled over the engine and demolished with the greater par of the contents. The track was
 blocked for hours.
 The dead are:
 Fireman Hodges, of the special. Engineer Forrest Fletcher, South Partland, of the regular train. leaves widow.
 Engineer Hartman, of the special.
 Brakeman Rowe of Lewiston.
 The injured:
 Fireman Charles F. Freeman of Portland, of the regular train, sus- tained compound fracture of arm which may have to be amputated at shoulder.
 Thomas Harmon, Portland, brake man, cut about the head and neck, scalded.
 Benjamin Franklin. Portland. slightly injured.
 Conductor Russell, who was in charge of the special train, was in his caboose with two of his brake men, and beyond shaking up ar minor wounds, escaped unharmed, as did Conductor Hargraves in char of the regular who was in his ca boose. The dead and Injured were nearly all riding in the engines.
 Owing to the late hour at which the accident occurred all the tele- phone and telegraph offices in the vicinity were closed and great diff culty was experienced in getting word through to this city for help. The survivors rallied from the sud- den shock of the catastrophe when they saw it's extent, and worked des- perately to reach their comrades im- prisoned beneath the wreckage, so of them silent in the sudden death that had stricken them. others grooming with the pain of injuris and the horror of the escaping steam. Engineer Hartman of the spec, was taken from his cab alive and fingered until several hours into the morning when he succumbed. En- gineer Fletcher was also practically burned to death. but 1t could not told whether the others had been killed outright or died before aid reached them. As soon as wrecking crews and physicians could reach the scene, arrangements were made carry the wounded, some to Lewis- ton and some to Portland.
 In the indescribable confusion of the wreckage deep beneath which were the imprisoned men the worf of rescue proceeded slowly.
 Fireman Hodges, of the special. was wedged so tightly between the engine and tender that 1t was in possible to remove him. It was hoped that his wounds had rendered him unconscious at the first impa for the live coals of his machine slowly roasted his head to a crisp.
 Fireman Freeman managed to jump from the cab before the trains met. but a mass of lumber from freight car landed on him, crushing one arm and otherwise bruising him Doctors say that while he must lose his arm for the entire length, he will probably survive.
 Engineer Hartman, Engineer Fletcher and Brakeman Rowe were buried in the piles of wreckage and their bodies were not reached for some time after the wreck.
 The regular train was bound from for Portland and the 'pecial from Portland to Wateryille ,ver the Maine Central line known Is the upper route. Conductor Rus 'ell. of the special, it is said, admits 1e had received instructions that the -egular train was seventy-five min- ltes late and the special was given Ieventy minutes on the regulars lime. in order to make a siding at Russell said that in reaa ng the order he noted an error of m hour in the regulars time for eaving its destination, but thought le had time to make the siding at and gave the order to go head.