The Somerset reporter., 1906-08-30
Train Wrecked at Pntstield.


Bar Har1or express, which left Portland
at 80 A. NJ. Saturday, consisting of a
heavy mogul engine, baggage car, Maine
Central dining car No 1900 sleeping car
failee, aud compartment car Panama
and two passenger coaches. was wrecked
mile from Pttstield about ten o'clock
Saturday forenoon, coliding with two
loaded freight cars which were stand.
ing on the main line
The dead-Louis A. Gilbert, aged a.,
of Bangor, travelling engineer of the
Maine Central Railroad.
lnjured-Lewls Bailey of Bangor, en-.
glneer. badly cut and bruised about the
face and injured internally.
George Armstrong of Portland fire
man of locomotive, cannot live
l.. Made, porter of Pullman car Pa
mama cut over eye.
Emery Whittier of Pittsfeld, Me.
shoulder badly bruised.
Fri Drew of Bnrnham, Me cut about
face.
Rev. F. E Written. 262 Liberty street,
n. left hand injured
The train was running about go miles
an hour on down grade. An effort
was being made to make up an hour of
lost time when the accident occurred.
A short distance from the scene of the
accident sharp curve shuts off the
view of the roadbed ahead Roundi <
the curve, Engineer Bailey was horr-
fed to see two unattached freight cars
standing on the main line He knew
that an accident was inevitable, but
put on the air, reversed his engine and
stepped down upon the steps He was
hurled from his position, landing by
the side of the track when the big To-
connective struck the freight cars.
The engine plowed completely
through the cars and turned over on its
side complete wreck. The tender
turned somersault over the engine,
landing in the ditch beside the baggage
car, which was thrown over the EN-
bankment, but remained right side up
The baggagemaster F l.. Hall of
Portland was thrown from one end of
the car to the other, and aside from a
severe shaking up he escaped uninjured
The dining car did not leave The rails
with the exception of the forward
trucks which plowed into the roadbed,
the great strength of the car holding
the balance of the train upon the
tracks, avoiding what might have been
serious catastrophe.
Immediately after the accident every
available doctor in the village was
rushed to the scene Travelling Engi-
neer Gilbert, who was riding in the
cab of the locomotive, was taken from
under the forward trucks of the
wrecked baggage car, Several pieces of
heavy wreckage had to be moved be.
fore he could be rescued. He was alive
when taken out but died 10 minutes
later
The engineer was picked up uncon-
cious and removed TO a berth in the
sleeper His injuries are mostly bruises
and cuts about the head and internal
injuries.
rhe fireman George Armstrong, was
sitting on the tender and WAS thrown
with 1t into the ditch under pile of
coal. His injuries were severe. being
badly bruised and cut about the head
and body.
K. L. Wade of New York, porter of
the Pullman car Panama, received a
bad cut over the eye, but was able to
look after himself after the wound was
dressed.
Fri Drew, who boarded the train at
Burnham, the first station below Pitts
field, was badly shaken up and received
cuts about The face.
Emery Written, one of the passen-
gers Ia the day coach, was nearly
thrown through one of the car windows
severely brulsing one of his shoulders.
Rev F. II. Whitten,, pastor of st,
Agnes church at Newburg, N. Y, was
on his way to Bar Harbor. He says
that when the crash came he was
thrown violently against the seats in
front, and the other passengers were
thrown promscuously about The
screams and confusion of the passen-
gers were followed by a deathly still
ness.
William T. Jerome, New York's dis
trict attorney, was passenger in one
of the chair cars. He escaped with
only few bumps and bruises.
w. B. Ridgley of Washington D C.,
a comptroller of currency, was also a
passenger in one of the Pulmans
Among the passengers who were NJ
injured we're Mr.. and Mrs S. Seymour
Thomas of France, who are touring ia
the United states; k. Fulton Cutting
and Judge Crane, New York; Mrs. S.
A Taylor, Fairfield Center. Ne. Mrs.
L j. Carpenter, Montclair, n j.; W.
g Hooker, New York; A. e. Cum
mings, Poughkeepsie New York; Nj. j.
Dickinson, Trenton, N, j.; j. F. Pyle,
New York.
Wreckng trains were Immediately
sent for from Waterville and Bangor,
and arrived shortly after IL o'clock
On account OF the wrecked locomotive
being on it's side in the center of the
twisted rails 1t was necessary to build
temporary track around the wreck.
The wrecking train from Watervlle
was the first to arrive, making the run
of 90 miles in Is minutes. The tempo
rary track was completed at 80 O'Clock
and the several waiting trains were
sent along after wait of about foul
hours.
The railroad officials will not give any
information regarding the manner il
which the empty freight cars happened
to be Oh the main line but it is supposed
that the two stray cars ran down onto
the main track by force of gravity from
the freight depot siding, half a mile
i away.
The body of the dead engineer war
sent to Bangor on train saturday night
100000 for Good Roads
The contract between the city of Au
gusta and the Frank B Lee Co, for the
improvements to the Hallowell Bangor