Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1907-01-24
HsAp-oN COLLISION.
Mail Train and Freight Met friday
Three Trainmen Raoly Hurt.

The mail train north bound from ROs-
ton, due 10 leave South ROyalton station
al 81 p. m, eullided with an extra freight
train, south bound, one fourth oi miie
north Of the station last Friday. Engineer
John Holland and Fireman l.. y. Larsen,
hath Of 81. Albans, and Mail Clerk III. T..
Arlington OF \ shua, y, H., were serious
~ injured, both engines we're wrecked, a.
were the mail and baggage cars of the pas
senger train and three cars Of the freight,
loaded with cattle, twenty head OF which
were killed outright ana eight others so
badly injured that they were soon slangh-
tered.
The mail, which left White River June
tiOn about fiye minutes late, had made up
this time and left South Royalton exactly
at 2-3o, the scheduled time, according TO
the watch OF Conductor John O'Day, cor
rohorated by Engineer Holland Of the
mail and Station Agent A. W, Hohonnan.
There were no orders as to meeting the ex-
ira freight, q, II. Prentiss, conductor,
which, drawn by engine il6,H. Z. Bronson,
! engineer, was rushinga a trainload OF live
cattle TO Boston Tor shipment on next days
steamer. The freight had no orders TO go
TO South Royalton, il is said, but the crew
eyicently hoped 10 reach hsTe and make
the siding before the mail could leave. IL
missed BY about a minute.
There is sharp curve a short distance
north OF this station and Il was while
rounding this that the two trains met.
The freigh' was coming at fast speed, hpt
the mail had not gained full headway.
The engineer and fireman OF the freight
engine saw the danger frst and jumped,
without sustaining Injury. Engineer fiol-
land OF the mail engine, PIP, seated on the
outside OF the curve, did not spy the on
coming freight until il was almost upon
him. He instantly applied the brakes.
/ Fireman larsen was standing In the gang
way. Holland had no time TO give word
OF warning to him, bat jumped from his
seat, grabbed the fireman and pushed him
out on the inside OF the curve, following
him to the ground just as the locomotives
crashed together.
The engines met with such force that
the cabs were thrown onto the boilers,
which were driven from the trucks. The
mail car was telescoped, and the baggage
car from one direction and three cattle cars
1 from the other were mixed In the wreck.
| The forward cattle car was completely de-
molished and the cattle were thrown out,
some OF tn m landing on the locomotives.
Engineer Holland was caught by the
running board and when taken out was
unconscious and supposed to be fatally in
jured. lie had three ribs and the collar
bone broken, received terrible cash on
/ top OF the head and a severe confusion
which closed one eye. Fireman Larsen
suffered dislocated shoulder when he
struck the ground Mail Clerk Arming-
ton was thrown against the asserting
! table in the mail car and had his right
arm broken just below the shoulder, also
suffering internal injuries of the body.
/ The passengers aboard Nere badly shaken
up, but not injured.
The wounded men were taken at once to
the home of William Gould near by and
physicians summoned. DR. ID. l.. Burnett
came first, followed soon by DIR. +. j. Fish
and later by DIR. II. a. Hayward OF Tun-
bridge. Mr.. Lsrsen's dislocated shoulder
wss.set and he was able to go to st. Albans
on the first train. Messrs. Holland and
4 Arlington are still at Mr.. Gould's, being
cared for by their wives, who came as soon
as notified. While their condition is
serious, it is believed both will recover.
| Through the thoughtfulness of NJ. ii.
Hazen, local manager OF the New England
Telephone company, phones were placed
4 by their bedsides at once so they could
talk with their wives at home.
A distressing scene was the agony OF
4 the MANNED cattle before they were put
out Of misery. Some OF the liberated and
affrig hted animals wandered into the
village.
Wreck trains came from st. Albans and
White River Junction, and by 10 O'Clock
the track was cleared. Meme of the trucks
left the iron. The express due at 4:5i,
/ half an hour late, wars delayed here three
and half hours. 1t took the remnant OF
the mail train along.
The accident occurred 100 rods south OF
the long iron bridge, and in almost the
precise spot where, In December, 1905, a
southbound freight met the night express
under similar conditions, disastrous, but
not fatal, wreck resulting.
The claim of the freight crew Friday
was that the mail left South Royalton
station two minutes ahead of time.