Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1907-03-07
Troubles Of the Railroads.

A sensational freight wreck, which BY
marvellous good fortune escaped being a
disaster, occurred at 81. Johnsbury Fen. y.
An extra freight train ON the ~, Johns
bury 4 Lake Champlain was on its way
10 st. Johnsbury from Hyde Park, aud
consisted Of an engine, eaboose, aud nine
teen cars. Three or four miles from 81.
Johnsbury, the air brakes refused to work
and the train ran wild. The grade is
very steep one, and the train gained
friehttul momentum.
The train crew jumped, the only person
hurt being Engineer Mitchell, who sus-
tanned internal Injuries which are not
likely TO prove fatal,
A shifting engine Was about To be at
taehed 10 some loaded freight cars IN the
st. Johnsbury Yards, when the engineer
saw the "wildn train coming. lie
immediately pulled away from the cars,
which were struck with great force. The
engine was badly damaged, as were the
cars that were struck and those In the
wild train.
Under the circumstances II is difficult to
see hos the outcome could have been less
disastrous, The freight had met the mail
train just before II begun Its wild" race.
A freight wreck ON the 81. Johnsbury
4 Lake Champlain railroad near ST.
Johnsbury Center, Feb. 10, delayed traffic
for several hours. Spreading rails caused
the derailment OF nine cars and the tender.
No person was hurt and the cars were not
damaged.
Thursday night, three engines OF this
Central Vermont went wholly or partially
out OF commission in hurry between
Montpelier and Williamstown. Engines
2l0 and l0i, the latter just out OF the shops,
collided at Montpelier, 2i0 suffering most.
A compound had its drawbar broken at
the same place while shifting. The
branch train on its way to Wiiliamstown
left the rails. causing delay.
The American Trust Co. OF Boston has
| brought petition for foreclosure against
the Mount Mansfield Electric railroad,
which runs between Waterbury and Stowe.
The Barre city council has passed reso-
luton insisting that the conditions under
which franchise was granted the barre
| and Montpelier Street Railway company
be observed by the company under penalty
OF legal action, which means injunction.
| Officials OF the Barre Central Labor
| union and others, who wrote some time
T, ago to the chairman Of the state railroad
commission, John W. Redmond OF New
port, asking for an opinion from that
board regarding the alleged discrimins-
ton on the part OF the Barre and Mont
pelier Power and Traction company in Is
suing two and one-half cent fares on GER
have received reply from that gentleman.
The answer construes the giving OF the
alf-rate tickets as not discriminatory,
under certain provisions, namely, III the
tickets are good to anyone travelling on
the cars specified and il the schedule IL
posted according to the specifications oil
the railroad law, passed at the last session
of the legislature. The company with
drew the workingmen's tickets recently
alleging that it could not issue them undeI
/, the new rate law. The company also de-
, chued to carry policemen aud firemen fres
for the same cause, but has now resumed
, doing so, as it was bound to do under thu
!, franchise.
An attachment Of $4,000 was placed OF
the property OF the Rutland Railroad Co
Mar. as the result of q suit brought b,
W. w. Rider, a Bristol attorney, for sever
injuries said to have been sustained in tn
wreck OF Vergennes Dec. /, 1906. The cas-
is retuI bile at the next term OF Addison
: county court. 1t is claimed that Mr.
Rider is still confined to the house by hi
injuries.
, The New England States Limited, run
ming close to sixty miles an hour, between
West Berlin and Montpelier Friday even
ing, jumped the two rear pairs OF locomo
tive drivers from the irons and ran severa
: train lengths before the enginee. coul'
bring it to stop. Aside from tearing NJ
the road bed somew hat, there was no dam
= age done. The train left the Junctio
: about three hours late. No cause
q known for the accident as the first pair @
drivers did not jump. At the point wher
the accident occurred the rails are lai
along a steep embankment.