Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-01-30
five kILlEu
By Collision Of Trains
Near DeeTfieId, Mass.
Freight Crashes Into Passenger
Stopped in a Cot.
Dead Are All Employes...colIisio
Was ReaT.end,

OScA hciu, Nhdoo., Jan. -5.--HNe HIGH
were killed and one seriously injured
as the result Of a freight train running
into the rear of d passenger train to-
day. on the Fitchburg division Of the
Boston & Maine Railroad, about
mile west of West Deerfield. The pas
senger train had stopped in narrow
cut, situated on a sharp curve, the en-
gineer having received a signal to stop,
which it is supposed was caused by
a defect i'll the signal light apparatus.
A brakeman, who was Immediately
sent behind to flag the following freight
train, could not reach the freight in
time and the collision followed. Both
trains were westhound.
Conductor G.. Il. Buzzero of the ex-
pres train. living at Troy, n. Y, aged
A. married; G. w. Harrington, bag
gagemaster on the express, Troy. n.
Y: NJ. A. Fitzpatrick, engineer. Rot
terdam Junction. N. Y; Il. N. Denni-
son. Jr.. fireman. Mechanicsville.
The injured: John "A. Clapper ma
rine. l.. S. S. Wabash, sent to Green
field hospital.
Henry Seller. Boston s; Maine brake
man off duty, hands and face badly
burned.
-
to need hospital treatment.
Fitzpatrick, Gotta and DenniSon were
Boston & Maine employees. who We're
travelling in a dead head coach
which was attached to the rear of the
express and which was demolished in
the collision.
The injuries to the passengers con-
sisted mainly of bruises caused by The
sudden stopping of the train and the
shock of the collision.
The scene of the accident was n few
miles east Of this station at point be-
tween West Deertield and South river
The wrecked express left Boston IT
1929 Monday night. bound for Albany.
Just after it had passed South river
the signal Whistl. was blown and the
express was quickly stopped. The rear
brakeman. furnished with torpcdocS and
lights started back at once. but he had
gone only short distance when the
freight train appeared and before il
could be stopped had struck the stand
ing express. Tho rear car of the BoS-
ton train was smashed and those in it,.
some of whom were asleep. We're
caught in the wreckagc.
The point where the disaster occur
red was about a mile west of the West
Deerficld station. The passenger train
No. IL was made IN Of one Pullman
car. one passenger coach, one combina-
ton baggage and smoking car and six
express package cars. 1t left Green
field for the West at 4.0i A. NJ. and
five minutes later 1T was followed by
the freight train No. 1l6a.
The passenger train had stopped at
the West Deerfield station and after
leaving there had proceeded about a
mile when Engineer Hutchns received
a signal to stop. 1t is believed de-
feet in the signaling apparatus caused
this signal to be given. He immediate
ly brought his train to a stop in cut
and on sharp curve.
Brakeman Louis F. Piper went back
and placed his red fuses on the track
at the requisite distance. then pro-
ceeded farther back with his red and
white lantern to give further signals to
the freight train. He had gone but q
few steps. however. when the freight
Numbered down en- him. Engineer Mi
chael Ahearn of the freight saw the
signals, but his train was running
nearly SO miles all hour and he could
not stop it in TIME to prevent a COLI
sion.
The monster freight locomotive
crashed into the rear car of the pas
senger train. which was the combina-
ton baggage and smoking car. In this
car were six men. Conductor George b.
Buzzcno and Baggagemaster Harring-
ton Of the passenger train: NJ. A. Fitz-
patrick. Chancey Gotta and r. N. Den
nison, Jr., employees of the railroad. on
duty, and John A. Clapper. marine.
stationed at the Charlestown navy
ward. OF these men Clapper was the
only one to escape. The trainmen were
instantly killed. Clapper sustained
splinter wounds on the head and fnju-
ries to both feet, but it is believed ne
will recover.
The force Of the collision caused the
combination car to double up between
the locomotive and the passenger
coach which was next to the rear car
on the passenger train. In this car were
q number Of passengers. all OF whom