The Springfield herald., 1907-09-20

straight piece of track, about a mile in
length, and the Quebec express had
rounded the curve into this stretch
when tho two engineers saw the head
lights of the opposite train burst out
of the fog. Both engineers set their
brakes and then jumped.
In another instant there was clash
and both engines were lying together,
mass Of wreckage, in the ditch beside
the track. The baggage car next to
the passenger locomotive had been
driven back into the passenger coach,
telescoping it and crushing the lives
out of half carload of people. AT the
same time nearly every one else In
that car was injured. A few escaped,
but those who were in the sleeping car
in the rear were saved from death by
the more sturdy qualities of their car
Wreckage Bures Dead and Dying.
The accident occurred at 4:24 a. M.
just as the dawn was showing In the
east. The moment after 1t happened
train hands who had escaped injury
and passengers in the sleeping cars
were looking upon one of the worst
wrecks ever seen in New Hampshire.
The locomotives lay in tangled
pile. The baggage car, partly derailed,
was held nearly upright by the wreck
age of the demolished day coach, one
side of which had been completely
ripped off, while the remainder was
was sOund to splinters by the force
of the shock. A smoker behind the
day coach stood on the rails with ends
demolished and windows broken. The
sleeper was practically unchanged.
In the debris of the passenger coach
lay more dead and injured than could
be estimated at the moment. At once
those who had escaped harm saw their
task. The cries and means of the in.
jured prompted speedy action. Out
from under broken beams and splin-
tered joists bleeding forms were
dragged and laid on broken seats or
blankets from the sleeping car.
Wounds were hastily bound up with
sheets torn from the berths. and such
other help as could be hastily provided
was given. An hour elapsed before
physicians could be brought from Han
over, White River Junction and Ca
naan. The dead were placed beside
the track to await more satisfactory
disposition.
AS the sun rose the full horror of the
disaster became apparent. Along the
side of the track lay the dead, yet un-
covered. A little further off were the
living, some stretched on the ground,
with relatives, friends or strangers
binding the wounds and encouraging
them. There were comparatively few
in that crowd of rescuerS who did not
show some wound from the disaster.
One of the passengers who was in
the smoking car to the rear of the pas
senger train described the accident as
follows:
81 had one of the seats In the middle
of the car when the train left White
River Junction, and. like everyone
else, was doing, when someone woke
up and began to sing. This aroused
nearly everyone in the car, and some
of the men decided to go back to the
next car for smoke. | Joined the pro-
cession. My companion in the seat
stayed and was killed
Thrown from Seats.
I'VE had scarcely taken our seats
in the smoker when the brakes were
suddenly set, and we were thrown out
of our seats. The next minute there
was a crash, and found myself on the
floor, covered with broken glass from
the windows, but unhurt. We crawled
out from under the seats and stumbled
out the rear door. The front one was
completely obliterated by the end of
the passenger coach.
Everyone seemed dazed for what
seemed five minutes. Then were heard
groans, moans and finally shrieks from
the front OF The train. and running
forward, we saw the wreck of the pas
senger car. 1t was Just light enough
to see a little, but it made one sick
to see even that much. Everyone then
began to work hard, and it seemed
hours before help came"