St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1909-06-30

The "Air Line" Derailed on a
Bad Curve Below East Bar
net. "A Few Passengers
Slightly Injured. = Track
Blocked for Many Hours.

/. Slightly Injured. - Track
. Blocked for Many Hours.
: Engine 1877 and five passenger cars il
the ditch, with only three persons injured
and none of them seriously, was the
outcome of the luckiest train wreck II
the history of the road. The accident
happened about half a mile below East
Barnet, Saturday afternoon, and wa:
caused by the rails spreading. Air line
No. Al, north bound, in charge o.
Engineer Bedard Of Woodsville and
Conductor Kelley of Plymouth, was
making about its usual running time,
when on the long curve in what is
known as "Snake Alley" Bedard in
looking back over the train noticed that
one car was acting rather cratic and
not exactly tracking the leaders, He at
once reversed his engine and threw the
air brakes into emergency, just in time
to land the train, which was all on the
ground except the last trucks of the rear
car, against a soft dirt embankment
which skirts the curve. The human
ballast inside the coaches was shifted
from one side of the car to the other in
less time than it takes to tell of it, and
without the least exertion on their own
part.
1t was indeed a miracle that no one
was killed. Had the train left the rails
from the other side of the track they
would have gone into the river below
and instead of one of the most fortunate
train wrecks in the history of the road
there would undoubtedly have been one
OF the worst. AS it was not window
was broken and the damage to rolling
stock was exceedingly slight. Maurice
Largy who was the most seriously in
jured of any was seated on the steps of
the second car. There were on the plat
form with him George Skinner, Otis
Shastney, and E. c. Spaulding, and
Douglas Barton stood in the door.
When the train began it's antics Largy
made ready to jump, but before he could |
do so the train was ditched and be was
caught under the end of the car and
dragged short distance. He remained
pinned to the ground until released by
shoveling dirt from under him. He was |
brought here and at the St. Johnsbury |
Hospital an examinat ton showed flesh |
wounds on both legs and one hand, but
no bones broken. His injuries, though |
painful, are not considered serious. |
Largy's home is in Littleton, but he was
formerly employed here in the engine
house. He had been working at Wells
River with a concreting gang and was
on his way to this place to visit his
uncle, Patrick Griffin.
Among Others who complained of in
juries were Mrs Loren Shores of Union
street, who with two grandchildren,
Stanley and Dorothy Shores of Montpe-
iler, was returning to her home here.
She suffered injuries to one side and it
was feared that one rib was cracked.
Lawrence McHugh, another passenger
bound for Morrisville strained the
muscles of his right shoulder, but was as
well as ever Monday when he resumed
his journey. 1t was at first thought
that Baggage Master Ring of Newport
was seriously injured by a flying trunk
but it proved to be nothing more than a
severe shaking up. Among the St.
Johnsbury people aboard the train were
Mrs. Samuel Fleming and son, Bert
Palmer, c. T. Walter, with his daughter
Dorothy and Ruth Hoffman of Lyndon,
and Mrs. Walter Husband and son
Richard of Washington.
A wrecking crew from Lyndonville was
on the spot within two hours and
worked diligently all night, and by nine
o'clock Sunday morning had the engine
and cars on the track. At two O'Clock
in the afternoon traffic was resumed and
the cars apparently none the worse for
the miXup, except for the lack OF steps
and few other exterior attachments,
were hauled to Lyndonville. Besides the
wreckers and railroad officials, hundreds
OF Others visited the scene of the wreck
Saturday afternoon and many remained
throughout the night. 1t was indeed a
pretty sight that confronted the eye as
daylight aed-three trains on the long
curve all ablaze with light, and the
torches andlanterns of the workers max
ing a perfect crescent.
notwithstanding the seriousness OF the
situation when the passengers found
themselves thrown together without
the slightest formality, there were some
laughable Incidents. One man, on his way
home from land where milk and honey ,
are not the only things that flow
awoke out OF a sound sleep, hailed
fleeing passenger and wanted to know if
this was where they changed. 1t was
one of the best behaved
crowds ever caught in a like predica-
ment and every one helped everyone
else. Several women were taken out of
the windows, but even car windows are
limited in size as was discovered by some
OF the rescuers and in at least one in
stance it was found necessary to take
recourse to the more ordinary means of
exit, the door.