The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-11-06
MAN, TWO HORSES
AND DOG KILLED
BY TRAIN
Martin J. Cummings Meets Death
at Grade Crossing
ACCIDENT AT so. SALISBURY
Was Returning From Cider Mill With
Two Horse Team When Struck
BY Flyer.

- Martin j. Cummings, farmer lVln5
near the village of South SALISBURY,
was instantly killed Friday afternoon
by the southbound flyer over the Rut-
land division of the New York Cen
trail railroad. The accident happened
at what is known as 1.-THE Twin
Crossing" about one and one-half or
two miles north of South Shaftsbury
village. Two horses that were being
driven by Mr.. Cummings at the time
and a dog that was riding with him in
the wagon were also killed outright.
Mr.. Cummings was returning from
the cider mill where he had been TO
deliver a load of apples. From the
appearance after the accident 1t was
evident that the horses must have
been squarely in the path OF the To-
connective when struck. The animal
next to the engine was so tightly i'm
paled upon the pilot by the terrific
force of the rapidly moving train it
was necessary to use steam power to
extricate it, chain was passed
around the body of the animal and
hook passed under the rail The en-
CINE was then backed and the horse
was thus pulled from the pilot.
The other horse was thrown many
feet away from the crossing. The
body of the dog, large sized farm ami
NAL, was cut nearly in two.
After the accident the train was
backed to the crossing and the crew
with the assistance of some of the
passengers placed the body of Mr.
Cummings in the baggage car to be
carried to North Bennington. The
body, which lay at the foot of an EN-
5ankment about ten feet high, was
not mangled in the least
When the train arrived at North
Bennington a telephone message
summoned Undertaken j. Ed Wal
bridge to take charge of the remains.
From North Bennington the re-
mains of the unfortunate man" were
taken by Undertaken Walbridge's as
;istant to the home in South Shafts
bury An examination disclosed
hat the body WIS not badly cut, but
hat nearly every bone in the entire
structure was shattered.
The locomotive upon its arrival at
North Bennington presented a sick
ening sight The front of the engine
and parts of the running gear were
covered with parts of one of the hor-
SEES. 1t was necessary TO use a hose
o clean the locomotive.
Mr.. Cummings was considerably
deaf and this affection may have been
partially responsible for the accident
The wagon in which Mr. Cummings
vas riding at the time was a heavy
II a t.a1 20
kinding wood and the harness were
also completely ruined. The dog
which went to death with its master
was riding on the high seat of the
wagon at the time of the collision.
The train was late and according TO
The engineer was probably running at
The rate of 60 miles an hour.
Mr.. Cummings was 81 years of age.
During the larger portion of his life
he had been engaged in the contract
ing business In the pulp mill line. He
built the mills and also set up the
machinery and had put in a number
Of pulp grinders at different points
in the country manufactured by Olin
Scott of this village. The last job of
| this kind was at Paterson, n j.,
where he had buried small child by
his first wife. He had also lived at
Malone, n. Y where he owned some
real estate.
He came TO Vermont from Paterson
for the purpose of retiring from the
pulp mill business and year ago in
June purchased of Joseph Tacey, now
employed at the grocery store of A.
H. HOLSTER on North street. the 100
acre farm with the stock near the viii
lage of South SALISBURY.
Mr. Cummings was twice married
and by his first wife has a son and
daughter, the son, Martin, living al
Syracuse and the daughter, Daisy, III
WATERFOWL, N. Y. The widow has
one daughter Mrs. George Bentley OF
this village.
The funeral will be held from the
st. John the Baptist church at North
Bennington Monday morning.