Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-01-01
Spreading Rails the Cause Scores Res
cued, Flames Searching Flesh
Wonderfu|ESCapeS- Banker rask
Killed in Rear-end Collision,
SPENCER TRASH KILLED,

New York Dec. 31.-Spencer Trask.
the head of a firm of bankers which
for many years acted as fiscal agents
OF the late Queen Victoria, was crushed
TO death in his private compartment
Friday near Groton. n Y, while re-
turning to New York from Yeddo, his
country place, at Saratoga.
Mr.. Trask's compartment was at the
rear of the last car, a sleeper. The
train, known as the Montreal Express,
halted near Croton, n. Y, and was
supposedly protected from the rear
by the block signal system, but it had
hardly come to a stop when a heavy
freight struck it from behind with
great force. The rear of Mr.. Trask S
car was battered in and the front end
of it was telescoped with the sleeping
car ahead. Vice President Daily of the
New York Central said after the
wreck:
THE officials of the railroad are I'M
able to explain the accident. The line
was completely signalled and the ira :
at Croton was practically straight. The
air was clear"
one other passenger was so seriously
injured he could not give his name and
the Negro porter of the same car was
also badly hurt.
Mr.. Trask who was coming into the
city from his home at Saratoga, was
dressing in his compartment when the
freight train ploughed into the heavy
passenger train which is known as the
Montreal Express. When his torn body
was removed from the wreckage it was
found he had partly dressed himself.
The Montreal Express had been stop.
ped by block signal and why the freight
behind it was not stopped, has not been
explained. The freight struck with
such force that it demolished the rear
end of the last sleeper and telescoped
the front end of it, with the sleeper
ahead
The widest confusion prevailed. A
passenger in one of the cars craWled
from a window. Many of the occupants
Of the five sleepers had not fully dres-
sed and they were precipitated, half
clad, into snow banks with the temper
allure far below the freezing point.
Wracking and relief trains were dis
patched from the Harlem yards of the
New York Central and officials of the
company hurried to the scene MY.
Trasks body was removed to the
Croton morgue and the injured pas
senger and porter were cared for by the
local doctors.
The damaged sleepers were detached
from the rest of the train and the MONT
real Express continued its journey 'N
the city, arriving several hours late'
The last two sleepers had been hurried
across the tracks with the freight en-
zine. in such a manner that the wreck
ing crews could not open any OF the
tracks for traffic for more than two
hours and for that time the New YORK
Central system was blockaded.
Vice President and General Manager
Sp it'll of the New York Central, sald
that in investigating the causes OF me
wreck. Engineer Flanagan OF int
freight train and the rear fagman OF
tho messenger train would be import
ant witnesses. Flanagan stuck to his
most MS his engine ploWed into the rear
ae +bo passenger train but he was not
i,,i,red Passengers on the Montreal
Express declare that the rear brake
Van had not gone back to display
danger signal when the passenger
train came TO a stop. The weather was
clear and the block signals were work.
ing accurately, the company reports
News of Mr. Trasks' death was not
made public in Wall street until some
time after the opening of the STOCK
exchange. Persons at the office OF MI
Trask's banking house on WllilaYh
s+roat were told of the bankers dealh
=, .,,o roiIroad officials. The news nad
no effect on the Stock Exchailse'
where prices were slightly ABOVE 'he
close of last night