Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-08-25
BLAME PLACED ON
SUB OPERAT OR
Railway Officials Maintain That
Orders Were Sent in Time to
Prevent Fatal Wreck.

Montpelier. Aug. 2c.-Although the cause
of the wreck on the Central Vermont,
near West berlin yesterday has not been
definitely nscertained, as the railroad has
not yet begun It's Investigation and prob
ably will not until the injured men are
able to testify. it would now appear from
tho information thus far gained by the
railroad officials that the blame rests
with l.. i. Menuier. substitute operator
ut the tower at Northfed Falls. through
his failure to signal the northbound train
to wait for the locomotive and caboose
southbound. AT the general offices of the
road 1t Is positively asserted that Meu-
nier received the orders In time but failed
to hang out the board, while tho unfor-
tunute operators friends assert with
equal firmnoss that he gave the required
signal ard 1t was uuhccdcd by the flying
freight.
THREE BODIES BURNED TO ASHES.
All hut two Of the bodies of the victims
were 80 badly burned that the only means
of Identification was by a watch, bunch
Of keys. or some other belongings when
friends Of the dead recognized The BODY
Of Engineer Bergman was in fairly good
condition although it was badly scorched'
the features were recognizable. rms was
also true of Conductor Brudenell, whose
head was crushed In. J. Lane, VINO was
known throughout the country where big
strikes have occurred as Me xican Joe.
must have been pitched into tho very
midst of the fiery furnace a. nothing but
a foot n hand n watch and a revolver
vas found which gave clue to the
s.archers. OF Dubuc but scant remains
we're found: it was as If the man had
been cremated: and the same is said of
Inni,an. The remains of Mexican joe
and Lanigan have been shipped to rea-
tiv.s in New York. The bodies OF Berry
man and Rrudenell and Dubuc will be
taken to their home In st. Adams. 1t Is
said by some enginemen to-day that II
the men had stayed on Instead OF jump
ing they would have escaped as did En-
gineer VIM and Fireman Lamotte.
PROPERTY LOSS IS 10000.
The railroad officials give no estimate
of the property damage 1t has been placed
at 10000 by some, but this figure Is not
official. The railroad carries insure once
on all rolling stock and freight moving on
its lines. The damage to the two engines
probably will not exceed 5000. They will
he taken to the general shops in st.
Adams to be repaired.
The other dead men Were in the cab
of the freight and the light engine.
Engine No. All on the freight. one of the
big compounds, demolished the light loco
motives tender and IS cars behind it piled
up into q tangled mass. The fire left
nothing but scrap iron, which slnplitled
the work of salvage. hundreds of people
visited the scene during the day and at
one time over 80 teams and autos were
parked nearby. The accident occurred
nearly opposite the cold spring water
trough, about Il mile and half below
Northiield Falls.
When the crash came the men in the
cab of the freight locomotive had no time
| to Jump or else were instantly killed.
| The charred skeleton of one of the men
| together with the ribs and spinal column.
could be seen pinned between the tender
| and the locomotive with Il brass or steel
| valve driven directly through the skull.
| II il very probable that the man met in
slant death.
Late IN the afternoon after the wreck
age had been cooled off to considerable
extent, the remains of the skeleton were
picked up on a blanket and removed to