The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-02-24
CLEARING The TUNNEL
. Expect to Have Trains Running
on One Track Tomorrow.


Wrecking crews, working to clear
away the wreckage caused by the
collision in Hoosac tunnel Tuesday,
found yesterday what is supposed to
be q portion of the body of Archer
Slmonds of Williamstown, engineer
of the electric motor, one of the
four victims of the collision. The be-
lief that what remains of Simondss
body has been found is prompted by
the fact that watch, said TO have
hesn lila, Was found on tia torso. The
first Trip through the tunnel since
the wreck was made yesterday morn.
Ing and another was made yesterday
afternoon when Slmonds' body was
found. Both trips were terrible or
deals for those who made them.
From the way the work of clearing
away the wreckage is progressing, 1t
is believed that 1t may be possible to
run a train through the tunnel on the
west bound track by tomorrow.
superintendent j. T. Tyler of the
Boston and Maine Fitchburg division
w. S. Murray, chief electrician of
the New Haven road, and the man
who had charge of the electriflcation
of Hoosac tunnel, with other railroad
men of various official capacities got
by the wreck yesterday before noon.
They even inspected the forward part
of the steel motor engine. At that
time they found no semblance of any
thing that might have belonged to a
human body. This trip was a test
of the courage of the men who made
| it.
The train which took the party In
was run within 1000 feet of the wreck
and then Superintendent Tyler called
for all those who wanted to follow
him, and, leading the way, he made
a dash for the damaged motor. II
was standing with both trucks on
the tracks, but the front end is
smashed. Within the motor the heat
was even more terrific than on the
outside. Superintendent Tyler went
forward and held his lantern down
into the compartment where the meI
are supposed to have stood. It was
filed with rock and he could see
nothing that looked like human re
mains. IT'S no use, boys" he said.
The others went forward to satisfy
themselves that there was nothing
they could bring back. and then the!
all got out of the motor. A confer
ence was held and it was decided t
make the trip over the piles of rocl
TO the east portal If possible. Will
Mr.. Tyler in the lead they started
down the west-bound track. AS the,
advanced the heat became more in
tense. Each man had a handkerchie
tied over his nose and carried we
sponge held up to his mouth
All about rocks had fallen and il
spaces there were jagged piles fou
to seven feet in depth. Beneatl
these piles the fire was burning
| fiercely. Holding their hands up L
protect their faces and eyes the me-
stumbled on. The constant droppin
OF rocks made a noise like a cannon
ade. Here and there a tongue O
flame would shoot up into the air t
a height of seven feet and all in tn
little party would bend forward an
cling closer to one another to protec
themselves. One or two of the me
wavered but all struggled onward
There was 900 feet of this inferno I
pass through, and when the men stae
gered forth from the east portal int
the arms of the workmen they ran fl
to a binding snowstorm which wa
raging
The interior of the tunnel Is des
cribed by those who made. the tri
through as being veritable furnace
Ii has the appearance Of huge lin,
kiln, stretching for 900 feet off int
the darkness. It is estimated tina
there is at least 1000 tons of rock o
the floor OF the tunnel, which wi
have to be broken up into small piet
es before II can be drawn outside.
viii be necessary to wait until tn
rock is cool enough to handle befor
any of 1t can be moved or broken VI
The plan is to throw everything fror
the westbound track to the cas-
bound track and get this track clea
as soon as possible.