Norwich bulletin., 1913-10-04


 and Baggage Car of Passenger Went
 Into Sand Bank at Trading Cove No One Hurt.
 Like a certain Sunday three weeks l ago when the Central Vermont rail- road had two smashups in the same day on it's line near here, it had an other day of double catastrophes on Friday.
 At Pecks Hollow in the town of Franklin an engine and nine cars of a southbound freight train left the rails and piled up into a heap at about 12.30 o'clock Friday morning, probably caused by spreading rails, and this was followed in the after noon by an accident just south of the Trading Cove trestle where the tender and baggage car of northbound pas- senger train left the rails and top- pied over into the sandbank at the side of the track.
 In the first accident, the engineer, John Littlefield of St. Albans, Vt, had badly bruised leg and hip In the other accident no one was hurt, it was reported.
 At Speed of About 55 Miles.
 Running at a speed of about 55 miles an hour, freight train. No. 96 of the Central Vermont railway out of Mon- treal, southbound, was the one wrecked at Pecks Hollow. The wreck is one of the worst on the road in years and traffic was completely blocked Nine box cars were piled up on top of each other and the engine toppled over be- side the track. Fortunately all the engine crew and train crew escaped without any serious injury, the only one to get hurt being Engineer J. E. Littleheld, who received painful bruises on the legs and hips.
 Rails Supposed to Have Spread.
 The train was in charge of Conduc- tor c. J. Cook of New London and Engineer Littlefeld was at the throt- tie of the engine The train had pass ed the Franklin station and had start ed the descent of the down grade just beyond going at a terrific rate of speed. When the train reached Peck's Hollow the engine left the rails and turned over on it's side, the first nine cars off the train being piled up be- hind it. It is supposed that the wreck was caused by the spreading of the rails.
 Engineer Iittlef1eld was thrown be- heath the f1rebox of the engine and he was pinned down for second. He did not lose consciousness, however, and he was able to crawl out of the cab window without any more serious injury than bruises Cn the legs and hips.
 Before the engine toppIed over Fireman $. H. Bagley of New London was thrown out of the cab window and hurled to the ground with great force He, however. was not much injured.
 Fence Saved Engine Crew.
 Beside the track at the scene of the accident was a fence held up by stout poles Against this the engine struck on it's side and the poles prevented it from turning turtle and rolling down the embankment, to which fact the engine crew no doubt owe their lives
 The tender of the engine was slowed. around so that it was thrown directly across the track, effectually blocking traffic, while the nine box cars were derailed and piled on top of each other All the cars were badly smashed, the wood being broken into splinters and the iron work twisted. The engine was not badly damaged.
 Track Torn Up.
 The track was torn up for dis tance of about 200 feet where the en- zine and cars ploughed through after leaving the rails.
 Immediately after the accident members of the train crew telephoned to New London from the home of Ma than Day in Franklin and Wrecking crews were dispatched to the scene. One wrecking crew was sent from New London and another from Pal mer. Later in the morning, the big steam derrick of the New Haven road at Midway was sent to assist in clear ing up the wreck. All day the wreck CTS and crews were kept at work.
 The early morning trains north bound were sent through to the scene of the accident and the passengers transferred. Later in the day, the passenger trains from this city were sent over the tracks of the New Ha- ven road to Willimantic
 Engineer c. c. Elwell of the public morning by way of the New Haven road and went to the scene of the wreck to conduct an investigation
 Into Trading Cove sandbank
 About 330 o'clock the line was again blocked by an accident just south of the Trading Cove trestle. A northbound passenger train had it's engine tender and baggage car leave the rails and topple over on their sides into a andbank at this point Neither the engine nor any of the other cars left the rails. It is supposed this aoci- dent was also caused by spreading rails It was reported that nobody was hurt. About 5.30 o'clock an engine came up from New London and hauled away the cars at the south end of the train, to which the passengers had been transferred who had been waiting on the other side of the wreck in a train that came from the north about 4 o'clock, having gotten through the wreck at Peck's Hollow
 The wreclSing crew from the work at Peck's Hollow also arrived shortly af- ter o'clock and started to get the cars back on the track.