Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-09-21

that a grade crossing existed at this
particular point.
MRS. Ernest Grant Of VIM was
about 200 feet from the crossing.
heard the train coming and at the
same time saw two teams racing down
a considerable hill, which maintains a
grade downward over the crossing. In
the first team were Roy Mckinley and
his wife and Immediately in the rear
and upon the other side of the road
was the team containing Mrs. Libby
and Mrs. McEwan.
1.-The teams were racing down the
hill. both horses running and each
driver applying the whip. Mr.. Grant
called out to Mr.. Mckinley that the
train was coming. Mr.. Mckinley later
stated to Mr.. Grant that he heard the
warning but could not have stopped to
save his life. Mr.. McGinley's team got
over the crossing without accident,
but the train struck the other team,
causing the injury to Mrs. McEwan
which afterward resulted in her death.
Mr.. ]. w. Caesar was driving up the
same hill and states that he had to
put his team into the ditch to escape
being run into by the two teams which
were racing down the hill. He also
states that both horses were on the
dead run and that the driver OF each
was whipping the horse.
This accident seems to have result
ed from the plain carelessness of the
driver Of the team in which Mrs. Nc
Evan was and no fault seems to at
tack to the Maine Central Railroad
Company or any of it's employees"
The Biddeford Accident.
The public utilities commission
Wednesday rendered a decision In the
matter Of an accident on the Biddeford
& Saco Railway August 20 last, which
resulted in the death Of Peter LaBelle.
The decision is as follows:
This commission investigated an
accident occurring August 20. 1916,
upon the tracks of the Biddeford &
Saco Railway Company resulting in
the death of Peter LaBelle. Mr.. La
Belle, who was somewhat hard Of
hearing, but whose eyesight was good,
was driving single horse and long.
straight bodied farm cart towards Old
Orchard on the afternoon of the above
day and both wheels upon one side of
his cart were inside the rail. I'm
doubtedly Mr.. LaBelle was thus driv-
ing to avoid the mud.
"Motorman Kearney (who ie one of
the oldest and most careful employees
of the road) came around curve at
a fair rate of speed and at that point,
which was about IT'S feet from where
Mr. LaBelle's team then was, he saw
the man and rang his gong. at the
same time applying the brakes and
Immediately reversing his motors
There had been a heavy fog the eve
ming before and the tracks were wet
and slippery and the car did not re-
spond to the application of the brakes
or the process of reverser, but slid,
struck Mr.. LaBelle, threw him out
fractured his skull and otherwise in
jured him so that he died shortly af-
forwards at the Weber hospital.
Various passengers were inter-
viewed who say that the car was not
moving at an unusual rate of speed
and that they felt the checking motion
resulting from the application of the
brakes and that in their judgment. the
motorman did all that was possible to
avoid the accident.
ut does not appear that the Bidde-
ford & Saco Railway Company, or
any of its employees, were in any way
responsible for the above occurrence"