The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1919-12-21
PATHETIC SCENES ENACTED AS
FREIGHT LOCOMOTIVE SMASHES
IMMICRANTLADEN COACHES
F allure Of Freighter' S Crew
To Take Sidetrack to AL
low Special Express. Rum
ming Five Hours Behind
Schedule, the Right Of
Way Believed Cause.

three persons were killed or burned
to death when an Eastbouns
freight train coIlided head-on with
a special passenger train, bearing
900 English immigrants, near here
today, officials of the Canadian
Pacific Railway announced to-
night.
800 Immigrants Aboard.
The special train bearing 800 pas
sensers VIII arrived at st. John. N
r., on tho steamship Empress Of
. Franee- yesterday collided with an
eastbound freight train shortly az
ter o'clock this morning. Ne.rIy
two score were injured. many seri-
ously. Among them were sevra'
children.
The list OF the dead foIlows;
NJ Evans. Cancouver. r. c: Carl
! Anderson. Golden. r. c: Mrs. J..
Bingham. Isabella, Man: James
borthWick. Tisdale. Man: J. Boyn-
thorn. Vsncouver. b. G: unidentified
woman. about y wears old: Andred
anderson. Edmonton: unidentified
man. about On years old initials X.
, B.: Mrs. A. Bissctt. Saskatoon. up-
Identified man. shout q: Einar Nils
son. Rainton. SAX: J. r. Cart
wright Nsncouve-. r. C: unidenti-
lied woman. q years old: unidentified
woman. - years old (probabIy trsv-
cling with J. r. CarthVriShn; bsbv.
. months old. belonging 10 Mrs.
Bingham. Isabella, Man; bow.
John Pentley. years old: girl. Eileen
tPentley, years old EImwood. Win
nipeg; 81. 3 years old. belonging 20
Mrs. J. Bingham. isabella. Men: boz.
unidentified. s years old Gall ess.an-
gers failed 10 identifS). p. 4. viii
son. engineer. Brownvillc. Me: 4. l..
Henige-. fireman. BrownviIe. Ne;
W. G. BaEley. engineer. Brow nvllIe,
J Me-: {. +. Hatcher. fireman Brown
rNille. Nc.
The wreck Is believed to have been
caused by the failure The freight
,rain 10 take a side track at Bodnsh
10 allow the special right OF way.
/ The latter was running five hours late.
Identification Of the dead was slow,
owing TO the condition OF the bodies
and the confusion following the crash.
together with the biting wind and in
tense cold.
! 1t was feared that as the Ureckase
is cleared away more bodies ma. he
found.
niniured Taken 20 Nearby Town.
! The uninjurcd passengers were TAX
en- 10 nearby towns until the track
can be cleared for continuance Of
their journey In the meantime cit
liens were Offering the hospitality Of
I their homes to the grief stricken rela-
! tives OF the dead and injured.
! Tho collision occurred near the foot
Of Boar Ston" Mountain in an isolated
section Of the wilds OF Maine. The
country here is bleak and uninvitinS.
lying under several feet Of snow.
! The spot where the two trains met
Z is In deep cut on a sharp curve.
which ohscurcs tho view Of the track
in either direction Tho heavy loco
motive OF the freight train. driven nv
The great weight Of a long string OF
cars. plouEhcd through tho engine and
first two cars of the special
Death Cries Follow Crash.
! Following the rosr Of tho crash
( and the hiss ur escaping steam came
thu cries Of tho dying and injured.
Almost immediately tho wreck broke
iint" hamcs and pandcmonium broke
( loose.
Tho nearest human hahitation -
several miles from tho wreck. the
force Of which broke tho telegraph
lines. and u MAS hours before the
wines wcre patched and tho first
! frantic call FOR help dispatched.
Thcn came another long wait before
the first relief train steamed into
view
Panic followed the crash. which
came when many Of the passengers
were still in their berths Others had
arisen early to catch a glimpse OF the
country through which they were
passing to their new homes on the
Canadian prairies. Terror-stricken
men. women and children poured from
the coaches on the rear OF the train
and IL was several minutes before
any organized rescue work was
started. Passengers. however. soon
began working in the mass OF
tangled steel and splintcred wood 10
release the dying and injured before
they were consumed by the flames,
Many hopelessly pinned in the wreck
age could not h.. rescued
Some beyond Identification.
The bodies OF the dead were taken
from the wreckage and laid in a row
on the snow by the track to await
identification. In some cases this was
impossible. Later they were taken to
Brownsville. The passengers. fresh
from England aud unaccustomed to
the intense cold. suffered from lack OF
clothing and food.
Relief trains bearing doctors and
nurses with food and clothing were
rushed to the scene from Megantic.
Que. and from several cities in Maine
and from -. John 4 train Of empty
coaches at Gncenville was sent to the
spot and took many OF the injured 10
Grccnville. while others were taken to
an improrised hospital in the Brown
willie Y. N. &. 4. which was soon fIled