Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-02-28

it was necessary to use q giant port
able acetylene blow-torch to sever
The shattered bodies were remov-
ed under the direction of DIR. George
w. Alexander of Gardiner, medical
examiner for Kennebec county. 1t
was close to the noon hour before
the first body was removed, so thor
oughly buried in the wreckage and
scattered potatoes were they.
It was learned last evening that
the home of Sandy Palmer. one OF
the victims. was in Fort Fairfield.
Eye-Witnesses Describe Crash
The accident was just north OF the
private crossing into the grounds and
Farmingdale plant of the Central
Maine Power Co., and it was recalled
yesterday that this same crossing was
the scene of a fatal accident year
ago last fall when w. A. Cressey Of
Hallowell was killed in his automo-
bile. which was struck by the early
morning west-bound train.
Just north of the crossing Is the
home of Mrs. Flora Chase and her son,
Deputy Sheriff CLYDE Chase. The ac-
cident was practically in the back
dooryard of the Chase home, and Mrs.
Chase had the horrifying experience
of sitting helpless in her chair in the
kitchen of her home and seeing the
steaming black engine of the second
extra come slowly along the tracks
and crash into the other train.
Mrs. Chase was one of the few eye
witnesses of the collision. In de-
scribing it to the Journal representa-
tive shortly after. she said:
II was sitting right here, so. 7 had
fol
had been at standstill for some few
minutes, and had just seen young
man come back along from the fifth
or sixth box car and climb into the
caboosc when heard the second train
coming down the tracks. and there he
fore my Mortified eyes it came steadily
along and into the red caboose. splin-
tering the wood and spreading it on
either side, just as if 1t We're water
before the PROV Of a boat"
Saw Miller Mount Steps
The man whom Mrs. Chase saw
mount the buggy" steps moment
before the crash is believed to have
been Roy Miller. His car was the
sixth ahead of the caboose. and had
he remained in his bunk in that car
he would probably have escaped in
Jury, as his effects were all found IN
place and his bunk intact after the
accident
Besides the caboose. which was ab-
soluteIy demolished. and the trucks
piled up under the box cars ahead, the
first box car was splintered ana
spread, and the four cars ahead OF
that were lifted jacll-knife fashion and
dropped over onto their sides.
Two Tramps Escape
There were stories current at the
scene OF the accident this morning
that two tramps had been driven OH
the caboose when the train came to n
stop within the Farmingdale yard. and
had again sccreted themselves in the
train further up. These two hohoes,
because of that incident. hod escaped
probable death. Conductor Monahan
stated this noon that the tramps had
not been in the caboose. but that he
had located them about midway of his
train after the collision occurred
The first body removed was c,larred
and scared almost beyond identified :
ton, with several of the members
literally torn from the torso. This
body was released when the engine
of the second train was backed back
on the rails releasing the wrecka sc.
w men removed Iile pOuE was parity
crushed into an ordinary tin wash
boiler, and it was the opinion of the
rescuers that he unfortunate man
had been washing some of his per-
sonal clothes when death came to him
in the form of the insensible monster
of iron and steel crashing into and
through the caboose.
Invalid Witnesses Crash
Mrs. Michael Mcdonald, who lives
on the west side of Farmingdale ave-
nue.. also was a witness to the coll
lision. Mrs. Mcdonald is an invalid.
and passes much time sitting by the
front window of her home watching
the passing trail s and cars. She is
as familiar with the trains and their
schedules as many railroad workers.
and had been observing the first extra
freight, when she remarked that an
other train was most due.
"W'hat if it should crash into the
rear of that train" she calculated
and hardly We're the words uttered
when the second potato train swung
around the bend and crunched into
the caboose across from her window.
Trains Blocked Until Afternoon
The Wreckinr trains from Water
Vile and Brunswick were summoned