Year: 1871

Eastern Railroad. at Revere, Mass,
seven miles from Boston, on the night
of the 25th ult. The accommodation
train started behind time, and, while
stopping at the station of Revere, the
Portland lightning express overlook it
and telescoped it, killing twenty-one
passengers outright, of whom three
were women, and wounding some forty
or fifty more. The cars took fire, and
two or three were consumed. Most of
the wounded were scalded and their
limbs fractured. A large number of
physicians and surgeons are in attend
ance. The killed and wounded belong
mostly to Lynn and Salem.


A correspondent of the Chicago Tri-
6une gives the following graphic descrip-
ton of the awful calamity:


AT the time of the collision the ac-
commodation train for Beverly had its
red signal lights behind and red sig
nal hoisted at the masthead of the
signal post for the express to hold up,
which it did at Everett, but subsequent
ly proceeded, and was under full head.
way when near Revere Station, the
engineer evidently not being aware of
the proximity of the Beverly train
until, perhaps, within sixty rods. He
then whistled down breaks, but not
soon enough TO avert the calamity.
Some OF the passengers in the rear part
OF the accommodation train heard the
ominous whistle, but too late to escape.
On came the express train at great
velocity, and the engine struck the rear
most car full IN the center, and forced
its way, in a telescope manner, two
thirds the length of the car. The
smoke-stack was instantly knocked off,
and the boiler penetrated all the dis.
tance named into the rear car, the rear
part of the latter being smashed into a
thousand splinters, and throwing the
debris out on the sides of the tender.
OF the rear half not a fragment as big
as a house window could be found. The
fore part Of the engine was utterly de
molished, its piston bent and its rods
broken. The car was crowded with
people, every seat being occupied, and
many standing in the aisle. In among
these the locomotive rushed, quick as a
flash, ust as the Beverly train had
started, mangling and killing in the
most frighttul manner.


But this was not the only, and per-
haps not the worst, visitor the uniortu-
nate passengers had. simultaneously
with the collision the head cap of the
boiler was broken, and in an instant the
wretched sufferers were shrouded in a
cloud of kissing steam and deluged with
boiling water, which brought instant
death to many wounded, and will prove
fatal to others who had probably not
been otherwise seriously injured Lamps
! spilled their contents, and the fire here,
if any, was undoubtedly extinguished
by water and steam.


Although the Beverly train was Just
moving when the collision took place,
its motion did not prevent injury to the
cars in front of the last. The coupling
between the two rear cars broke. and
the platforms of all of them were Jam
med up together, with the smoking,c car
overlapping the baggage car, and the
rods and timber inextricably mixed and
interviewer. Fortunately, the entan-
! clement was not so great but that the
passengers succeeded in getting out
quite speedily.


Happy was it for them that they did
so, for the kerosene oil lamps upset, and
their contents spilled upon the uphol-
stery, and in an instant the smoking.car
WIS in a blaze. The flames travelled
with great speed from one car to an
other, until three of them were en-
braced in fiery folds. These were sub
sequently moved up the track half a
dozen rods, and allowed to burn until
there was nothing left. An effort was
at first made to put out the fire, but this
prevented the flames being made useful
in lighting up the dreadful scene in the
rear, and facilitating services for the
wounded


The work of rescuing the victims at
once commenced, assistance being soon
furnished from Chelsea, Charlestown
and, at a later hour, from Boston, in
cluding surgeons and physicians. The
Frost Hose Company, just returned
from an excursion to Providence, was
promptly on the ground, having seen
the fire burning. Dozens of poor Great
ures were .jammed in with the wood
and iron work and could not get out.
An axe was applied vigorously, and soon
a rope was applied to the sides of the
car, and all the remaining framework
pulled asunder.


The mangled bodies were taken out
carefully and speedily placed on the
platform or in the depot. Some were
pinned with splinters, some had arms
and legs broken, while others were
mangled beyond recognition. Many, in
fact a majority, of the dead were, APP
parently, free from bruises, but the
peeling skin and the deadly pallor
which overspread the face and flesh
told plainly that steam had been a
frightful and effective agent of death.


The list of the killed foots up "A in
all, and the list of wounded is between
30 and 40, most of whom are likely to
recover. The dead were removed from
the scene of the accident on the follow
ing afternoon.


Public sentiment throws fearful re-
sponsibility upon the conductor and en-
gineer of the express train. The engi-
neer escaped with a few bruises by
jumping from the train. The accom-
modation train was three quarters cf an
hour late, which fact, it is said, was
known to the managers of the express
train.