Terrible Accident on the Hoosac Tunnel Line.

Auckland Star, Volume XVI, Issue 3825, 13 November 1882, Page 3

Terrible Accident on the Hoosac Tunnel Line.

North Adams (Masa.), October 21.—A terrible accident occurred on the State road of the Boosac Tunnel line this morning. A caboose loaded with workmen was run into by a locomotive, and 19 men were badly scalded and crushed. About 6.30 a.m. engineer Charles Wells and fireman Joseph Bostley left the Konh Adams depot on the engine ' Dtertield,' of the State ro*d, pushing a caboose loaded with thirty men, going to work nt different places on the road. J he engine and ciboosc had started for tho tunnel, and had gone about half way there when the caboose, which was in front, collided with the Trry and Boston engine. 'ihe caboose was taised from the. trucks and carried to the cow-catcher of the engine " Deerfield." The front of the engine was smashed in, the steam and hot water flew into the caboose, and tho men who were not hnrt in the collision were burned badly.

Bui few escaped without injury. None would have been sertouily hurt but for the explosion of the ecgino " Dierfield's " boiler. Three doctors ariived at the rcene aad made an examination of the men inj'.ucd. As Joha Rofian was crossing the track to see the accident, ho was struck by the Pi'tfficld acd Norh J dams train, and killed* It is now certain that eight men, in. juredih the accident, will not live, '/he doctors have nearly completed the examin. atlon, and found that thirjy-two wore in. jurcd, all scalded, and many with cuts, bruises aad b:oken bones. The explosion of the engine was caused by the drawbar of the caboose bursting in tbe plate of the cylinder of the engine Ueerfiold. The steam blew opeii tbe door of the caboose and filled the, car, in which there were thiitynine men crowded close together. Many were unable'tb reach tbe doors, and in the stampede many bones were broken. The boiiiDg water and the stoam saturated the men's clothes and in a moment they were fearfully burned. All day the doctors' offices have been crowded with anxious friends beseeching them to fjrat attend to their injured. Joseph Bostley, the fireman of the engine " Deerfield," whose eyes were burned out and face and body scalded, died fo-night in terribie agony. He leaves a wile and tnree small childrin. ifour repair men who were badly hurt are huddled|together in a small boarding-house. 'Ihe physicians) say they also will die. A telegraph operator, Heywood, who pat in the en, i ie cab, was thrown thiough the window and eEcaped without injury. Manager ) ocke states that tbe accident was caused by engine 20 becoming uncoupled from iis cars, and coming back into the yard by the main track, which it should not have done. _ The weather was very foggy and the engineers were unable to see each other's loomotivep. A locomotive was pushing the caboose to the switch to Ret the ears behind the engine, and tho collision, which was v<ry light, hemmed the caboose between the two engines, and tho drawbar of the caboose jammed a hole through the frontplace of the flue sheet.