Concord, NH Railroad Accident, Aug 1896

SEVERAL PASSENGERS INJURED.

AND THREE MAY DIE AS THE RESULT OF A RAILROAD ACCIDENT.

Concord, N. H., Aug. 27. -- The down express on the Concord Division of the Boston and Maine Railroad due here at 2:28 P.M. left the rails on account of a defective switch near Ferry Street, throwing several cars from the track and injuring several passengers. An ambulance with a corps of physicians has gone to the scene of the wreck.
The train was heavily loaded, many of the passengers being on their way from the veterans' reunion at the Weirs. The speed of the train was moderate, and the first intimation the passengers had of anything wrong was when the cars began to sway and then left the iron. PAUL WHIPPLE of Riverdale, S. C., who had been to the veterans' reunion and was in the smoking car, said:
"The train was running along at a moderate rate of speed. The car in which I rode was filled, and everything was going along smoothly when all at once the car began bumping on the iron and the passengers were thrown toward the front end. I got out as quickly as possible and assisted others to escape. The locomotive and baggage car toppled over, and one car, went down a small embankment. I should say fully ten passengers were hurt. It is probable that the baggagemaster and engineer are seriously, if not fatally, hurt."
Passengers who were uninjured walked down and took the afternoon trains south. None of the passengers was killed, but some fifteen were seriously hurt. MR. WATSON of Hillsborough had an arm broken and he was injured internally. MR. LONGLEY of Hudson was injured internally, and his little son, who was riding in the smoking car with him, had his leg broken. The baggagemaster escaped with severe bruises. The injured are being cared for at the wreck, where there are many willing hands. A large crowd gathered at the scene. As soon as those hurt were attended by surgeons they were carried to the hospital. It is thought that three of the injured will die.

New York Times New York 1896-08-28
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!