The April 3, 1909, Portsmouth Herald described a wreck between Passenger Train 29 from Boston and switching engine No. 483. The crash at the foot of Langdon Street near North Mill Pond could be heard nearly a mile away. The passenger locomotive tipped over and began to burn.
The Herald reported: “The switching engine, in charge of a hostler crew from the roundhouse, was just backing up on the inward main line, after coming from the coal shed and was nearly clear of the switch, when the Boston train, running at a fair rate of speed, came across from the outward track, and in a fearful crash both engines and the baggage car of the train were piled up in a pile of distorted iron and wood. The crash came so sudden that none of the men on either engine had a chance to jump. Both engineers reversed the machines, but not in time to reduce the speed to any extent.”
The article continued: “Fireman Edward Harnden of the switching engine was killed instantly, his body being terribly jammed between the tender of his engine and the passenger locomotive, and was burned and scalded. Richard Pray, who was running the shifter, was also pinned in almost the same way as Harnden, and when taken out, was barely alive. He has a compound fracture of the ankle and had wounds on the head, while he is suffering from a severe shock. Mr. Pray’s condition is serious but not immediately dangerous.”
Leonard Newhall, engineer of the toppled locomotive from Boston, was “tenderly taken with willing hands from the wreck” and suffered only cuts and burns. Portsmouth train fireman Albert Stringer was likewise injured. William Brown, the express messenger, was severely injured and found among the baggage while baggage master Herbert Carson suffered only cuts and bruises.
The Herald further detailed the injuries of six passengers from Melrose, Boston, Gloucester and Belmont. Locals helped rush the victims to Portsmouth’s small Cottage Hospital. The cause of the accident was underway at press time and the tracks were being cleared. Beyond damage to the trains, hundreds of feet of railroad ties and track were “twisted into a shapeless mass of iron and wood.” Switchman Charles Sheehan was able to escape but his “switchman’s shanty” was reduced to kindling, the paper added.
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