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Day in the Life

Sep 12, 1843

Journal Entry

September 12, 1843 ~ Tuesday

Sept 12th

I left Boston at 5 oclock in the
express train of cars for Portland and about
10 oclock while passeing through the Chesterwoods
6 miles south of Kennebunk the engine was
thrown from the track in consequence of a rail
being raised 8 inches by some designing miscrant
The force was such that It drove the engine
about 5 rods ahead and smashed it to peaces
with the Baggage cars piled top of it & the first
passengers cars followed in their ^its^ train & mounted the
pile ^about 8 feet high throwing the passenger from [her] seat^ and instantly killed. One Lady was brused but
not dangerous, another was slightly injured. The
lives of many were in danger, & it seemed a mystery
that so little injury comparatively was done. Four
cars were filled with passengers & had not the
force been broaken by the baggage cars many
lives would have been lost. The Baggage car
soon was on fire which was with difficulty
extinguished. The ruins had The fireman
was thrown about 3 rods & escaped with a slight
injury. But the engineer Mr Adams from
Portland was buried beneath the pile & instantly
Killed, the ruins had to be removed before the
body of the engineer could be obtained he has left
a wife & one child to mourn his loss No blame
could possibly be attached to him as the rail was
raised in such a manner that no warning was
given untill the engine & Baggage car was a pile of
ruins. Mr Thomas Hall opened his house for the
reception of the passengers & much praise is due to
the whol household for the attention that was paid
them. I spent most of the night here in the woods
& got chilled through, they sent to Portland
for another engine, which arived in time to
take us to portland in the morning on my arival

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Autobiography 1865 Millennial Star

—At five o'clock p.m., I left Boston on the express train for Portland. While passing through Chesterwoods, six miles south of Kennebunk, after dark, and while going at full speed, we struck one of the rails which some persons had raised by rolling a log under it, and landed in a pile; three cars were filled with passengers, and their lives were saved by having a long train of freight between the passenger cars and the engine; all of them were mashed to pieces; the engineer was killed, some of the passengers had bones broken; I escaped unhurt. (To be continued.)

Autobiography 1858 Notes

On the 12th I left At 5 o'clock p.m. I left Boston, on the express train for Portland while passing through Chester woods 6 miles south [of] Kennebunk some person having pried up ^raised^ the ^one of the^ rails and put under them ^rolled^ a log, ^under it^ and it being dark the we struck it at full speed and landed in a pile of ruins. 3 cars were filled with passengers

Autobiography 1883 Tullidge's Quarterly Magazine Notes 1

I left Boston on the at 5 o'clock p.m. in the Express train for Portland and at about 10 o'clock while passing through Chester woots 6 miles south of Kennebunk the engine was thrown from the track in consequence of a rail being raised eight inches by some designing miscreant The force was such that it drove the engine about five rods ahead and smashed it to pieces with the baggage cars piled upon the top of it One lady was brused but not dangerously and another was slightly injured. The lives of many were in danger and it seemed a mystry that so little

Autobiography 1858 Deseret News

—At five o'clock p.m., I left Boston on the express train for Portland. While passing through Chesterwoods, six miles south of Kennebunk, after dark, and while going at full speed, we struck one of the rails which some persons had raised by rolling a log under it, and landed in a pile; three cars were filled with passengers, and their lives were saved by having a long train of freight between the passenger cars and the engine; all of them were mashed to pieces; the engineer was killed, some of the passengers had bones broken; I escaped unhurt.

Autobiography 1857 Draft 1

Eastern States ^&^ visited my parents as I went along. On the I left Boston at 5 oclock PM, on the express train for portland while passing through the Chester woods 6 miles south of Kennebunk an Irishman having pried up one of the rails and rolled a log under it, and it being dark we struk it at full speed and landed in a pile of ruins. three cars were filled with passengers and there lives were saved by having a long train of freigh betwen the passenger cars and engine which was dashed to peaces. the enganeer was killed and some bones broaken of the passengers I escaped unhurt. On my return home in the fall as the printing office was out of stock I procured means and purchased a stock of ^a supply of^ paper and other materials to supply ^sufficit for^ the printing office for more than

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Sep 12, 1843