Maine Genealogy
Source: Reports of the Railroad Commissioners of the State of Maine for the Year 1886 (Augusta, Me.: Sprague & Son, printers, 1886).
[p. 45]ACCIDENTS.August 18, 1885. M. Loftus, passenger, Portland, jumped off train while in motion, head injured.
Atlantic & St. Lawrence.
November 25. G. W. Smith, trespasser, Portland, getting on train, leg injured.
January 17, 1886. J. H. Shaw, engineer, Portland, jumping from engine, ankle sprained.
February 1. F. Getchell, boy, Portland, jumping on train, injured.
March 1. Stephen Lyden, Jno. Chadwick, A. Smith, Tho. Kilpatrick, gang working snow-plow, Bethel, plow struck a hard snowdrift, all seriously injured.
March 1. M. D. Martin, fireman, Locke's Mill, plow struck a hard snowdrift, killed.
March 16. True, fireman, Falmouth, side rod of engine broke, badly injured.
March 17. G. L. Smith, brakeman, Lewiston, yard coupling, finger injured.
June 1. M. J. Mullen, brakeman, Yarmouth, yard coupling, hand injured.
June 19. I. Wade, brakeman, Portland, run over by engine, killed.Boston & Maine.October 27, 1885. Albert Emery, a brakeman, attempted to jump from the top of a box car on a moving train to the tender[p. 46]of the engine, near Biddeford, and fell under the wheels, receiving injuries from which he soon afterwards died.
October 28, 1885. A. M. Junkins, a trespasser on the track near North Berwick, was struck by a passing train and killed.
August 14, 1886. James Higgins, a trespasser, walking on the tracks near Saco, was struck by a passing train and killed.Maine Central.October 10, 1885. Horace Goodwin and wife, while driving over crossing just east of Clinton Station, were struck by train No. 11, and instantly killed. Some men tried to warn Mr. Goodwin of danger but he did not understand. No blame attached to train men.
November 1, 1885. Charles M. Davis, switchman, employed in Portland yard, was run over by two cars and instantly killed. He probably missed his hold, but no one saw the accident. No blame attached to any one.
November 7, 1885. An intoxicated man named Wm. Taylor, of Calais, Me., while lying on track in Bangor yard, was run over by shifting engine and had one leg cut off and collar bone broken.
December 11, 1885. While train No. 32 was taking a car at Lincoln, the pin was pulled on a stock car, which started and run over Wm. Finson, crushing his leg, and he died from his injuries two or three days later. He had been cleaning out the car but no one knew how he came to be under it.
January 16, 1886. Rosamond McPheters, aged 43 years, of Orono, while walking beside track near second crossing, east of Webster Station, was struck by engine of Conductor Phillips' construction train, and received injuries from which she died next morning. No blame attached to company or employes.
March 2, 1886. Daniel P. Edgecomb, 20 years of age, who had been employed in restaurant at Bangor, jumped from shifting engine to steps of saloon car on morning train in Bangor[p. 47]yard, missed his foothold, fell under car and was instantly killed. Accident the result of his own carelessness.
March 7, 1886. Body of Dana Robinson, 21 years of age, at Waterville, was found on track near Winslow brick yard, having been run over by one or more trains. Was known to have been intoxicated the night before. Coroner's jury exonerated company from all blame.
April 26, 1886. Body identified as that of Patrick Quinn, residence unknown, found beside track east of Webster Station. Had probably been run over by some train. Coroner's jury exonerated company from blame.
June 17, 1886. A four-years-old son of Charles Prouty, while at play on track was struck by train No. 26, about 25 rods east of Veazie Station, and received injuries from which he died two days later. No blame attached to the company or employes.
July 12, 1886. Patrick Sweeny, section-man at Waterville, was instantly killed by being run over by car on side track, which was started by other cars in motion. Coroner's jury exonerated company and employes from blame.
July 6, 1886. Charles Carpenter of Gray, while lying on track asleep, or drunk, about one mile east of Gray station, was run over by train No. 34, receiving injuries from which he died next day. No blame attached to company or employes.
August 26, 1886. Lawrence J. Garcelon of Farmington, about 17 years old, fell from special excursion train between Jay Hill Crossing and Jay Bridge and was killed. His dead body was found next morning. The verdict of coroner's jury attached no blame to company or employes.
September 23, 1886. Train 131 struck a team driven by Absalom Sites on a crossing one mile west of Brooks, killing horse and injuring Sites so he died next day. Sites, who belonged in Brooks, was intoxicated and had been warned not[p. 48]to cross ahead of train. Coroner's jury exonerated company and employes from any blame.Portland & Ogdensburg.December 9, 1885. Michael Caples, Car Inspector's Assistant, thrown from car in Portland, from careless handling of lumber, and killed.
March 30, 1886. John McFarline, freight brakeman, hand crushed coupling cars at South Windham.
September 3. Wilson Chandler, engineer, and Martin Costello, fireman, killed, and Mrs. Taylor, a passenger, injured by train running off an open switch at East Baldwin.
August 3. Isaiah Ingalls and another, name unknown, injured by train at Stroudwater Crossing.
September 13. Joseph Duba, freight brakeman, knee injured, coupling cars at Sebago Lake.
