Havelock Ingram's Story

Havelock Ingram, baggagemen at Newcastle station, was the passenger in Driver Cool's engine and gave the Graphic reporter a clear story of the trip up to the time of the accident, after that his mind was a blank.

I got into the cab at Newcastle and Driver Cool asked me to go up to Campbellton for a fast run. The stant was made at six minutes past nine. The two large engines hauled the night coaches along at a great rate of speed. Leaving Newcastle there is a long up grade and once this was passed wire posts commenced to fly past at a lively rate and one was aware that the speed was nearly a mile a minute. The run to Bathurst was uneventful. Dave (the driver) was in his usual high spirits and joked of the run, asked me if I was afraid and wanted to quit. At Bathurst the train stopped for both engines to take water, which took considerable time, then we were off, at even, greater speed than before. On straight stretches of track a mile a minute was rolled off, but nothing was thought of it. At or by Dalhousie Junction Dave appeared to be worried, his hand was constantly on the air brake lever, and although he said nothing, he apparently felt or heard something which was not just right to his practiced ear. He kept the brakes on gently, even on the long stretch of straight track, and when the engine did leave the rails, he put on the emergency brakes hard, but too late to save the wreck but undoubtedly in time to save a more serious smash. He did not say a word, but stuck to his post and went down under his engine. I was sitting quite near him and when the crash came could have touched him with my hand. The cab was badly broken, and steam and hot water was flying out. I was so dazed that I do not recollect how I got out, but once in the cold my burns began to smart, nevertheless I assisted in the search for the other members of the crew. Clarke, the fireman in Cool's engine got out first, and without any injury, but in the other engine Engineer Fryers was caught under some light wreckage and it took about twenty minutes to get him clear. In the meantime hot water and steam was scalding him. Carson, his fireman was also badly scalded. We were taken to the pullman and made comfortable. In the meantime Chief Despatcher H.H. Bray, who was on board, went to Richardsville to send word to Campbellton and soon a relief train with doctors was on the spot and the injured attended to. At first it was thought that Driver Fryers was killed. No I will not relish a drive in an engine cab for some time. We left Newcastle at six minutes past nine and the wreck occurred at about 10 past 11 o'clock, thus a distance of 102 miles, including the stop at Bathurst, was done in two hours and four minutes.

Ingram's face right hand and leg were very badly scalded and he was suffering from the shock when interviewed.

Driver Cool's body could not be taken from the wreck until nearly dark, as it was caught in such a manner that it was necessary to jack up the engine. The remains were brought to Undertaker Graham's rooms at 8 o'clock and prepared for shipment to Newcastle, when they were sent yesterday morning, accompanied by Mr. K. Cool, brother of the deceased, and friends.

Mrs. Cool is in delicate health and the shock has been a hard one. Numerous friends all along the North Shore and Moncton who sympathize with her in her sad and sudden bereavement.

The cause of the accident is the topic of many experienced railway men and some are of the opinion that some thing went wrong with the running gear of the second engine and Driver Fryers seems to coincide with this idea. The position of the engines after the wreck seemed to point to something of this kind. .. also the fact that Driver Cool seemed aware that something was not just right. The roadbed was quite badly torn up, and the wrecking crew are yet hard at work setting matters to rights.