Sitting in a kayak on Meadowbrook Pond in quiet Wood River Junction it is hard to imagine 140 years ago it was the scene of one of the most horrific train accidents in American history. The tragedy would lead to the passing of national laws concerning safety standards for passenger cars.
In 1873 Wood River Junction was called Richmond Switch. Richmond Switch had a passing track, station and water tank. The tracks crossed Meadowbrook stream at the Ennis Dam, just feet from where the train continues to cross today. Today, cars cross the stream parallel to the tracks on King’s Factory Road.
Artist Rendering of Richmond Switch Train Wreck
Following 3 days of driving rains Ennis Dam had sprung a small unnoticed leak. On Saturday April 19, 1873 at approximately 3 in the morning the “Steam Boat Train” heading from Stonington Connecticut, to Providence Rhode Island headed toward Richmond Switch on its ill-fated journey.
The train was overloaded with freight, baggage and crammed with over 100 passengers in 5 cars. The passengers were mostly immigrants traveling from New York City.
The train was running late when it passed into Westerly Rhode Island. It made a scheduled stop at the Westerly Train Station then bounded toward Richmond Switch at 40 miles per hour.
Meanwhile, the trickle had weakened the dam and water began streaming through. The dam broke under the mounting pressure and a 10 foot high wave of water engulfed the road bridge. The road bridge then crashed into the railroad bridge 100 feet downriver. The bridge was quickly washed away and broken to pieces as 40 acres of water rushed downstream.
The train traveled along not knowing the bridge was gone and the once 20 foot span had increased to 40 feet. The conductor did not see the bridge out, until it was too late. The train left the tracks and traveled the full 40 feet ramming into the bank on the opposite side.
The next cars carrying freight were instantly submerged in the water. The passenger cars were strewn and broken on top of those. Some passengers were thrown from the cars and landed in the frigid April waters.
The remaining passengers were trapped inside the overcrowded passenger cars, which were set aflame when the coal stoves spilled their contents. According to recorded eyewitness accounts the fires burned so intensely the varnish on the inside of the cars began to bubble. Locals immediately began pulling passengers to safety, but the cries of those trapped inside the burning cars were deafening.
An article in The New York Times dated April 20, 1873 contained the following eye-witness account.
“Jonas Holstrom, also a passenger, states that the rate of speed before reaching Richmond Switch was about thirty-five miles an hour, and the first intimation he had of the disaster was a sharp concussion which burst open, the car in which he was seated and partially filled it with debris of the preceding car. In front of him were two young men, while behind was Benjamin R. Knapp, Jr. of Boston. Immediately after the shock he heard them call for help to extricate themselves, as they were wounded and held fast by splinters of the preceding car. On reaching Mr. Knapp, one of his legs was found injured, and desperate attempts were made to extricate him and the two young men above mentioned, when a volume of flame shot into the car. The rescuers had barely time to assist Mr. Knapp, when they were obliged to flee for their lives, and the two young men were left to meet a horrible fate. With these two exceptions, all of the other occupants of the car were known to have perished.”
Word quickly spread and trains were sent from Providence containing doctors and nurses. Within 4 hours a temporary replacement bridge had been built to aid those in need. 22 injured were taken to Rhode Island Hospital, all but 1 survived.
Historians believe the death toll exceeded 100, assuming the passenger cars were filled more than records show.
It took 100 workers to manually pull the locomotive from the embankment as it was driven over 7 feet deep into the opposite bank.
For weeks following the fatal crash debris, clothing and human remains were found in mills downriver.
Calls for more humane and safer passenger conditions followed the tragedy.
Driving by or kayaking the gentle river today it is hard to imagine the scene 140 years ago and the important life-saving actions taken following it.
