JOURNAL III

The boys from East Dive Ltd. were here yesterday working in the area and agreed to go for a dive yesterday in the afternoon and again all morning today. John Mc Fadzen, Dave McFadzen and Laurel Brewer were the volunteers wanting to put the search to rest so I took a vacation day in order to help them out.

We don't know what we found today but the results are very encouraging. A heavy metal debris field was located between the piers today. We brought up some loose pieces to look at them. Is this the train or not? There is a heavy piece which could not be moved. Hard to tell but some of the pieces look very old (Piece number 1, 2 & 3). We don't know if they were part of the locomotive but are pretty sure they are from the accident. Enjoy the pictures.

Pieces 1, 2 and 3 were found in the same area and are the ones I suspect were from the wreck. Piece # 3 was actually inserted into Piece #1. The pen in the picture is to reveal the scale. The following pictures are the same with different sides of the objects showing.

If anybody knows if these pieces might have been found on a steamer, please let me know.

I have been thinking all day about some simple device that WE might be able to come up with and build which would cost very little money and might possibly locate the train if it's outside my A, B, C markers. I was talking to one of my cousins tonight and he was thinking about the same thing all weekend. In the last few days I started thinking that only technology was left to find the locomotive but most of the time the simplest ideas are the ones that can generate the best results! Look at George Theriault's idea of using a magnet and a rope to find it!!! That's what I'm talking about.

So anyways my cousin thought up some kind of contraption that would be secured to the back of a pontoon boat and would drag on the river bottom a little like trying to picture the leaf rake concept (this one would be way bigger than a normal rake). Whenever something would pass underneath the rake one of its legs would lift a flag at the surface and indicate a bump in the river. If the locomotive is sticking out it would make more than one of those flags lift. It may even be possible to gage the thickness of the object with a simple scale system. I know it sounds far fetch but the more I was trying to find flaws in his contraption the more I grew convinced that he had given it a lot of thought and this might actually work. We just need to tweak the idea a little and possibly very shortly we may try to rake up 508. I know its not fall yet but if you have any more ideas to add to this rake contraption, please let me know. I will try to get my cousin to sketch it out for us to see. If this one doesn't pan out we will surely come up with something else if we all work together! I'm sure we can also get some local businesses to donate the little amount of supplies we will need if we keep it simple.

We should try and come up with more simple ideas like the ones above. This rake may not be the contraption which will find the locomotive but maybe yours will be! We need some McGuivers here! : )

Here is the research Melissa Mertz did over the weekend. I wanted to make sure we covered all historical documents before proceeding with the $5000.⁰⁰ fund raiser for the side scan (that was the big thing coming up). She discovered that there was indeed salvage efforts done in Grand Falls shortly after the wreck of 1900. They don't mention the engine being salvaged but these articles do confirm the engine as being No. 508 and CPR records do show 508 serving up till 1910. This still doesn't prove that 508 was salvaged but I think it would be extremely difficult with the documentation on hand to proceed with the fund raiser. Nevertheless I still don't believe the mystery has been solved and I will keep pursuing it at my own pace without rushing things. I believe that more research into historical documents will reveal other helpful hints into solving this mystery.

Here are the articles in question for further reading. Please note that there are plenty of discrepancies in the following.

Source: The Daily Gleaner
Thursday, June 21, 1900.
Front Page.

NB Archives Microfilm F2901

A frightful accident occurred here at noon today, which may possibly result in the loss of two or more lives. As the down train from Edmundston was crossing the railway bridge a short distance above the town, the second span of the structure from the west side, gave way, and the whole train, composed of the engine and nine cars with saloon and smoker, went into the river.

The bridge is a wooden structure, built in 1877, and has frequently been repaired, and extensive repairs were put upon it last summer. It is a deck bridge, the top being between 60 and 70 feet above the water.

Fortunately all on board were saved owing chiefly to the fact that the saloon and smoker, remained above the water, the former with one end on the bridge and the other on a lot of lumber and debris in river. 4 passengers were injured.

Mr. McKenna, traveling pass. Agent C.P.R., Smith, traveler for McAvity & Sons, of St. John, and a man named O’Neill and Dr. Kirkpatrick of Woodstock.

The two first named are seriously if not fatally injured. All the train hands, though badly injured themselves, rendered great aid to the passengers and deserve great praise for their work in rescuing the disabled passengers.

GRAND FALLS, June 23—The C.P.R. has again established its train service after the awful accident and wreck of Thursday. Trains are now running on regular schedule time passengers and baggage being transferred by boat across the river.

Large crews of men with wrecking apparatus are working at the scene of the accident and clearing away the debris and trying to raise the submerged cars. Only one box car loaded with shingles has been raised as yet. The injured are all reported to be doing nicely.

Source: Saint John Globe
June 21, 1900
NB Archives Microfilm F13838

TRAIN DERAILED AND RAN INTO BRIDGE
At Grand Falls—Three persons seriously and Others Slightly Injured

There was a very serious accident on the C.P.R. at Grand Falls this morning at 11:40 o’clock.

Superintendent Timmerman told the Globe that the only information in his possession was that engine No. 508 was derailed just at the bridge and crashed through it, taking seven freight cars into the water. The passenger cars followed, but piled up on top of the wreck, and thus escaped being submerged.

The train crew escaped injury, but some of the passengers, of whom there were only a few, suffered.

Three were moor or less seriously injured. Mr. McKenna, traveling passenger agent of the C.P.R., is reported as the most serious. His shoulder was broken or dislocated.

Another of the injured was Mr. Hiram I. Smith, traveler for Messrs. T. McAvity & Sons, but the nature of his injury is not known.

Other passengers were shaken up and more or less injured, but the three named suffered most.

The derailment and breaking of the bridge destroyed the telegraphic service, and so but little news came through.

NB Archives Microfilm F13838

The Accident at Grand Falls

No Explanation of Disaster Yet Given

Injured Men are Reported to be Improving

No news has been received here showing what caused the accident Thursday at Grand Falls, but the few details at hand show the disaster was the most serious the C.P.R. has had in years, and the wonder is that there were not more casualties.

The bridge that was wrecked is about a mile above the falls, and the water is said to be about fifteen feet deep. The train was an accommodation coming from Edmundston, and consisted of nine cars—seven freight, a smoker and a saloon car. The report is that the second span of the bridge from the west side gave way and the engine, tender and seven freight cars fell into the water, while the smoker piled on top of the wreck, and the saloon car remained on the bridge.

The engineer and fireman are said to have escaped from the cab at the bottom of the stream and so got safely to shore.

A tramp who was stealing a ride had a narrow escape from being carried over the falls.

Mr. Timmerman, who went up by a special train Thursday evening, took along Mrs. Smith, wife Messrs. T. McAvity & Sons’ traveler, and Mr. J. Harry Driscoll, a friend of Mr. O’Neill, the injured Englishman. Mr. J. Boyd McMann went up from Messrs. McAvity’s and to-day notified the firm that MR. Smith was somewhat better. No bones were broken, but he was badly crushed. He is expected to recover.

A telegram to the Globe this afternoon from Grand Falls said: “The injured are improving nicely. Smith’s chest and back were jammed and he was badly bruised. He is considered out of danger.

“Mr. McKenna’s lung was ruptured, and his arm and his fingers broken. He is greatly improved, but is still serious.

“Mr. O’Neill’s ankle and arm were sprained, and he was badly bruised and shaken up, but is recovering rapidly.

Mr. O’Neill is a member of the lumber firm of Gillibrand, Heywood & Co., Cardiff, Wales, and has been buying lumber in this country. He is about fifty years of age.

Mr. Smith was making his first trip with Messrs. T. McAvity & Sons. He was at one time employed with Messrs. C. Flood & Sons, and latterly with the S. Haywood Co.

Miss Ada Burns, a graduate nurse, went to Grand Falls this morning, and it is understood two more nurses have been telegraphed for to attend those who are injured.”

Travellers report that the Grand Falls bridge has long been considered weak and that great care has been taken in crossing it to prevent accidents.

Mr. J. Boyd McMann, who was at Grand Falls for Messrs. T. McAvity & Sons to look after their traveler, Mr. Hiram I. Smith, returned home Monday evening. Mr. McMann says all the injured are doing well and are in a fair way to recover. He speaks very warmly in praise of the C.P.R. for their care and treatment of the injured. Mr. Timmerman, he says, has personally superintended the arrangements for the care of the men and has met their every wish and carried out every suggestion of friends that was in any way calculated to ease or comfort the injured. Four doctors and a corps of trained nurses are in attendance, and all possible is being done.

Caribou, Me., June 20—The through C.P.R. train from Edmundston to Aroostook Jct. of seven freight cars, two passenger, and one baggage car, broke through the second span of the Grand Falls Bridge over the St. John River this morning. The whole train went into the river. Conductor Henderson was hurt and a commercial traveler named Hiram Smith of St. John was injured seriously. General Passenger Agent McKenna of the C.P.R. had his shoulder broken and was internally injured. J. O’Neill, engineer, was seriously injured. The train was heavily loaded with passengers from the graduation exercises at Vanburen College. It is believed that Engineer Smith will die and there is little hope that Henderson will recover. It is thought several others are seriously injured. The bridge is 75 feet above the bed of the river. The water is 15 feet deep. The engine and freight cars were piled up in the river, passenger coaches standing on end upon the wreck. The engineer and fireman went to the bottom of the river with the engine, but in some way managed to extricate themselves and cling to the wreckage until picked up before they were swept into the current of the falls half a mile below the bridge. Wrecking trains have been sent to the scene of the accident.

Source: Extrait du livre
Le Madawaska raconté par le Moniteur Acadien
1867 – 1926

Un terrible accident a eu lieu jeudi matin sur le chemin de fer du Pacifique, au Grand-Sault, dans le comté de Victoria. Letrain venant d’Edmundston, composé de la locomotive, de sept chars à marchandises, d’un chars à bagages et de deux chars-passagers, traversait le pont du Grand-Sault lorsque arrivé à la troisième arche, celle-ci s’écroula tout-à-coup sous le poids de la locomotive, qui fut précipitée au fond de la rivière, soit une hauteur de 60 à 75 pieds. Les chars qui suivaient vinrent s’amonceler les uns sur les autres. Le mécanicien et le chauffeur, entraînés au fond de l’abîme avec la locomotive, échappèrent par miracle et revinrent à la surface où ils furent recueillis par les habitants du voisinage, qui s’étaient immédiatement portés sur les lieux. Il n’y avait que sept passagers, dont une femme, et si plusieurs ont été grièvement blessés, aucun n’a perdu la vie. Parmi eux, se trouvaient M. McKenna, agent général du C.P.R., un M. Smitt, voyageur pour la maison T. McAvity & Sons de St Jean, un capitaliste anglais, et quelques autres.

Ces trois-là ont reçu des blessures terribles, mais on a bon espoir de les réchapper. Les autorités du chemin de fer ont pris des mesures immédiates pour soigner les blessés.

D’ici à ce que le pont soit réparé, les communications du haut de la rivière avec le bas seront retardées au Grand-Sault, où il faudra transférer les passagers et les marchandises en voiture par la voie du pont suspendu.

On n’a pas encore donné de renseignements sur la cause de l’écroulement, mais il est probable que le pont était pourri et dangereux depuis longtemps déja.

Dans le livre, Grand-Sault : Hier et aujourd’hui, l’auteur Anita Lagacé, apporte quelques détails intéressants. Parmi les passagers, il y avait des élèves du couvent de St Basile, qui revenaient en vacances pour l’été. Le dentiste Clarence Kirkpatrick de Grand-Sault était également l’une des voyageurs. Les employés du Canadien Pacifique étaient les suivants; Walter Mathews – ingénieur

I didn't get much time lately to work on my webpage but I did want to post this link to the Grand Falls Genealogy Club website. They have built a slide show giving you an idea of what has been done so far in search of 508. Enjoy.

Melissa Mertz went to the Harriet Irving Library last week and found more newspaper clippings. Here they are for your reading enjoyment. On a side note, I haven't done much with the train search in the last few weeks because of our wedding coming up on August 16. However, I plan to resume my search for 508 this fall when everything settles back into place. The following newspapers have been researched and to date have no mention of the locomotive being salvaged.

June 22, 1900

Grand Falls, June 22—Prompt action has been taken by the C.P. Railway Company with regard to the fearful accident which happened here yesterday. Supt. Newcomb arrived last evening accompanied by Doctors Kierstead and Hand, of Woodstock, who were brought by the company to assist the local physicians in attending the injured.

A special train with Superintendent Timmerson’s private car attached arrived early this morning bringing a wrecking crew and apparatus for removing the wreckage from the river. One box car loaded with shingles has already been saved, another car has drifted down river and has grounded a short distance above the falls.

The latest statements given out by the physicians is that the injured are doing well and are much improved.

As we go to press the report comes that the down train from Edmundston on Thursday morning, consisting of an engine and nine cars, went through the bridge at Grand Falls. We are unable to get telegraphic communication with the Falls and therefore cannot learn particulars. It is said that the only persons who escaped with their lives was Conductor Henderson, Engineer W. Mathews and a passenger, name unknown. A train has just left here with Dr. Hand on board for the scene of the disaster.

Fearful Disaster as the Train Approaches Grand Falls

A frightful accident occurred at Grand Falls at noon on Thursday last. As the down train from Edmundston was crossing the railway bridge, a short distance above the town, the second span of the structure from the west side gave way and the whole train, consisting of the engine and nine cars, with the exception of the saloon and smoker, went into the river, 60 feet below. The engine, with the engineer and fireman, plunged down with the fall of the bridge and one by one the cars dropped upon the locomotive, until all of them formed a mass of broken wreckage in the St. John. The saloon and smoking cars went down on top of the pile of broken freight cars, but had a comparatively short distance to descend and one end of the smoker remained upon the bridge. The wreck was appalling in appearance. The engineer and fireman, who went to the bottom of the river, extricated themselves and came to the surface. They secured pieces of wreckage, clung to them tenaciously and were rescued as the current was sweeping them into the falls. Through some of the cars fell but a short distance, yet results were very serious, as four men were severely injured and two of them dangerously. James McKenna, traveling C.P.R. passenger agent, a native of the city of Quebec, had his arm broken and is so badly injured internally that his case is critical. Hiram I. Smith, of St. John, was badly bruised. J. O’Neil, an Englishman, was severely cut and bruised, but will recover. Dr. Clarence Kirkpatrick, of Woodstock, was badly shake up and cut.

Word was at once sent to Woodstock, and a wrecking train proceeded to the scene of the disaster. Drs. Hand and Kierstead went up on the special train.

On Friday afternoon the doctors retruned. Dr. Kirkpatrick also came down. He was seen by a Dispatch representative at his home on Saturday morning. He was considerably bruised and shaken up, but thankful to have come out of the catastrophe alive. He said: -- “I was in the first class car, and looking ahead the first thing I noticed was a car loaded with lumber in front swayi8ng. I thought it was going off the track, and started for the rear of the car. The first thing I knew we were all thrown in a heap at the lower end of the car and mixed up amongst the seats. As soon as I came to my wits, and found out I was not much hurt, I looked up and there was the smoker and baggage car right above us, and as I thought about to fall. I put my hands over my face expecting we would be immediately crushed to death. Then a train hand shouted out, that the car would not fall on us. I then set to work to help out a young lady, Miss Kierstead, I think she said her name was, who was returning to her home in Machais, Me. She had been attending the convent at Van Buren. She was very little hurt. I started then to assist the other passengers who were more seriously hurt than I. Mr. McKenna was forced right through the door his head in the water excepting his mouth and nose. It was a most wonderful escape, and if the baggage car had been ahead of the passenger, the result would have been worse. Also, the heavily laden lumber cars filling the river aided in our preservation.

Mr. Henderson of the Dominion Express Office was on the train. He passed through on his way to St. John on Friday.

The latest reports are that McKenna and Smith are doing as well as can be expected.

Immediately on receiving news of the accident Superintendent Newcomb left Woodstock with a special for the scene of the wreck. He took with him Drs. Hand and Kierstead to care for the wounded.

Mr. Timmerman also left St. John at once taking with him some friends of the men who were reported injured.

Nurses were sent from St. John and reclining chairs telegraphed for. Everything was done that could be done to make the sufferers comfortable.

The tramp who went through the accident, with the proverbial enterprise of his profession, put his arm in a sling and struck for Perth. He told his sad story. He was a carpenter on his way to Houlton and had injured his arm and lost all his tools in the wreck. He was in a fair way to get rich when some heartless man came along and gave his game away. Mr. Tramp smiled, took his arm out of the sling, and struck for fresh fields and pastures new.

And the Train Plunges Into the River

A terrible smashup occurred at Grand Falls Thursday about noon. As the down train from Edmunston, was crossing the railway bridge which is about a mile above the falls, the second span of the structure from the west end gave away and the whole train composed of the engine and nine cars went into the river, except the passenger and smoker cars. Fortunately none on board were killed, owing chiefly to the fact that the passenger cars did not go into the water. One of these cars went over one end on the debris below, and the other end on what was left of the bridge; the other, which was a combination of smoker and baggage car did not go over but the front end plunged into the breach, and the baggage, which was in the rear end smashed through the partition and onto the passengers in the front end of the car. Among these was Conductor Henderson who was pretty severely injured.

There were a good many passengers on board, but only four were badly injured; two of these, Mr. McKenna, traveling passenger agent of the C.P.R., and Mr. Smith, travellor for T. McAvity & Sons of St. John were very severely injured, but at last report were doing well. Dr. Clarence Kirkpatrick of Woodstock and a Mr. Oniel were injured, and others did not entirely escape. In response to telegraphic request Drs. Hand and Kierstead from Woodstock went up by special train. Wrecking apparatus and crew were also dispatched; and Supt. Timmerman and Mrs. Smith, wife of the injured passenger, and several others went up from St. John. The engineer, Walter Mathews, and fireman William McCluskey went into the river with the engine. How they got out alive is not yet explained.

This bridge was built some twenty-two years ago, and for several years has been dreaded by travellors as an unsafe structure. Two years ago part of it was carried away by ice and if it had all been replaced at that time by a new and modern structure, the Company would not have sustained this loss, nor the lives of travellers been endangered. The travelling public have an interest in railway bridges as well as the Company, and the government should see that all due safeguards to life and limb are respected.

When going to press last week, the town was excited to the utmost tension over the report of a fearful railway accident at Grand Falls, attended with loss of many lives. It was then impossible to learn any further particulars than that the train had broken through the Grand Falls bridge, and that a special train had left Woodstock with Drs. Hand and Kiersteid for the scene of the disaster. It was not till next day that anything like a correct account of the calamity reached here and then it was learned that the results were not so severe as at first stated. The wrecked bridge is about a mile above the falls. The accommodation train consisted of engine and tender, seven freight, a passenger and smoker car. When the second span from the west side was reached it suddenly collapsed, and the engine and tender and seven freight cars plunged into the water, while the passenger car hung over the pier, the front end resting on the sunken freights, the smoker remaining on the bridge. The engineer and fireman went down in the cab, and how they relieved themselves and got to the surface is a question they can’t answer themselves. Clinging to some debris they were enablod to reach the shore. In the passenger car were a Miss Kierstead, of Machias, Me., James McKenna, traveling passenger agent of the C.P.R. Horace I. Smith of St. John, J. O’Neil an Englishman, Dr. Clarence Kirkpatrick of Woodstock and Conductor Henderson. When the car went over the seats were broken from their positions and sliding forward carried the passengers with them to the front end of the car. Mr. Smith was severely bruised, O’Neil was also badly bruised, Kirkpatrick escaped with some cuts and an awful shaking up, Henderson was considerably injured, while McKenna fared worse than the rest having his arm broken and receiving severe internal injury, Miss Keirstead was fortunate enough to escape with but trifling hurt.

As soon as the news reached the head office St. John, Gen. Manager Timmerman, Mrs. Smith, wife of the injured man, and friends of the other injured parties, and competent nurses, left and hastened by special to the Falls. Mr. Timmerman, Supt. Newcomb and in fact all the railway officials exercised themselves to the utmost to render the positions of the unfortunate victims of the accident as comfortable as possible.

INTRO	FUN STUFF	POLL	SOUNDS	CONTACT ME	LINKS
RESEARCH DOCUMENTS					HOW TO GET MARCEAU'S BOOK
GUEST MAP	www.locomotive508.nb.ca				GUEST BOOK

Source: The Daily Gleaner Thursday, June 21, 1900. Front Page.