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| Photograph of Engine 409 that was in operation on the Grand Trunk Railway in 1898 |
Transcribed
from the Boston Daily Globe
24 August
1898, page 5
FREIGHT
TRAINS MEET
---------
Head On
Collision on the Grand Trunk Road
---------
Fireman La
Roche Instantly Killed, Engineer McCourt Injured.
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Both Engines
Wrecked – Bodies of Tramps May be in Ruins
PORTLAND, Aug 23 – Passengers who reached
here on the Grand Trunk train this evening report a railroad disaster two miles
west of Waterville, on the Grand Trunk.
Waterville is a small flag station, and
the accident occurred at a very bad place on the line. The road makes a sharp curve and there is a
high bank and a stone wall over what is called “the washout.” According to the story told here, the cause
of the accident was probably a misunderstanding of orders. Two freight trains, one going east and the
other west, met head on. The engineer of
the train bound west supposed he had a clear track to Richmond junction, while
the engineer of the east-bound train supposed he had a clear track to Island
Pond, and made no account of the little flag station ahead.
As far as could be learned, the first
warning the trainmen had was the rumble ahead of the coming train. There was but one thing to do, and that was
to jump for their lives from engines making fast time for freight trains. At this time of the year Grand Trunk trains
are not heavy, and they were making good time.
Engineer Thomas McCourt cleared his engine
in safety, but was badly injured on his right side and was unable to move. He was removed on a stretcher and the full
extent of his injuries could not be ascertained.
Engineer John Kelley had a narrow
escape. He cleared his engine and was
hurled over the bank, breaking one arm.
His fireman was not seriously injured.
Albert La Roche, fireman for McCourt, was
instantly killed. He was a young man and
had been a railroad man for some time.
Many of the cars were derailed and two
engines were wrecked. In the opinion of
those who saw the piled-up wreckage the loss will be very nearly complete.
Railroad men who are familiar with the
scene of the accident are unable to account for the cause of the two engineers (illegible).
A wrecking train was at once sent to the
scene of the accident, and the (illegible) was quick. It is thought that the bodies of some tramps
will be found under the wreckage.
------------------------------------------------
The Thomas McCourt mentioned in the newspaper article above was the third son of Joshua and Elizabeth Cave McCourt. He was the brother of Joshua Albert and uncle to my grandfather, Thomas Henry McCourt. It's indeed possible that my grandfather was named after this uncle.
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec, as well as in the American states of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Many of the McCourt men, including Thomas and my great-grandfather Joshua were employed by this railroad.
 | ||
| Lennoxville depot on the Grand Trunk RR. My grandfather, Thomas Henry McCourt was born in Lennoxville |
Thomas sustained serious burns in the above mentioned accident and was never able to return to work for the railroad. He instead went into business for himself by opening a "variety" store - a precursor to a five-and-dime. He was later joined in that business by his son, Sidney.
Thomas died 19 February 1928 at the age of 76. His obituary attests to the respect and admiration the local community felt for him.
RICHMOND TIMES -GUARDIAN
RICHMOND, QUEBEC
FRIDAY, FEB. 24TH, 1928
Deaths
Thomas McCourt
The funeral of the late Mr. McCourt, who passed away suddenly on Sunday evening last after a few days illness, was held from his late residence on Colledge St. on Wednesday afternoon. The bearers were all life time-long friends of the deceased, Messers. George Pearson, P. Doyle, J. Pepler, H. Moreton, and F. Johnston. The mourners were Miss Edith McCourt, Mr. & Mrs. S. H. McCourt, Mr. & Mrs. A. Metivier, Mrs. George Chapman and family of Richmond, Mr. & Mrs. T. Epps, Miss D. Epps and Mr. W. Epps of Farnham, Mrs. A. Satro and Messers. H. and I. Chapman of Waterburry, Vt., Mrs. Charles Chapman, Miss Belle McCourt and Messers. M. McCourt, J. McCourt and T. McCourt of Windsor Mills.
Many beautiful floral offerings testified to the high esteem in which the deceased was held. The cortege proceeded to the Chalmers' church where the service was conducted by Rev. S. Gorley Brown in the presence of a large gathering of relatives and friends. Interment was in St. Anne's cemetery.
The late Mr. McCourt was one of Richmond's most prominent citizens. He was born in Lurgan, Armagh Co., Ireland, in 1852 and at the age of 14 came to Canada. He resided in Windsor Mills for a short time, later coming to Richmond where he has resided for the past 50 years. He entered the service of the Grand Trunk railway as trackman, from that he worked up to be section boss, transferred to the motive power department, then became fireman and passed out as an engineer. After some years at the throttle, he was badly injured in the wreck between Lennoxville and Waterville on August 23, 1898, in which the late Albert LaRoche, his fireman was killed. The injuries he received incapacitated him from active railroad service and he entered business for himself. He was later joined by his son who now conducts the business from which his father retired from last November. For years he was the local Crop Statistician for the Federal Dept. of Trade and Commerce.
Every body knew and liked Tom McCourt and his entire family. This entire district extends sincere sympathy to his bereaved family. He is survived by his widow, two daughters, Edith at Richmond and Mrs. T. Epps at Farnham; one son, Mr. S. H. McCourt, Richmond; one sister, Mrs. George (Elizabeth) Chapman, and one brother, Mr. Joshua McCourt, Columbia, Utah.
1928, Friday Feb. 24th
The CHALMERS UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
REV. S. GURLEY BROWN
MINISTER
RICHMOND, QUEBEC, CANADA
Thomas died 19 February 1928 at the age of 76. His obituary attests to the respect and admiration the local community felt for him.
RICHMOND TIMES -GUARDIAN
RICHMOND, QUEBEC
FRIDAY, FEB. 24TH, 1928
Deaths
Thomas McCourt
The funeral of the late Mr. McCourt, who passed away suddenly on Sunday evening last after a few days illness, was held from his late residence on Colledge St. on Wednesday afternoon. The bearers were all life time-long friends of the deceased, Messers. George Pearson, P. Doyle, J. Pepler, H. Moreton, and F. Johnston. The mourners were Miss Edith McCourt, Mr. & Mrs. S. H. McCourt, Mr. & Mrs. A. Metivier, Mrs. George Chapman and family of Richmond, Mr. & Mrs. T. Epps, Miss D. Epps and Mr. W. Epps of Farnham, Mrs. A. Satro and Messers. H. and I. Chapman of Waterburry, Vt., Mrs. Charles Chapman, Miss Belle McCourt and Messers. M. McCourt, J. McCourt and T. McCourt of Windsor Mills.
Many beautiful floral offerings testified to the high esteem in which the deceased was held. The cortege proceeded to the Chalmers' church where the service was conducted by Rev. S. Gorley Brown in the presence of a large gathering of relatives and friends. Interment was in St. Anne's cemetery.
The late Mr. McCourt was one of Richmond's most prominent citizens. He was born in Lurgan, Armagh Co., Ireland, in 1852 and at the age of 14 came to Canada. He resided in Windsor Mills for a short time, later coming to Richmond where he has resided for the past 50 years. He entered the service of the Grand Trunk railway as trackman, from that he worked up to be section boss, transferred to the motive power department, then became fireman and passed out as an engineer. After some years at the throttle, he was badly injured in the wreck between Lennoxville and Waterville on August 23, 1898, in which the late Albert LaRoche, his fireman was killed. The injuries he received incapacitated him from active railroad service and he entered business for himself. He was later joined by his son who now conducts the business from which his father retired from last November. For years he was the local Crop Statistician for the Federal Dept. of Trade and Commerce.
Every body knew and liked Tom McCourt and his entire family. This entire district extends sincere sympathy to his bereaved family. He is survived by his widow, two daughters, Edith at Richmond and Mrs. T. Epps at Farnham; one son, Mr. S. H. McCourt, Richmond; one sister, Mrs. George (Elizabeth) Chapman, and one brother, Mr. Joshua McCourt, Columbia, Utah.
1928, Friday Feb. 24th
The CHALMERS UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
REV. S. GURLEY BROWN
MINISTER
RICHMOND, QUEBEC, CANADA
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