James S. Kimball

James S. Kimball Killed by the Cars: St. Johnsbury Caledonian Newspaper, February 18, 1892, Page 6

A fatal accident occurred at the West Burke depot about noon yesterday, resulting in the instant death of James Kimball, express agent and assistant depot master. There had been a car loaded with brick left upon a side track, and when the train that was to take it came along Mr. Kimball went out to change a switch below this car, supposing all the time that the engine was coming down another track.

The engineer saw his train was going to run against this car, and whistled for brakes, but they did not hold and the engine ran against the car, behind which Mr. Kimball was stooping down to fix the switch, striking him and mangling him fearfully. He was carried from near the depot almost down to the stream mill before the train could be stopped.

His wife has been very sick for several weeks, and being of advanced age, it is feared this will hasten her death. It has been only two or three years since Mr. Burns, depot master, and son-in-law of Mr. Kimball, had his arm taken off by the cars here, and only this winter Albert Burns, a grandson of Mr. Kimball, came near losing his life here by a defective brake that threw him between the cars.