1898 Moncton…… The Daily Transcript Evening………. November 9th, 1898
Excitement At Buctouche
Due to Lack of Proper Communication
A Buctouche correspondent of the Transcript writes: On Friday last among the passengers from Buctouche to Moncton were Father Michaud, Mr. McManus, and Bowen Smith who were to return by the evening train of M &B Ry. In fact the train left Moncton at the usual time with Father Michaud, Father Dufour, and Bowen Smith aboard. Mr. McManus was detained by pressure of business until next day. At Scotch Settlement station the engine sided off to get an empty car from the saw mill. But a broken rail, the want of sufficient sleepers, the soft mud, --- and down went the engine. The railway crew went to work like tigers, but it was soon to be seen that they could not make things all right before the morning. Father Michaud and Father Defour started on the track and reached Notre Dame (eight miles). After partaking of a good lunch of the hospitable home of Mr. R. Gagnon, at McDoughall Station, after midnight. Mr. Bowen Smith got a 25 cts cup of tea in the neighbourhood of the wreck and resigned himself to wait for the start.

But the excitement got very high in Buctouche. No train, no news, and what about the passengers on the 32 miles of the line? Despatches were exchanged with Moncton, and all was a mystery between the two ends. The families of Bowen Smith and Chas. McManus were over excited and the friends of Father Michaud could not stand the uncertainty any longer. At ten o’clock the situation was at its highest pitch. “There is a wreck some where on the line and we must go,” Such was the expression to be heard. Custom officer J. LeBlanc, M. McLaughlan, Louis Boudreau, Felise Michaud started on the track with a will and Jos. Michaud drove with his team to carry back the broken limbs or corpses of the supposed victims.

On, on , 23 miles to Scotch Settlement under the most painful anxiety. When about two miles from the station a blaze of fire was discovered, and the smoke stack showing its head over the light, “My God there is a wreck and the victims” shouted McLaughlan. The boys say that McLaughlan, at that stage , was bewildered, staggered and almost fainted with fear and anxiety, gasping, “Boys, Father Michaud is in it, let us run:” and such a run! In a few minutes the train rescuers were on the spot and to their great comfort they learned the passengers were all right. Father Michaud and Father Dufour must be then, (it was fine in the morning) at Notre Dame. The fire was made to give light and heat to the working men who had just succeeded getting the engine on the track. The crowd arrived at Buctouche at about seven o’clock in the morning, glad, happy and thankful after the sad experience.

By all means, let us try to have proper communication by telephone or otherwise between Moncton and Buctouche.