The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-10-24
OPERATOR PRATTS MISTAKE.
HE TOOK THE CHANCES AND SENT
ONE TRAIN INTO ANOTHER.


ONE TRAIN INTO ANOTHER.
EXACTLY WHY EIGHT PERSONS wERI
KILLED AND MANY INJURED ON TIL
nAcKENsAcK MEADOWS ON SUNDAY
NIcHT-PRATT's ADMISSIONS.
The collision on the Pennsylvani;
Railroad, on the Hackensack Meadows
near Jersey City, on Sunday night, wa,
caused by the carelessness of Thomas P
Pratt, the telegraph operator at Marion
which Is the last station, going west, ii
Jersey City. The Pennsylvania Rail
road many years ago adopted the BLOCK
system. Its tracks arc divided into
sections, and at no time are two train:
allowed to stand or move on the same
section. Not until section is reported
clear can train enter upon it. One Of
these sections begins at Marion and ex.
tends westward to the Fish House, a
signal station situated short distance
beyond the scene of the accident. Pratt,
who is a small man, 2G years old, went
on duty at o'clock on Sunday evening
in the telegraphic signal tower at Marion.
The emigrant train approached the
tower at S:l2 p. NJ. The section ahead
had been reported clear by the operator
at the Fish House, and Pratt correctly
flashed white light as sign to the
engineer of the emigrant train to 90
ahead. The train passed a minute later.
At the coal shute beyond the Hacken-
sack it stopped for coal and water. AT
1924 p. NJ, or eleven minutes later, the
outward bound Southern express came
laundering along through the big cut in
Bergen Hill, drawn by Long-legged No.
10, the largest locomotive on the road.
Pratt had not heard from the emigrant
train since 1t had disappeared in the
mist. 1t had not been reported from
the Fish House, as it would have been
if it had passed that station. He hesi-
tated for moment as TO what he should
do, whether to stop the outgoing express
with the red danger signal or give it the
white light. After few seconds of
indecision he came to the conclusion
that the emigrant train must have
passed off the section and that owing to
the inattention of the operator at the
Fish House, it had not been reported,
He accordingly displayed a white light,
and the express held on its way at the
10 n nf Il
no sooner passed him than Pratt began
to have misgivings as to the course he
had taken. He called the Fish House
operator on the wire, and learned, to
his horror, that the emigrant train had
not arrived there, but must still be
numbering along the section. Then.
fearing that an accident was inevitable,
he directed the Fish House man to show
the incoming Lehigh Valley train com
ing on the other track and then due
there n red light. But it was too late.
The Lehigh train had already entered
upon the section. 1t continued on its
course until Owen Hall, the engineer,
was almost surprised out of his senses
by seeing both tracks choked with
wrecked cars twenty yards ahead of him.
He whistled down his brakes and re-
versed his locomotive, but in an instant
his engine had plunged into the wreck
and was pushed down the embankment.
Pratt remained at his post until 7
O'Clock Monday morning. When he
was told that he was wanted at Police
Ileadquarter, she said he expected to be
arrested, and had been advised by his
friends to run away; but as he had not
intended to do any wrong, he deter
mined to remain and take the conse-
quences of his error. lie was arraigned
later In the day before Justice Wanser.
vas committed to Jail to await the
result OF the inquest. Pratt has been
In the company's employ four years.
The bodies of four victims were dis
covered Monday beneath the ruins of
the l.ehigh Valley engine. They had
been forced into the soft earth by the
engines weight. In addition to these
there was the missing part of the body
OF q woman that had been recovered on
Sunday night. This victim was about
30 years old, and a Norwegian. She
and man had been taken up by the
Lehigh Valley engine as it drove through
the emigrant car. The body of the man
was found five feet under ground. He
to be about % wears old, Three
of the new bodies found are those of
boys, one about years old, one about
II, and the third about l2. One of
these had his shoes and coat off. The
leg of boy about 13 years was also
The leg, County Physician
Converse says, does not belong to the
body recovered last night, or to anv of
the other bodies in the Morgue. The
remains were sent TO Speer's Morgue,
There are eight bodies in all there.
The following is the list of killed and
injured:
THE DEAD.
Karl Henry Grommcr, a Norwegian. 30
years old head Was cut on.
unknown woman, head cut OF. She was \
about 20 years old, and is believed to be the
wife of Gronmcr.
Unknown boy, about II years old, body |
crushed lie Is believed TO be GronnnerS /
Mrs uIena Arneas. aged IS years, Norwe-
Sian, hOth1egS cut of.
Unknown hoy, about 12 years old, body
unknown boy, about s years old head
crushed,
Ngknown woman, headless, and body
Unknown man, headloss.
INJURED.
q.
'kull fractured aud body bruised
owen Hall, engineer OF the Lehieh Nalley
rain. - years old. skull fractured
Ralph Curry, aged 20 years, injured about
he head.
,Chrisii4na Bolsia, aged 20 years. NorwC.
,ian, leg broken.
Laura Redesen Melanand, aged 80, Norwe.
'lan, head Land back injured.
All of the above except Hall and Bow
RS are emigrants. They are all in ST.
Francis Hospital and in fair way-qf +
ecoYery, with the exception of Klingef, +
T.. II. j. Uber0th. conductor OF emigrant
ram, AZ NearSold fright wrist broken
Frank stevens, postal clerk on the'eXpTcss
William Wiw, stone express messenger,
mike and head bruised.
lrOken.
rain, leg'broken.
Oscar leighton, fireman on the express
ram, head and back bruised s-t
A passenger relates that conductor E.
(. j. uheroth, OF the emigrant train,
TODD about after the accident with his
RIA broken, refusing TO go away. and
.irecting those who offered TO help him
a ugp all fhpir auartrias tnt.avll ,.a..,,, d