New-York tribune., 1891-12-26
At THE GRAND CENTRAL.
OFFICIALS MAKE STATEMENTS.
an. voonnEEs SAYS nERn1cx TIE rRA1NMAN

Mr.. VOORHEES, SAYS HERRICK THE TRAINMAN
IS REsPONI BLE-LACK OF BLOCK SIGNALS
Many anxious friends of the people the two trains
wrecked Dobbs Ferry Thursday night called at
the Grand Central Station yesterday 10 inquire about
the killed and injured. Ihey all referred to II.
Walter Webb, third vcepresdent OF the road, and to
Theodore VOORHEES,. tho general superintendent, who
remained in their Offices TO inquiTers and look
after the general details Of the disaster The baggage
and personal property OF the passengers were gathered
up from tie wreck and sent to the Grand Central,
where they await claimants. Mr.. Webb and Mr.
voorhees, gave 10 all callers what information and aid
they could, which little, for the injured were all in
the hospitals at Yonkers and the dead were at Tsrry-
town In charge of tho Coroner.
Mr.. Webb made statement 10 the reporters to
cover the developments up to that tine. and referred
them II Mr. voorhees, for further particulars. His
statement was as follows
Tram No. 90, Cio,On local. having New-York at 40
D. m Thursday, stopped at DoLbs Ferry to make
slight repars on the engine. Tn, distant signal
thrown out and following train No 45, the Niagara
express leaving NewY or OF 80 stopped at distant
signal about threequarrs OF mile south of Dobls Ferry
The conductor Of train No. 45 Immediately sent
brakeman back to signal following trains. The
proceeded far Hastings station, where, IL Ia
reported entered the Office and stayed there in CONVEX
tson until No. T. the St Louis express the next train to
pass which left New-York at O'Clock, arrived. The
engineer OF the st. Louis express received no warning
whatever the presence the Niagara Falls express,
NO 1 the track ahead until he approached the pont
where the train standing The conductor ana second
brakeman OF No As the ground little distance
Of the but not sufficiently Ear TO give the en-
g1necr OF No. notice tine stop. He reversed his
engine and reduced his speed before the collision This
was about 40 p.
The engine OF the St. Louis express telescoped
the rear car Of the Niagara Falls express, the wag
slceplngcsr Gibraltar 1here twenty-five people
In this including the Wagner porter and conductor
OF these ten are dead six more or less injured and six
uninjured.
The Of the engineer OF the St. Louis express was
j. Donohue. the tainman Of the Niagara Falls
express was Albert E. Herrck
So far we passengers the st. Louis
express were injured the passengers the Niagara
Falls express, excepting those in the Gibraltar. Tho
south bound track obstrueted and the wreck
cleared at o'clock this morning
Mr.. VOORHEES, STATEMENT.
In explanation Of this statement which was pract
cslly his report TO Mr. Webb Mr.. Voorhees, said that
be reached the Scene Of the accident within couple
Of hours after 1t occurred Prom reports made to him
ard from conversations with passengers on the two
trains he believed that the cause of the disaster
wholly the negligence OF Hegrick the trainman
"Ierrck,' he said, "was sent back by the conductor
Of the Niagara Falls express the train
stopped. lie walked back far the station at
Hastings about threequarters of mile, but when he
got there lie went inside and down. lie had been
there about ten minutes when the St Louis express
went by lie jumped up and said to the operator :
"'Weu That's one on me-
"He stayed around there awhile until news OF the
collision was brought in when he exclaimed;
"'My God wish hadn't come In here or some
thing like that and went away"
Has he been arrested ~ asked the reporter.
"NO, he can't be found. lie has not been seen
since then. We have men searching for him. but they
have found no trace Of him yet"
How long has the man been with the road ~
About year lie was bright. intelllgent-lOo
tu1 and from an lie
bone was in stsatsburg, where his father believe, is
manager. something of the kind. the Dnsmore
farm. There Is this much to be said about his acton.
There is usually local train No. 80, which leaves
the Grand Central five minutes after the Niagara Falls
express. This train IS due at Hastings at 10 The
ST. Louis express Is not due there until 9 SO. Last
night owing to the confusion train service in
OH account OF the accident early in the evening at
sing Sing. this local train not Now Herrick
knew that that train the first due at Hastings,
and ss ii stops there anyway, he probably assumed
that there no need of his signalling it, The re-
suit was that, this train being off, the st. Louis train
came rushing by and there signal TO stop It,"
NO BLoCk-sIGNAL SYSTEM.
81 suppose your tracks equipped with the block
signal system :" suggested tie reporter. How could
tho st. Louis train get into the block with the other
train, even If Herrck did fail to signal iti'
"S0, we have no block system OF signalling above
spuyten Duyv. From the Grand Central to Spuyten
Duyvl have signal towers 3,000 feet and no
train can 60 by tower until the preceding train
has passed the tower beyond. This syston which Is
an English invention known as the Sykes system,
makes an accident like that yesterday absolutely i'm
possible and Is the only safe way OF signalling We
are now extending this equipment an the section from
spuytsn DuyvI 10 Yonhers Will be ready
for IN day two From fonkers
10 Peelsskill. where the towers will be
q mile and One-eighth apart-for fast train about two
mnutes-the work is not far advanced, but will be
ready for use inside of two months. From pcekskn
70 POughkeepse the towers will be two and one-haf
Nes apart. II was only yesterday that signed the
contract for building this section, with Tie Johnson
Railway signal Company, Of Railway. n. J. When
this system Is all In there be accidents
nks this
aHow about the road beyond poughkcepsie "a Is
that equippctf'
"No.n
SIS 1t going u ber
sYou mustnt ask me that am not the one who
has tho say about It,"
sD.d you know any of the passengers who were
killed ?" Mr.. Voorhees, asked
sHos he reBiied. aBut Miss Van Arsdale. $40 Of