The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-01-20
attaches. AT any rate an Investigation

attaches. AT any rate an Investigation
will be made.
squad of policemen under command
of Chief Murphy was ut the depo6 ana
kept the curious crowd back when ihe
train arrived. The ambulance corps also
did excellent work and at the first news
of the accident was at the depot with
their ambulances aud patrol wagons
ready to convey the injured to the
hospitals. Their services. however, were
not required, as the injured were all sent
to their homes. Surgeon General Nc
Gill and DR.. w. Perry Watson were
quickly on the ground, and rendered
efficient service to the injured
The delay to the local was due, he said,
to trouble with the air brakes.
Two Jersey City men said last night
that they were watching the fireman of
that engine holding a mass of burning
o:l-soaked waste under pipe under the
tender.
Finally he unscrewed something, and
explained afterward that it was the check
valve of the air breaks, and that it had
been frozen up.
Jeffrey Blewitt. who was killed. was a
prominent Newark grocer at 123 Bowery
street. He leaves wife and five grown
children, and was worth about 10000.
Although he never held public office ne
was Democratic leader in his district.
OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION.
Superintendent Crawford of the New
York Division began thorough investi-
CATION of the accident this morning, and
issued orders temporarily suspend1ng the
implicated tower operators and the crews
of both trains.
The Investigation was conducted by
Freight Train Master Hedley in his
Wair. Assistant Train Master; Isaac A.
Van Duseu, Chief Train Dispatcher, and
William Ettinger, Division Operator.
Operator George June, of Tow er Fl. B.
was one of the first to appear at Mr.. He'd
ley's office, where he insisted that, while
it was true he had signalled clear block
for the express train, he had done SO
Operator John Edwards. in Tower w. 5 ,
at the coal chutes.
June declared that he did not know the
Waverly local was standing on the
track
Operator Edwards denied that he had
given the ''clear" block signal to June.
The responsibility OF the accident rests
between the two operators. That the signal
showed clear track ahead to Engineer
Farrell of the express is not disputed, but
the engineer will give his YER sion OF the
accident to Agent Hedley on his return
from Philadelphia.
George Chessman. the rear brakeman
of the local, stated that ne went back
with red lantern to signal the approach
ing express to stop. When he saw the
train comtug he waved his lantern, but
the train was running SO rapidly it
could not be stopped. The investigation
will be continued tomorrow, and although
the officials are inclined to place the
blame upon June, they will not do so
until they have examined every one who
has any knowledge of the accident.
WILL JUNE BE ARRESTED?
June has not been arrested.
A SIMILAR ACCIDENT.
A similar accident occurred at the same
place, October 18, 1885. An express train
ielescoped an eniigrant train which had
stopped at the coal chutes, on account of
a broken coupling.
A f1agman was sent back to place tor
pedoes on the track. but he only went
1,70D feet and was just boarding the
rear platform when he observed the
Pacific express approaching. The signal
man had changed the light from red to
while and the express came on at full
speed In vain did the brakeman wave
red lantern.
The express struck the emigrant train
and threw the rear car over on the east
bound track right in the path of a flying
eastbound train, which plowed through
the wreck. A large number of lives was
lost and many were injur ed.