The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-04
TRYING TO FIX THE
RESPONSIBILITY
The Coroner Investigates the Atlantic
City Railroad Disaster.
BIG ROAD OFFICIALS ARE PRESENT
Superintendent Dayton, of the West
Jersey, Explains the Block system.
Mr.. Deice, of the Reading, Admits
That Trains Are Run at Full Speed
Over Crossings.

Atlantic City, Aug. 3.-The inquest by
Coroner Mclaughlin into the deaths re-
sulting from the collision between the
Reading railroad express and the
Bridgeton excursion train on the West
Jersey railroad on the Meadows on last
Thursday evening began today. The
greater part of the testimony heard to-
day was in explanation of the workings
Of the block signal system, In antici-
patton of a big crowd the inquest was
not held in the stuffy little city hall.
but in odd Fellows hall. At no time,
however. was the hall overcrowded, and
it would appear that the great wreck
has already ceased to be nine days
wonder-that the residents have re-
sumed their normal occupation Of gath
ering in the dollars Of visitors and the
latter have taken up their pursuits Of
pleasure seeking again. Coroner Nc
Laughlin is being assisted In conduct
ing the inquest by Prosecutor Of Pleas
Perry. who has undertaken the task Of
questioning the witnesses. Both the
railroad companies are represented by
counsel at the hearing. and United
States Senator Sewall, vice president Of
the West Jersey railroad, and George
w. Boyd, assistant general passenger
agent of the Pennsylvania railroad.
came here from Cape May in a special
train to listen to the evidence. Besides
both companies have stenographers taxi
ing the testimony with an eye for use
in probable damage suits.
Superintendent Dayton, of the West
Jersey, who was absent from Atlantic
City at the time Of the accident, pre-
scented In an able way for the benefit Of
the jury the perfect sense Of the block
system as safeguard against collisions.
but was forced to admit that its perfect
working depends upon fallible human
beings. Superintendent Deice, of the
Reading appeared anything but hap
py witness and STAYED off answering
embarrassing questions as long as he
could and then finally admitted that ex-
press trains are run at nearly full speed
in approaching grade crossings, if they
are once given the signalsto go ahead
AS the rules of the company explicitly
state that trains approaching q cross
ing shall be under such control that
they can stop within $50 feet of such
crossing it would seem that the rule is
not strictly observed in the fierce COM
petition for business. Nicholas Long,
day operator at the tower at the cross
ing, witnessed the accident as he was
on his way home from work, and he
stated that the clear signal was
given to the excursion train and
the danger signal set for the ex-
press. but gave 1t as his opinion that
this was unusual, as express trains on
the Reading are usually given the right
of way over all trains on the West Jer-
sey owing to priority of track occupa-
tion.
1t is probable that the inquest may
last until Wednesday and may even
continue over to Thursday. All the
victims of the wreck in the Sanitarium
are doing well, and there are now hopes
that all may ultimately recover.