Birmingham state herald., 1896-08-01
VAS HE COLOR BLIND 2 The Red Light Flashed Upon
 Engineer Farr, BUT ONWARD HE DASHED His Lips Sealed There Can Be No Explanation
 of His Mistake. THERE WERE THREE SIGNALS AGAINST HIM Gay Atlantic City in the Somber Shadow of the Appalling Catastrophe-The Re-
 vised Casualty List Shows AZ
 Killed and 54 Injured.
THERE WERE THREE SIGNALS AGAINST HIM

gloom hangs over this city today anu countless thousands mourn for the dead and wounded who were ground up In the railroad carnage of last night. No one, however remote in thought and feeling from that suffering mass of humanity, cares to return to the gaiety and reVelry that attests this metropolis by the sea in the seasons height as the merr1est summer resort on the Atlantic coast. The nights dreadful scenes in the streets, at the two railroad stations and away out on the meadows are followed today by silent contemplation and sor- row save among those whose duty 1t happens to be to dispose of the dead or lend ministering hands to the wounded and dying.
 The railroad accident, possibly the worst in all the experiences of eastern roads, will be felt in Atlantic City for months, perhaps years, to come, and it's plight will certainly destroy the hope that has been strong in hotel keepers that the coming month would rescue them from what has been notably a backward summer.
 It is too late to reason out how the col lision might have been averted, and yet it seems inexplicable that on that broad stretch of marsh land in the early tWl- light, when the eye can see for miles or distance, two trains should go crushing into each other without a single chance of escape.
 J Travel between Atlantic City and Phil adelphia and intermediate points in this state is maintained by three lines of rail road. They are the West Jersey and Camden and Atlantic incorporated in the Pennsylvania Railroad company's new system of Jersey lines, and the Atlantic City railroad, controlled and operated by the Philadelphia and Reading Rail road company. All three lines run out of Atlantic City on two parallel tracks, the two Pennsylvania lines going out of one depot and crossing the same thor 'oughfare bridge, and the Reading line making it's start about eight blocks below and crossing a bridge of its own few 'allndred yard below the other. When .5nce across the draw bridge diVerglng single track swings the West Jersey trains off to the left and carries them out in an oblique course to point about a mile and half from the Reading draw bridge, where they cross obllquely, ana al grade the double tracks of the Reading Railroad company. The intersection Is marked by a single tower. Watching trains approaching the shore at dis tance it is difficult for the inexperienced eye to determine upon which tracks they will enter the city, and possibly while laundering shoreward last evening, Reading Engineer Farr could not tell whe ther the special was coming out upon the West Jersey or Camden or Atlantic City tracks.
 An excursion party of about 400 people of the laboring class were brought down in the morning from Bridgeton, Millville and Morris river It was the one day Of outing in the year for them, and they had a merry time. They represented four tribes of Red Men, and on account or thelr number two trains were made up for the evening return one to depart at 6:30 ana the other a few hours later The o:So train was few minutes behind in start ing. and after crossing the draw bridge was halted on the meadows to wait for couple of downward trains. It was tnls delay that brought the collision ana deaths, and the solution of the accident falls upon George Houser, the man m tne tower. and John Grainer, the engineer of the ill-fated excursion train. Edward Farr the Reading engineer, remained at his post while his engine ploWed ner way through the special train and was Kiileu outright. His mistake, if he made one, mean nj his death and his lips can never tell the story.
 But the living who were in the awful wreck furnished a reason for the acci- dent which. goes to indicate that rarr disregarded the signal when IL was flashed his way. He was running the fast express, which leaves fniiapeiplII1a At $40 D. m and is due here at 6:5o. lie sthundered across the meadows at the rate of from forty to fifty miles an hour, and came in sight of the excursion tram inst as the latter pulled ahead in the direction of the crossing. He douptiess .,,as unabIe to distinguish upon which track the special was running. HIS only source of information as to what he should do was the light in the tower. Greiner. holding the throttle on the other engine. knew one thing sure-that poth trains must go over the lntersectsoil.. ne oot inc white lights to go over first so the living say, and tried to make the eoal He failed, and one of the most Narrowing railroad collisions of the times passes into history. |. s.s
 Striking the excursion tram as It uiu' inst a as the engine and first car had clear ed inc big Reading flyer. the locomotive crashed through and crumbled up the re maining five cars, and, having perform. ed its horrible work. toppled over zo rect away in the marsh.