Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-08-07
WHO WAS TO BLAME ?
FIXING THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR At.
LANTic CITY DISASTER.

The signal Operators Statement.
ATLANTIC Cry, Aug. "a searching
aud thorough inquiry is being made 70
ascertain th6eause and fix the responsi-
bllity for the appalling disaster which 90.
CURED here last week In which "A were
ksaaed and ~ many more Injured by a ool-
lision OF the Reading express and an ex-
cursion train from Bridgeton on tho West
Jersey road. Coroner Mclaughlin impan-
oled jury consisting OF six Of Atlantic
City's wealthiest and influential citizens.
They are ChaElaP Evans, hotel keeper
and president OF tho Atlantic City Nation.
al bank Lewis Evans, John Champion,
Levi Albsrson, T. J. Dickinson and
Charles q. Adams.
After formal organization In the ooro.
ner's office ths jury, headed by that Off
oial, visited the old Excursion house, which
has been utilized as a morgue. The dead
had all been taken there and placed In ice,
boxes. The iurymen Viewed the bodies, and
after few minor fortnalitles, visited the
scene OF the wreok. Judge Thompson, law
Judge Of Atlantic county, was there ON be-
half Of the Reading Railroad company and
Joseph II. 0askill as counsel for the Penn
sylvania.
The jury made an exhaustive snanlna-
tion Of the ground and devoted oonsidsra.
BILE time TO the inspection Of the signals
which still remain as they were at the mo
msnt Of the accident that fading the
Reading being the red, or danger, signal
and that toward the West Jersey meaning
"COme ahead" AZ soon as a train strikes
point in the tracks few feet beyond the
signal tower stationed ct the junction Of
the two roads en automatic arrangement
rings a bell In the tower house, and the
train which first rings this bell Is given
the right Of way. Wednesday night this
privilege belonged TO the West Jersey
train. But In spite Of this and the fact
that the danger signal was against the
Reading that train continued on at full
speed, and the collision followed
George F. HHuser, who had charge OF
the tower and who IL now under arrest
has made several statements TO the police
He told them he saw both trains coming
when both were sufficiently far away to
admit OF the full display Of signals, but
IS the West Jersey was the nearest, he
gave the Reading the red light and sig
nailed the other train to come ahead. The
Reading, however, never slaokened speed,
but came on. The man In the cab either
thought he could easily clear the point In
time or the brakes failed to work, and they
Gould not stop In time.
Coroner Mclaughlin called Hauser be-
fore him and gave him hearing. Il was
purely perfunotOry, however, and but lit
tie was said. Hauser refused to make any
statement whatsoever at this time and
was held In $500 bail for further hear
ing. Bail was furnished, and he was re-
leased.
Tower Operator Longs Testimony.
The most interesting witness of the
inquiry was Nicholas Long, the day tower
operator at the Ill fated crossing In the
meadows. He oorroborated the statement
Of Night Operator George II. Hauser at
tile time OF his arrest, that the danger sig
nails were set against the Reading train,
and that the West Jersey excursion train,
which was run into by the former, had a
white light, which, In effect, Is an order
10 go ahead. Mr.. Long testified that he
had worked In the tower about eight years.
He was on duty on Thursday last from
8:46 In the morning until 6;38 at night.
He left the tower about $40, being re-
lleved by George T. Hauser, who got there
ON the Reading freight train about 6:9S.
The last train witness saw over wns the
Reading freight train, at 0i98. The entry
on the tower slip, train 28 wrecked at
6:48, was not made by witness, and he
knew nothing about It Before Hauser
reported to the witness all signals were set
at danger. He was positive Of this He
did not remember anybody being around
the tower that day and knew nothing OF
a boy from Wilmington, Del, who was
said to have been seen In the vicinity.
As soon as the freight passed, witness
threw the signal back, put the time on
the sheet, reported to the main offloe at
Camden and after exchanging a word or
two with Hauser left the tower and looked
the basement door He then started to
walk home The signal towers and its
appliances were working properly that
day. When he gave tha clear way to the
freight necessarily the danger signal
went up against every other track. Then
he returned them all TO thR normal danger
signals. The Reading track was the only
one he could give a clear signal to in both
directions, because It is a double track on
that road, and trains frequently pass each
other. Witness had gone about 800 feet
away from the tower when he saw the
West Jersey approaching. He looked at
the home signal and saw that the West
Jsraey had clear tPsok. Then he heeVd
the long crossing whistle OF the In bound
Reading express. When he heard the Read.
ing whistle the train was about hal.
mile on. He paused and watched hey aps
prOach, expecting to SEQ her stop Tha
West Jersey was going very slowly,
Reading Had Right Of Way.
As soon as ne saw the position OF the
trains he felt satisfied that the Reading
should have had the right of way as was
customary. This was close to $500. Tho
towerman who relieved him, however,
had given the West Jersey the right Of
way, and the Reading train should have
come to a stop. The towerman has the
right to stop an express 10 let freight
train pass II he sees &c, although It breaks
a rule Of the road. Then came the crash.
Witness hurried TO the tower and found
Haussr there AloAe. Together they report
cd ths accident 10 the railroad companies
by wire, When he got back to the tower,
the West Jersey homo signal was clear,
but tbs distant signal was precautionary.
Witness explained that the signal ct the
distant point might haVa indicated q oleaE
track to the West Jersey engineer at the
time he approached It, and that after tbs
engine had passed under It, Towerman
Haussr might have changed Il to its nor
NAL oautionary condition, as be had a
right to do The Reading train was due at
the tower At $500. She usually came across
the meadows al n pretty fast rate. He was
positiVe that before leaving the station he
had, as usual, put all the signals at dan
ger.
All the men most nearly concerned In
she accident gave testimony, including
Night TowermRn George II. Hauser, Fire
man Thomas Hallihan and Conductor
PiDkartOn OF the Reading express and En-