Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-08-06

Z
welcomed as from the grave, while
hopes raised high by some vague rumor
concerning. missing ones are at times
quickly dashed to earth by an authentic
piece Of information. vast throng OF
men, women and children have be-
sieged the West Jersey railroad station,
anxiously awaiting news from the
ecene OF tho disaster. Every incoming
train is quickly surrounded by the
people and when passengers alight
they are piled with all sorts Of ques-
tions. Sorrow stricken people bog for
information concerning absent rela-
tives or dear friends.
Mayor L. Milford Applegate, Thomas
W. Trenchard and DIR, John O. Thomp.
son went TO Atlantic City this morning
and will arrange to have all bodies of
residents of this city forwarded to
their late homes, So far not single
corpse has arrived. Undertakers are
making preparations to receive the
dead and crepe adorns the doors of
houses whore yesterday joy reignod.
THE FATAL CROSSING.
Philadelphia, Pa, July 31.-The
crossing where last nights accident
occurred has long been bugaboo to
travellers between this city and At
lantic City. 1t is located about two
and half miles from the Atlantic
City terminals of tho two rival rail
roads and u block tower ia placed as
close to the crosses as safety will per
NIT. This tower is occupied by an
operator who is charged with the duty
of seeing that the train having the
right of way crossing first and that the
other train is Tagged. There is
difference of opinion as to which of
the i'll -fated trains had the right of
way, but Telegraph Operator William
Thurston and Switch Tender Hauser
are in the Atlantic City Jail now and
will remain there until an official in
vestigation definitely places the re-
sporsibility.
The competition between the West
jersey and Reading railroads for At
lantic City business is very keen and
both roads run flyers" which average
nearly mile a minute between Cam
den and Atlantic City. There are
frequent races across the stretch of
open country few miles outside of
Atlantic City known as the Meadows. 4"
and passengers on the rival trains who
are not timid regard the race Oh the
home stretch as one of the exhierations
of the trip to the seashore The timid
ones, however, are always apprehensive
that something will happen when the
dangerous grade crossing is approached.
Last night the long-looked for accident
occurred with awful results.
A railroad man, who came 10 this
city from Atlantic City to-day, is re-
ported TO have said that the Reading
ks,,h Ln -,
cursion train was racing across the
Meadows with train IN the Camden
& Atlantic railroad which had left
Railroad officials, however, deny that
there was race. g
LATER PARTICULARS.
Atlantic City. N. j., Aug. H.
Confusion exists here regarding the
exact number of persons KILLED in the
accident which occurred Thursday
night Forty bodies have been identi-
fed and four are unidentified. Rela-
tives and friends Of four others, who
were known to have been on the ex-
cursion. have not been able to find
these persons or TO recognize them
among tho unidentified. As the wreck
has been cleared away and no ad-
ditional bodies have been found the
probability is that they are among
these unidentified and that the rela-
tives or friends have been unable to
recognize them because of their mutt
lated condition. This would place the
total killed at Al. The unidentified
bodies arc living in the shops OF under
takers and unless friends or relatives
appear soon to make claim to the
corpses they will be buried in the
potters' field ut the countyis expense.
There IS practically no change in the
situation since last night 33 = =
Several of the injured are lying in {,
critical condition at the Sanitarium.
Mrs. Faunce Fralinger of Philadel-
phia, whose right leg was amputated
yesterday afternoon, passed restless
night. There is no hope for her re-
covery A young woman about 10
years old, who had been lying senseless
at the hospital. recovered conscious
ness for few minutes this morning,
but il too i'll to admit of questioning
on the matter of identity. There is
strong probability that she is Miss
Lizzie Branin OF Millville, N. j., who
was known to have been in the ex-
cursion party, but has not since been
heard from. There ia much perpexity
over the dispatch from Millville, to
the effect that S. p. Murphy, who had
boon numbered among the dead, is
alive and well at his home. The body
supposed 10 be his was identified as
such by fully Is persons.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCIDENT.
An impression prevails that the re-
sponsibiiity foI the accident rests upon
the dead engineer, Edward Farr.
There is no dispute that the signal to
come ahead was given to the West
Jersey excursion train and il 80 the
danger signal must necessarily have
been given to the Reading track by an
automatic arrangement The signals
then became locked AMI could not have
been released until both trains had
cleared tho point. Before the signals
are manipulated, however, that is un-
der ordinary circumstances, when no
trains are in view, the RED signal is
constantly displayed to both tracks.
Thus, by experience alone. all engineers
know that they are at least Obliged to
slow up on approaching the crossing.
The theory is, however, that Farr did
not slow up and could not do so in
time when he saw tho West Jersey
train approaching. 1t is said he had
been laid off for two weeks not long
ago for not making good time, and it
is supposed that he was trying to make
up for this by running at high rate
of speed. The truth of the matter will
probably not be known until the end
of the coroner's INQUEST. This will