The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-01
TAKING THE DEAD HOME.
Nearly All of the Bodies Have Been
Identified and Claimed.

Atlantic City, n. j., July 31.-As a re-
suit Of the terrible collision on the Mead
ows last evening between the Reading
railroad express from Philadelphia and
the Bridgeton excursion train out Of here.
forty-seven people are dead and forty
four are lying in the hospital here more or
less seriously hurt OF the injured, in
the hospital, several are expected to die
Besides those seriously enough hurt to be
in the hospital a score or more of people
were bruised and shsken up, and went TO
cottages.
The fearful shock Of the collision is IL
lustrated in the fact that of the forty
seven dead, forty-two were killed out
right. OF the dead, forty-two have been
identified, and the bodies Of three women
one man and boy, are lying at the un-
dertakers shops awaiting claimants. The
responsibility for the accident is hard to
place at this time, but the burden of II
seems TO rest upon the dead engineer Of
the Reading train, Edward Farr, though
an official investigation may clear his
name.
The coroners jury viewed the bodies,
and they were all taken away to-day, eN-
cept those unidentified. The Pennsyi-
vania railroad furnished a special train
which took away 10 BridgetOn this after
noon twenty-three bodies. The bodies OF
the others Of the identified dead were
taken away on other trains during the
day.
Coroner William Mclaughlin has been
the busiest man in all Atlantic City to-day.
Upon hearing of the accident last night,
Mr.. Mclaughlin went directly
into the block tower and ques-
toned Operator George f. Houser.
Houser told him that he thought
the excursion train had time to cross the
tracks of the Reading before the express
got there, and he set the clear signal
for the West Jersey train.
When the "clear" signal is set on the
Pennsylvania track, this automatically
sets the danger signal on the Reading
tracks and vice versa. The danger" sig
nal is still set tonight on the Reading
tracks.
Pending the investigation, Mr.. Houser
was put under arrest by the coroner.
The railroad officials of both companies
refuse 10 talk and it is difficult to definite
ly locate the blame for the accident
Houser certainly set the danger signal
for the Reading train when he gave the
excursion the right of way. The question
is, did he set the signal in time for En-
gineer Farr to see it? Or did he become
excited when he saw a collision imminent
and set it too late for Farr to stop his
train?
Farr was an experienced engineer and
it seems incredible that he would rush
past a danger signal down to a crossing
that was being approached by a train he
could clearly see.
Fairs body was pinned fast under his
engine with his face in plain view of the
wrecking force all night. Not until this
morning were the wreckers able to raise
the wrecked engine and draw from be-
meath it the crushed body of the engi-
neer.
1t was placed in box and taken to
Farr's home here. 1t was reported last
night when Mrs. Farr heard of her hus-
bands death she fell dead. This was not
so. She fell into a swoon and tonight is
lying in a serious condition from the
shock she got