The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-07-08

Gardner and corps of surgeons left I'M
mediately for West Chicago. Owing
to the crush caused by the rush of Chris
tian Endeavor business all schedules
were abandoned and trains we've sent
out as fast as filed.
Nine sections left the Northwestern
depot at intervals of fifteen minutes, be-
ginning at 1870, to say nothing of trains
sent out early in the evening. Sections
1, 2 and got through West Chicago
safely. Section was made up of a
baggage car, day coach and seven Sleep
ers, containing about 400 passengers.
Assistant General Superintendent w.
A. Gardner said this morning he could
give no tangible reason for the accident.
"The road is run on semaphore block
system all the way to West Chicago"
said Mr. Gardner. This blocks a train
every 1900 feet, and in addition we were
using last night what we called the posi-
tive block system. This consists in the
operators at haywood, Wheaton and
Chicago running the trains by wire and
keeping close tab with the dispatchers
as to the time each passed a station.
Then the dispatcher regulated the speed
and distance between trains. VI course
he was compelled to rely entirely upon
the accuracy of the time checking done
by the operators at the stations named,
and unless one of these made a mistake
and transmitted the wrong check time
either to the next station or to the dis,
hatcher, | can not imagine what caused
the wreck.
1--WE have taken every possible pre-
caution to guard against delay and ac-
cident, and as l said, worked the posi-
| tive block as well as our regular sema-
| phore system" ;.
AS soon as possible after the immedi:
ate wants of the injured were attended
to they were carefully removed by q, spe-
cial train which had been prepared Ioi
| their reception and accompanied by Dr
| Ollens, chief surgeon of the company
and twelve assistants, to Chicago. Al
Western avenue they were put III amDu'
lances and taken to St. Luke's hospital
| The responsibility of the wreck has not
vet been fixed, but the investigation in
dcates that it was caused by Engineer
| Charles Courtney of section ) running
by the station this side of West Chi
cago without having been released. Nc
| statement is obtainable from Courtney a.
nresent, as he is too badly injured tt
talk. ....
"The road between Chicago and Tur
ner junction is protected by the Hal
block system, and Immediately after m!
arrival last night / tested the signals ant
found them to be in perfect order sale
Assistant Superintendent Stuart today
"Courtney must have been insane t.
pass without seeing the two danger sig
mails. which indicated that a train wa
ahead These signals are placed 10'
feet apart. and when cars pass over tn
place where they are situated a red ligh
shows. and any train following the on
which released the switch is supposed
to stop until white light shows Their
can be no doubt that the scarlet sigma
for caution was exhibited.
The officials of the Northwestern &c
night made the following statement con
1 corning the accident which occurred o.
their road at West Chicago early thi
morning:
"There were only two sleepers dam
aged. They were conveying a delegation
from Wisconsin to the Christian En-
deayor convention at San Francisco
Three people were killed outright an
nineteen injured. The injured have a
been taken to st. Luke's hospital, an
the physicians in attendance say the
will all recover. The accident occasione
no delay to the numerous special train
carrying Christian Endeavor people fror
the east"
Engineer Courtney declares that tn
signal displayed denoted clear track.