New-York tribune., 1900-09-04

stop train, orders or no orders, If there Is i've
minutes time or less between them
Mr.. Swegard also indicated that the train dis
patcher. Groves. made some EFFORT 10 hold the
train up before it reached SoUderton but said
that il was vet TO be learned whether It was be-
cause of his neglect or bad wires due heavy
fog prevailing at the time that the train was not
stopped.
Reports from Bethlehem and Allentown are to
the effect that none OF those injured in the col
lision have died since yesterday. although several
are expected live The railroad comp2-l
had force of men at the scene Of the wreck earf
to-day clearing away the debris The wrecked cars
were burned and all evidence OF the accident was
destroyed far possible.
I-infeld WildOneter, agent and telegraph operator
at Hatfield made statement to-day in which he
said the excursion train was scheduled 10 arrive
at Hatfield at 6.57 a. m, and that the milk tram
arrived at 6:55 The excursion train, he says. was
a minute ahead Of time 1t was fogSy, and ne
was stamping tickets when he heard the excursion
>6rain >o G0IS m nor6 OF the station travelling
at the rate OF about LGrtS Ils az - 10 aS-arS -
we TeS aceide3t Iagd NO i''s -Oi i'-"'
SuSerintendent sTeigard Of the Reading Railroad
to-day stated that the company was not yet pre-
pared issue formal statement as 10 the cause OF
the accident he said.
From a partial investigation I think that mis-
take has been made. the responsibility IoE Whleh
can only oe placed Il5f d t4HlD5-i IN ~ RaIi1, %
terminal station in this elly may nave Wel-su
too long before issuing orders 70 hold up the eX-
cursiOn train which rapidly catching up 70
the milk train. The station asent at Sou6srt2n. 1
wreck where the excursion train three min
play the sIoD signal which the rules OF the COM
pany require where trains are uVe minutes apart,
or or 5He ensFesF me 2t t Iisna U not
In ADDITION to these possible causes the wires or
the company We're working badly, due 70 a heavy
fog. ana inJerfered with the transmission OF an
order from Philadelphia TO hold the excursion
Groves. the train dispatcher who would have
56e company SINCE ii acquired Control Of the North
Penn Railroad in lSso anu mas @i%ays oesn con I
present place for nye years. -,
the excursion tram IorJy-nVe minutes IateI. Inc
engineers of both trains had duplex orders, INFORM
al LansdaIe TO allow the excursion train TO pass
AT Perkassle the trains We're twenty-one minutes
minutes aparT Here Groves tried TO get the ordss
through 10 hold the excursion train. AT Telford.
four and three-Quarter miles from the scene or he
wreck, there We're six minutes between the trains.
agent at the latter place should nave SHOWN SOP
signal as Is required when trains are nVe minutes
less apart An investigation only VIII snow
obey il. / have sent FOR the station agent, and
have sent TO Bethlehem, where the englneer IS
among the injured TO set a statement from him.
Mr. swegard was disinclned 10 discuss the ac-
cident further until prepared to issue the formal
statement
OF the wreck the milk Jr3in was TO have gone on
a siding 10 allow me excursion tram 20 pass put
late al HatueId and the excursion train one min
When M trains came tose5her the excursion trai
had gained torty-one minutes on the milk train in
"'The Evening Bulletin says that Joseph Acker-
man. an extra telegraph operator. is believed 70
Ackerman, who lived az Wayne Junction, Philadel-
phia. went Souderton on Saturday night 70 re-
iieve d. b. Beidler, the regular agent- Beidlsr
came TO the tower about two minutes before the
story told by his friends to-day left the tower
as he saw his successor coming. Tie Jumped on the
milk train and was killed in the wreck at Hatfield
only TWO minutes later