The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-10-13
ENGINEER is ACCUSED
OF IGNORING SIGNALS
Crew of Work Train Blamed
for Having the CabOOSe
Ahead of Their LOcOmO-
tiye-Great Excitement
in NeighbOrhOOd.

AS the result of what is said to be
carelessness on the part of the crew of
freight engine of the Richmond.
Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad.
a collision took place at the north end
of the navy yard tunnel of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad at S:45 this morning. One
man was killed and several were injur-
cd, two seriously. One engine was
wrecked and several cars smashed.
Traffic was blocked for several hours.
The dead man was James Schwartz.
native of Alexandria. but who has for
several months been boarding at First
and Streets southeast. He leaves
family.
The dangerously injured are Alfred r.
Barclay. of 5O3 South Capitol Street. and
Edward l. Beall Of S35 Sixth Street
southwest. Beals left leg was so badly
crushed that the doctors at Providence
Hospital. TO, which the injured were re-
moved, announced 1t would most likely
have to be amputated. Barclay was in
jured about his head and stomach.
According to the stories told by eye
witnesses. a work train which was en-
gagged in carting away dirt from the site
of the new tunnels and Union Station
was unloading on the track when the
freight engine. which had been to
the freight yards with a train It had
just brought up from Richmond. and
was returning. crashed into ii.
The dead man. who was the conductor
of the train. and Barclay. who is a
brakeman. and Beall. hsgman. were
all in the caboose when sne crash came.
The car was wrecked and the men were
buried under the debris. The crash was
so loud it alarmed the neighborhood. and
help was soon at hand. Ambulances
were summoned from the hospitals and
the injured were soon made comfortable.
The body OF the dead man was re-
moved t0 an undertaker's shop to await
orders from his family.
The accident took place just outside Of
the north opening of the tunnel Had it
been inside. as was first reported. the
loss of life would have been twice as
great.
AS soon as the railway officials We're
able 10 get matters in hand. Trainmas
ter Cooper. OF the Pennsylvania. sent
the incoming and outgoing trains
around the curve. instead OF through the
tunnel. BY this means the delay was
reduced to a minimum. In the mean
time wreck trains were sent 20 the
scene of the accident. and in a couple
OF nOurS IntN ndu CltaLt0 away AiN
tracks In speaking Of the matter
Trafnna ster Cooper said:
1T seems the crew OF the engine ig-
nored all orders and signals. and started
back 70 the city with the work train on
the track Naturally the collision fol-
lowed The loss TO the railroad is very
small. II was no task of Importance 10
clear away the wreckage- II Is Unfor-
tunate that the man was killed and the
others injured. but they themselves
must take some OF the blame They had
their caboose on the wrong end of IL
train. il IL had been in the right r.
all would have escaped injury. At
trains were running through thsl
mel as usual" Hi0
The wreck caused a geat D.
citeTDent in the neighborhOc
city generally. Several thoU =
congrcgated around the 81.
accident. and reserves Of Z
cinct had TO be called OF
order.