The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-11
German Club in New York Mas Taking Annual EXcuI-
 sion to Suburbs
ORDERS WERE OVERLOOKED
 BY WATCHMAN IN TOWER
Fast Coming Regulation Train Crashes Into the Rear End of Excur- sion, Telescoping the Last
 Two Coaches.

New York, July 1O-seventeen persons were killed and about 100 injured in . collision which occurred at Midvale. N. j., just before noon today when regular passenger trai on the Greenwood Lake branch of the Erie railroad ran into an excursion train that had stopped to take | water All the dead and injured lived in Ioboken, Jersey City and New York The accident ig believed to have resulted from a tower operator having lowered his signal too soon and this vas admitted by D. W. Cooke general passenger agent of the Erie railroad who gave a statement in which he said:
 "The operato- in the tower failed to set the block signal against the train following"
 The train which was run into was a special carrying members of the First Platt Deutseher association of Hoboken on their annual outing, and had 800 pas sengers. It consisted of twelve cars and two engines. The first engine had taken water, and the train had moved up and stopped with the second engine beside the tank when the regular train drew near. The fagman of the special signaled the engineer of the incoming train but owing to curve in the road his flag was not seen until it was too late. It Is claimed that the engineer of the regular train Had slowed down to about ten miles an hour hefore he crashed into the special. but his engine tore through the rear car the greater part of It's length, and drove the forward end of that car into tho car ahead The. killed and injured were in these two cars.
 Did No- Catch Fire
 The wreckage did not catch fire. and the work of taking out the dead and maimed was accomplished quickly.
 The passengers from the uninjured coaches ran back and joined in the work. and the residents of Midvale. many of whom had heard the crash. assisted them.
 The fourteen dead were soon laid beside the track, and the injured were carried to the nearby houses.
 While physicians were being sent for. women of Midvale brought bandages and other articles that could be used in car ing for the injured.
 he Dead.
 Those killed are:
 Otterstedt, Henry, Hoboken; Weider- meyer, William, Jr Hoboken; Renz, Will liam, New York; Lane. William, Hobo- ken; Becker Henry, Hoboken; Rohfng. William, Hoboken; Winderknecht, Wil- liam, Hoboken; Scheer. George. Hobolxen; Kench, Henry, Hoboken; Manser, Isador. 1 Hoboken; Honweddell Frank (chiid). Hoboken; McDermott, George, Hoboken. | al E. K., Jersey City; Lemkohl. Agnes (child). New York; boy name supposed to be Patterson; Lemkohl. Mrs. Ann, New York.
 | The engineer and fireman of the regu- lar train disappeared from the scene just after the accident. They both escaped injury by jumping just before the crash. The operator in the tower was Walter Richards. He would make no state ment and was relieved and left the scene soon after the accident.
 Great crowds remained at the scene all afternoon, many of whom were passen- gers who were seeking information re- garding relief and friends who were on the train.
 Serious Wreck in Missouri.
 St. Louis, July 10-while running at full speed, the tender of an engine draw ing an east-bound excursion train on the Missouri Pacific jumped a switch near Labadie, forty-five miles west of here tonight, derailing four coaches which were thrown down the embankment and injuring thirty eight passengers. It is considered remarkable that none were killed, only three being severely injured. The injured: S. w. Breden back wrench ed; J. H. sturdeville, badly cut and leg fractured; Mrs. Dora Andrews, cool ed. badly cut; all from St. Louis.
 The excursion train left St. Louis today and was on the return trip when wreck ed. The engine left the rails but did not fall from the embankment. Six of the ten coaches remained on the track.
 Assistance was sent from Iabadie with in a short time, and the injured were given medical attention. All were able to continue to St. Louis where the three severely injured have been placed in a hospital,