The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-07-12
DEATH LIST SIXTEEN
Most Of Thirty-nine Injured In
Erie Wreck Will Live.
INVESTIGATION IS PROMISED.
General Passenger Agent Cooke Riames
Operator at Midvale Station, N. j.,
For Mistake Which Sent Two Heavy
Engines Into Excursion Train.


Operator at Midvale Station, N. j.,
For Mistake Which Sent Two Heavy
Engines Into Excursion Train.
New York, July l2-Sixteen persons
were killed and about threescore in
jured in the rear end collision between
trains on the Greenwood Lake division
of the Erie railroad at Midyale. The
official list given out here shows that
fourteen adults and two children lost
their lives. Many are seriously injured,
and some Of them may die.
The list Of dead is as follows: Henry
Becker, Hoboken; Walter Hodgewed-
del, child, Jersey City; Henry Kan
yer. New York; Walter Kanzer, child,
New York; E. j. Kelly, Jersey City;
Henry Koch, Hoboken; William Kane,
Hoboken; Mrs Agnes Lenkohl, New
York; Edward McDermott, Hoboken;
Henry Otterstedt, Hoboken; William
Renx, New York; Henry Rohfing, Ho-
boken; George Scheer, Hoboken; VIII
liam Weidemeyer, Jr., Hoboken; VIII
liam Windeknecht, Hoboken; Mrs. WI
liam Wistow, West Hoboken
OF the thirty-nine persons reported I'm
jured it is now believed all viii re-
cover.
An investigation has been started by
the railroad officials, who announced
that a statement regarding the respon-
sibility for the accident win be issued
when the investigation is concluded.
Operator Accused BY Agent.
Despite the fact that William Rich
ards, the operator at the Midvale sta
ton, is accused by the general passen-
ger agent D. w. Cooke, of being re-
sponslble for the disaster in failing to
set the signals against the second
train, he has not as yet been placed
under arrest.
The engine driver, John Landmasser.
In charge of the second train, who fed
for his life after the accident, fearful
Of the vengeance of the friends Of the
dead and injured, remained at the home
Of a friend all night
The accident was one of the most
serious in the history Of the road.
Those killed and injured were mem
bers and friends Of the First Platt
deutsch association and were OH the
annual excursion of the society to
Greenwood Lake. Little on no warning
was given Of the impending accident
and the scenes Of horror which follow
ed the collision We're indescrlbable.
Two Engines Drew Special.
The special train was made up Of
twelve cars drawn by two engines
which left the First street station at
Hobofen shortly after 10 o'clock sun
day morning At the same time the
regular Greenwood express train Of
eight cars left Jersey City.
1t followed hard after the excursion
train, though it was due at Midvale
two minutes before the latter arrived.
Before the extra reached The little sta
ton, which Is thirty-three miles from
Hoboken. it stopped at a water tank i
few hundred Yards from the station.
ii was fatal stop
With its two locomotives and its long
line Of cars it might have been easily
seen had it not been for d slight curve
in the track The view Of this part of
the track was also obscured by 4 line
of box cars and a row Of trees with
heavy foliage
To guard against collision there was
within a hundred feet Of the station a
semaphore which could be worked by
the operator BY means OF lever. There
can be no question that this warning
signal was not set against the oncom-
ing regular train. William Richards,
the operator and station agent, says
that he did move the lever AT any
rate he did not test It. He declared |
that the appearance Of the regular train |
was surprise to him, az he thought |
that all the traffic due at that time was
comprised ia the long train which had
stopped within d short distance Of the |
station. 1t was observed that the soma
phore arm was up five minutes after |
the accident, but it is declared by eye !
witnesses that it was adjusted imme |
diately after the collision had taken
place.
As the regular train was going on a /
stiff UP grade and d curve was nearl
the speed had been reduced to fifteen
miles an hour.
Engine Tore Through Car.
Through the rear Of the last car Of
the special tore the first engine Of the
regular train. BY the impact the last /
car was torn to pieces for nearly its
entire length, and while the front Of
it was driven into the car ahead the
roof Of the first car was driven up
the second. Between the two
cars were wedged and driven the
wounded and the dead.
Few in those cars escaped death or
serious injury In the cars ahead there
were no casualties and the train behind
escaped with only a trihing damage toll
the locomotive, which was almost inn
backed away.