The sun., 1905-09-12

had reported to his superiors for orders
right after the crash and on being instructed
to 60 home and wait for the police to come
and arrest him he did 80. No word came
from Kelly to his superiors or to the police,
and up to late hour last night he had not
been near his home.
jackson had been employed on the ele-
waited railroad as switchman for six years.
His record was unexceptionable. Kelly
was comparatively a new man. He came
into the employ OF the company about six
months ago. Whether jackson was mis-
taken or not. General Manager Hedley said
yesterday. about the misleading sigma Ia
on Kellys train. certainly Kelly should
have taken notice that the switch indicator
showed that the switches had been set for
Sixth avenue and should have slowed his
train accordingly.
DEADLY FLAT CURVE.
But he didn't; he ran at the Curve at full
speed. 1t is fat curve, which has not
been changed since the track was laid thirty
years ago for the carrying OF trains one
half as heavy as those of to-day trains
running at one-half the speed which the
present electric motors develop. Engi-
neers said yesterday that the cost of re-
constructing the curve in order to accom-
modate present conditions would have
been about $4,000 Claim agents Of the
company estimated that suits amounting to
at least half million dollars will be brought
against the company within the next week.
The accident happened at about five
minutes after O'Clock in the morning.
People who are astir at that hour are not
those who receive high salaries or whose
names have come to be Of public impor-
tance But there was nothing to show
to the official investigators or to the man
ayers of the company that the same acci-
dent might not have happened at any time
of day or night. with very different
looking dead and injured list.
AFTER THE DISASTER.
Certainly the efficacy Of New York's
machinery for dealing with tragic emer-
gency was never more satisfactorily tested
Within five minutes after the train had, as
Conductor ohnson vividly described 1t,
"jackknifed itself" into horrible con-
fusion Of torture and death the mesa &c
flashed to Police Headquarters: Send
twenty ambulan noes to Ninth avenue and
Fifty-third street" Immediately there
after came a demand for police reserves
from all the stations from Twentieth street
to Tooth street on the West Side, and call
on the Fire Depa rtment for hook and ladder
companies Ambulances began to arrive
before the wreckage had ceafed dropping
from the elevated trestlework 60 the street.
The police reserves cleared The thorough
fares below and made it possible for the
flremen and surgeons to do their work
unbindered.
Capt. Gala CHER, who had been at his post
for three days, practically without sleep,
in consequence Of two murders which
had occurred in his precinct, got from the
Forty-seventh street station to the scene
OF the accident in what seemed an incredibly
short time It was his instantaneous grasp
of the situation which prompted the almost
call for twenty ambulances
at once. Inspector Flood was not far be-
hind him Both officers, with their stats,
were on the ground all day. first working
for the comfort Of the wounded and then
toward fixing the responsibility.
OFFICIAL ACTIVITY.
Commissioner Darlington of the Health
Department was on the scene few minutes
after the accident. 1t was learned that he
at once with Mayor McClel-
Ian, in consequence OF his knowledge Of
the Mayors desire to keep fully informed
as to extraordinary happenings in the city.
DR.. Darlington had some trouble in con-
the Mayor that everything that
could be done had been done and that 1t
was not necessary for the Mayor to take
charge in person to spur his subordinates
to do their full duty.
Commissioner McAdoo was notified over
the telephone and was gratified to learn;
on calling up Headquarters, that Capt. Dillon,
who was in charge there, had sent $50 reserves
to keep order. MIR. McAdoo authorized Capt.
Dillon to take men from patrol duty, II
necessary, to meet the emergency. He went
10 Fifty-third street later and found some
$50 men on duty.
State Railroad Commissioner Baker and
Barnes began an investiga-
ton Of the accident as soon as they heard
of it.
The officials of the Interborough system
gathered at Ffty-third street with great
,wiftness. There was little they could
10 except help the police and the Coroner
ax the blame, and incidentally clear the
racks for the resumption Of traffic.
Travel on Ninth avenue was resumed
within three hours. The Sixth avenue
trains were running by noon.
TOOK SWITCH AT HIGH SPEED.