Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-11
"PEACE HATH HER VICTO RIES.'

tmbers and twisted steel and iron rods OF
the car and as the bodies of the dead were
dug out from underneath the mass OF
wreckage carried out of the car the
women in the crowd of onlookers became
hysterical.
All Trains Blocked.
AS the wreck happened at an hour when
the thousands of Office and shop workers
were hurrying down town, the block on the
elevated which ensued caused a crush at all
the uptown elevated stations before the
news became circulated that the road was
tied up. Then there a rush for the
subway stations and it's capacity was
heavily overtaxed for a time by crowding
of the trains. Passengers reached their
offices only little late.
Il am satisfied that the whole accident
was due to the criminal neglect of the
switchman said Coroner Scholer I'm the
first place, he made mistake in turning
the oth avenue train into 53d street, and
then added to his blunder by turning the
switch back again in an attempt to divert
the train into 9th avenue again. The last
mistake caused the terrible accident and
loss of life.'
E. P: scheible, one of the dead, came to
New York a month ago from Chicago. He
was tWenty-three years old, an employe of
the Western Electric Company and lived
at 400 East 12Ith street.
dtioiuldh moran, III giving a more Qe-
tailed description of the car which fell to
the street and narrowly missed him in its
descent, said: Il heard rumbling noise on
the elevated structure over my head, and
looking upward saw millions of sparks fly
ing. Almost simultaneously splinters be-
gan to appear and the outside railing of
the track almost directly over my head was
suddenly caved outward. Over this top
ping railing 1t seemed to that there
was rain of bodies even before the de-
rallied cars came into view. These bodies
were undoubtedly the passengers who were
jumping from doorways and platforms.
Just before this happened | had greeted
Patrolman Harry Atkins who was passing
AS l saw a car come crashing down /
grabbed Atkins by the arm and shouted
Run for your life!'
He started, but before he could get out
Of the way he was caught and crushed.
Later l loaded him into a wagon and sent
him to Roosevelt Hospital
Atkins skull was fractured.
Switchman Arrested
Cornelius A. dickinson, the swtchman
who was blamed for causing the disaster
was arrested at his home in West 22d
street. He maintained that he had set the
switch right.
General Manager Hedley of the INTERIOR
ough Rapid Transit company explained the
wreck follows:
THE wrecked train was 9th avenue
switch tower were set for open track for
the 9th avenue south bound. The train
went down 9th avenue at rapid pace, and
struck the switch. The curve at this point
is not banked. The train took the switch
at a rapid speed and the first car held to
the rails simply through the weight of the
cars behind. The strain was SO great that
when half way around the curve the coupling
broke between the first and second cars
and the second cars front trucks jammed
the rails. There was nothing left to guide
the second car and 1t kept on in straight
line, without turning, and went over the
side Of the structure, falling to the ground
directly in front of the southeast corner
of 53d street and 9th avenue 1t was a
have turned the switch while the train was
moving rapidly over 1t. Statements to that
effect are absolutely incorrect"
The swtchman, Charles A. dickinson,
and five members of the train crew were
arrested, but Motorman Paul Kelly dis
appeared. The switchman stoutly asserted
that he set the switch as indicated by the
train signals. He blamed the motorman.
Coroner Scholer held an impromptu in
quiry into the cause of the wreck as soon
as he could get the train crew into drug
store near by.
Some Incidents.
One of the incidents of the disaster was
the jump of James Bowen OF 621 East 18th
street from a window Of the third car as It
fell from the elevated structure into the
street. He landed in the street clear OF
the car. but head foremost and suffered
fracture of the skull.
Paul Blake. one Of the passengers in the
third car, said:
Il was reading a paper, when suddenly
there was crash and found myself lying
on pile of wreckage In the street.
must have been thrown out of the top of
the car when the roof was torn Off"
w. Z. johnson, passenger on the train,
said Of the accident:
Il was sitting In the second car OF the
train reading paper, when all Of a sud-
den the lights went out and every one was
thrown to one side. The next thing knew
l was thrown out of the door and landed
In the street, striking against woman
This probably saved my life"
During the coroner's preliminary exam
ination, Conductor ]. w. johnson said:
Coroner, you can go up on the elevated
road at 59th street and Ninth avenue and
see for yourself. You will find that the
signal is yellow and green, which means
that the southbound 9th avenue train has
the right of way and a clear track"
Policeman Edward Moran. who was In
,5ured. was standing beneath the structure
when the accident happened. He leaped
when he heard the crash overhead and es-
capped death. II turned around and saw
the car coming to the street." he said. ut