Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-12

The towerman had not flaw on his record.
He has been with the company for eleven
years"
Johnson's Statement.
Johnson. conductor of the train. made
abatement to Inspector Flood, in which he
laid the blame on the signals. which were
set for a 9th avenue train, where his train
was bearing 9th avenue signals. He said:
IL was on the front platform of the sec
ond car We had Just left 59th street ana
were going at a fair rate or speed, as II Is
a long run to JOth street. The car was
Dretty we'll crowded. There were a numpeI
of men on the platform and in the aisle OF
the second car there were number OF shop
girls. who were laughing and joking: They
usually get off the train at l4th street.
when we reached the curve the hrst car
went on and the second and third cars
went together like a jackknife. sticking
right up In the air. and practically CLOSING
against each other. In consequence. .nousa
I was on the front platform of the second
car at the start, I was dropped to the rear
platform of the first car. Then the second
car dropped to the street. ! held on TO 1ne
iron rail like death and was straight up IN
the air 1 saw girls and women climbing
over the seats OF the car like iadoer'
climbing up to the tracks to escape.
Being an old railroader. 1 pulled out my
watch and looked at It. 1t was exactly 100
O'Clock The signals were set wrong. That
Is the trouble. They were Set green ana
yellow signal, which Is for a 9th avenue
train. when they should have been both
green. for 9th avenue. l think that motor
man and swltchman are equally to blame
An Official Statement.
After examining the scene of the accident
and investigating Mr.. Hedley made the fol-
lowing official statement to Inspector Flood
'-The train was 9th avenue southbound
The signals beside She track were set green
and yellow. In the order In which they were
passed by the motorman. The first signal
allows either 9th avenue or 9th avenue
trains to go to the switch, the second lndl-
Gates that the switch was set for 9th ave-
nue.. The train was going down 9th avenue
at a good rate and struck the open switch.
The first car held to the rails simply
through the weight of the cars behind The
strain was so great. however. that when the
car was half way around the curve the sec
ond car turned over sideways lifting the
forward part from the trucks, which con-
tinued with the first car into sd street.
Then the second car. with nothing to guide
II around the curve. rolled over and fell TO
the street, dragging the third car behind II.
Luckily the strain broke the coupling be-
tween the second car. which fell. and the
third car, which was prevented from fall
Ing by striking the building
+. r Bryan. vice president OF the railroad
company was also at the scene of the dis
aster to make a careful investigation. He
said. speaking officially:
AT I:l5 O'Clock a 9TH avenue south pound
train. a local, stopped at 59th street and
9th avenue and then proceeded to the juno
ton ODD and 9th avenue). The switch was
set for 9Th avenue train and Motorman
Kelly did not observe II and took the curve.
The forward truck of the second car be-
came deranged and fell to the street
Mr.. Bryan. who talked with Jackson, the
towerman. authorized statement to be
made for him. as follows:
The 9th avenue train. which met with
the accident displayed 9th avenue signals.
On the assumption that the signals were
correct. | gave the train the 9th avenue
track
There is absolutely no truth in the stories
that the swltChman. becoming panic strick-
en- when he saw the first car taking the
curve, reset the Switch" said Mr.. Hedley
to a Tribune reporter. The switches are
tnterlooking, and 1t would be a physical i'm
possibility to change them when train is
on the tracks. The switch was set for
9th avenue train. The signals indicated
that IL was set for 9th avenue. l saw both
these facts for myself Kelly should have
seen the signals.
Ihe train was coming down, the motor
man apparently expecting the straight run
The first car took the curve, being the mo-
tor car, heavy and able to offer resistance
to the curve. The second was trailer
light. and went off the tracks. The coup
ilnss parted. fortunately