The sun., 1905-09-12

re- From Harlem vanishes After Smash.
An elevated railroad train bound down
town went of the tracks yesterday morn-
ing at Fifty-third street and Ninth avenue.
One car fell to the street. Eight persons
we're killed Immediately. Fifty more were
MANNED, some Of them so seriously that
tho list of dead was increased to twelve
late last night.
For years New Workers. have been Won
dering why the thing which they have
imaginatively described as -the real acci-
dent on the elevated" has never happened.
They have wondered just how horrible it
would be when it did happen. New York
knows now. 1t would not be decent to
write out the horrors which followed the
smashing down into the street OF the hum
dred or more people who we're being
whisked down town over the spindling
trestle which has been the main highway
for thousands on thousands of New York
mon and women for nearly thirty years.
borough system said yesterday that the
accident was tho second of the sort which
had caused loss Of life In all the years Of
the roads activity.
Who was to bame7 Before the last
mangled passengers were loaded into
twenty ambulanoes and as many more
trucks and baggage wagons which we're
commandeered by the police and fremen
to carry injured people to the hospitals
men were asking the question.
WHO WAS TO BLAME?
The direct responsibility was narrowed
down to two men-Paul Kelly, the motor
man Of the train, and C. X. jackson, the
switchman at the junction Of Ninth avenue
and Fifty third street. where part OF the
trafic OF the upper West Side elevated line
is separated from the Ninth avenue trunk
line to the Ninth avenue local and the Sixth
avenue local !ineA
1t was the duty Of jackson to turn the
switch so that trains coming down the road
should be sent on through Fifty-third
street II they were Sixth avenue trains,
or straight down Ninth avenue II they
were Ninth avenue trains. The signals
on the trains, colored disks over the hood
Of the front platform and the lettered sign
on the iron railing around the front plat
FORM, served to notify the switchman how
To tnrn the switches.
jackson; who was taken into custody
by the police soon after the accident, said
that the signals on the train that was
wrecked indicated that it was to be sent
down Sixth avenue. He turned the switch
II he tells the truth his ac-
ton In turning the switch displayed auto
signal some distance up the
track telling the motorman that the way was
clear ON tho Sixth avenue track and that
The switch had been turned so as to send him
IN that direction.
But the motorman; who disappeared
light after tho accident and for whom the
police searched in vain all day yesterday,
lid not slow his motor. The train, despite
he signals which Jackson says he saw.
was Ninth avenue train. Kelly sent 1t at
hs junction 1t full speed. apparently with
,ut the slightest thought that he was bound
IN any other course than straightaway
iown grade through Ninth avenue.
Striking the switch at this high speed
he frat car Of the train. heavy motor car,
we'll filed with passengers, oareened sharply,
out held the rails. The following car was
whipped Oh the rails, the third car also left
he rails, and the smash came.
THE MEN AND THE SIGNALS.
After the accident the police and railroad
,fficials examined Kelly's car. They found
hat In spite Of Jackson's statement that
he disks and the label on the front plat
orm indicated that it was Sixth avenue
rain the signals showed that 1t was Ninth
venue train. It was possible, tho au-
horities said. that the signals might have
,een changed after the crash, but it wasn't
In trying to make up their minds as to
he truthfulness Of Jackson's story the
,fioers were impressed by the fact that he
GRAPE JUICE AND CI.ARETs
AxA 0,,o