The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-12-31
At LIVES LOST
IN COLLISION

Continued from Page One)
on the special train TO be brought 10 this
city
A few minutes after the collision nearly
al the residents OF Terra Gotta, a sparsely
settled village. had gathered at the scene
Of the disaster and begun the work OF
removing the dead and rescuing the in
jured from beneath the mass OF debris.
The workers labored under great diff
culties, for many OF the injured were
vedged beneath the wreckage and num-
bers of them died before they could be
rescued. The many acts OF heroism and
self sacrifice that were performed will
never be known.
A detachment Of 40 policemen were sent
from Washington and nearly 80 physicians
from this city ond the susurbs responded
II a general call, but fully three-quarters
OF an hour had elapsed before the doc
tcrs were on hand to relieve the injured.
TAKING BODIES FROM WRECK.
For more than three hours after the fatal
crash occurred the police and citizens were
still taking bodies from under the great
pile OF wreckage which was strewn for
fully a quarter of a mile along the track.
The rescuers took out several bodies
which had been ground 10 a pulp. AS the
injured were removed and while the ply
sicians were giving them all the relief
possible Catholic priests were administer
ing the last rites to many OF the dying.
I w
and everything possible was done to re-
lieve the sufferings of the injured.
A VICTIMS STORY.
Lying i'm a critical condition on a cot at
Providence hospital Frederick Leigh a
brakeman on the Inflated passenger train
gasped out his story of the wreck fol-
lows: when We passed Kensington the
danger signals were hoisted and we were
told 10 move along cautiously" he said
when we hit Takoma the signals were
still out, and we left the station slowly
and proceeded to Terra Gotta. our next
stop. The signals were out at Terra Gotta
and We took aboard few passengers and
started to pull out for Washington when
the train following US hit the back coach
and smashed II 10 splinters."
At early hour this morning the
doctors held out little hope for Leigh's
recovery
PREMONITION OF DANGER
J. G. Macklin. a Washington 1eweler
who was treated at hospital declared
that when the train was leaving Takoma
he was haunted by a presentment that
| something was going to happen. This
! fear was only increased when the signals
were shown, urging our train TO be eau
| tious ="
When the crash came, Macklin said
! the screams and groans and muffled
voices were heard everywhere"
DEATH LIST NOW AZ.
The list OF dead had reached a. at
noon today. At the various city hos
| pitals are a number of victims whose
! condition Is regarded az hopeless The
| injured number over 30.
! II has been decided TO postpone the
coroner's iunqest until Wednesday. In
the meantime. II is understood, railroad
| officials are making searching In
vestigation.
Two distinct stories are being told to-
| day by the friends of those who naturally
will be implicated. The entrance to the
| block on which the accident occurred IL
at Silver Spring. Md II Is said that
Local No 66 from Frederick had a clear
| track. Two green lights were then set
on the signal tower showing that the
| block was occupied The engineer OF
the dead train, which was following.
accordingly slowed down ss he entered
the block 10 run cautiously"
At the Takoma station near the centre
| of the block, Il is said. the day operator
had tied down white signals, showing q
clear track and left his station. AZ TINS
| indication, the engineer or the DEAD
train crowded on steam and Forged unedd
at great speed I'm the foggy night and on
"A slippery track, In few minutes the
huge engine OF the dead train plunged
into the rear of the local Just puiilhs out
Of Terra Gotta, and only three miles from
Washington.
Operator Phillips at Takoma denies that
his signals were white. lie declares lidN
he was at his post and that regular sig
mails were set showing occupied tracks. lie
was much astonished to see the dead
train rush past, and expected IL TO slow
down and back up. Instead he heard or
the accident I'm few minutes.
coruner's jury which was I'm session
ON another case today formally viewed
the bodies at the morgue, and then post
poned further action in the case untli
"wednesday, by which time all the VII
nesses will have been summoned
THOROUGH lNNESTlGATlON,
baltimore Md, Dec. &c. w. Gallo
WAY. superintendent Of transportation or
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, VINO
went to the scene OF the wreck at Terra
Gotta last night. returned 10 Baltimore
TODAY. lie said that a thorough invesu-
eation of the disaster would be held here
as soon as possible and no effort would
loo SPARED TO fix the blame where II De-
longed.
THE boy named McCaghey who was
killed was LONE McCaghey, son OF Joseph
81 McCaghey Of this city, chief CLERK 10
General Superintendent Bent OF the Bal
timore and Ohio railroad. Young Me
CagheN had been spending the holidays
with the station agent OF the Baltimore
and Ohio at Buck Lodge, Md.
President Murray OF the Baltimore ana
ohin system went to Philadelphia this
forenoon TO attend the funeral or MT.
Cassatt. -.
In the absence OF complete reports from
his subordinatcs Mr.. Murray, IL is said,
,,,o,,td not discuss the disaster.