The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-11-09
SEEKING CAUSE OF
THE TRAIN WRECK
Bridge Tender Had Trouble with
One of The Rails.
FIRST COACH DASHED OVERHEARD
Officials of the Pennsylvania Railroad
State at Coroner's Inquest That
Reason for Accident Cannot Be
Found Evidence Train Was Making
Fast Time.

Atlantic City, N. j. Especially In
anticipation of startling disclosures
an eager audience gathered at the
coroners inquest Thursday, which is
to examine and fix the responsibility
for the electric railroad wreck OF
Sunday. The Pennsylvania Railroad
is represented by Judge Joseph +.
Gaskill, ex-Judge Joseph Thompson
and George A. Bourgeois. The state
of New Jerseys interests are being
looked after by District Attorney Abb
bolt. Coroner Gaskill charged the
jury to discover the cause of the
accident, whether by the act of God
or man.
Attorney Bourgeois, for the rail-
road company, offered the extensive
resources of the Pennsylvania Com
pany to assist in ascertaining the
true cause of the accident
We don't know" he said, land
won't know. We have nothing to
hide
He asked the jury to state in it's
verdict whether the electric line and
bridge, in their judgment, is of the
most improved kind.
The first witness called was w.
Breimer, station agent. His test1-
mony was only as to the Identified
ton of Walter Scott, the motorman,
and the speed of the train over the
bridge, which he said should not be
over 25 miles an hour.
George Mccullough, who was
passing on the turnpike bridge, oppo-
site the electric bridge, when the
accident happened, said he saw the
electric cars go overheard. The right
hand wheels and the front truck of
the leading car, he said, left the rails
first
John Williams, a Waterman at
Somers' Lumber Company, corrobor-
ated McCullough's statement with
reference to the forward car being
the first to leave the track.
John E. Kelly, of Chester, Pa,
said he was in the front car just back
of the motorman. When the train
struck the draw the front right
wheels jumped several inches and
threw him off the seat. The next
thing he knew he was in the water
He broke the glass in window and
got out. He said the air-brakes were
applied as soon as the jolt came.
Mrs. Elizabeth Driscoll, COG Caspian
Place, Atlantic City, was on the wharf
and saw the first car bound and go
over. The train. she said, was going
very fast, much faster than she had
ever seen them run, and she had
watched them many times.
Daniel Stewart, the aged bridge
tender, testified as to letting the
yacht Sinbad through the draw At
ter the yacht had passed he placed
the red flags, or danger signals. He
said the towerman relocked the
bridge, and then he (StewarD went
to the center and relocked the rails,
raising them about an inch and one
half above the other rails. He said
that the rails were down and fast
and he gave the signal: ''All is
right and the towerman pulled the
lever. The only trouble he has had
with the rails, he said, was in ex-
tremely hot weather, when they
would leave the groove at the connec-
ton. If this happened he would
hit the rail blow with a hammer.
He reported this to the company, and
was told to saw off the section that
projected. The bridge previous to
Sunday, he said, had not been open
ed for two days, but on Sunday he
opened it twice.