Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-11-03


CURRY as 20 the cause OF the accident.
It appears from his statement that he
is convinced that the bridge on which
the accident occurred is not as it
should be and may have to be rebuilt.
That the officials of the city generally
want most rigid inquiry so that re-
sponsibility for the accident may be
placed. is shown by the action OF coun.
ellis in adopting resolutions express.
ing sympathy far the bereaved and en-.
bodylng the following.
Resolved. That every oficer Of The
city government. who by reason or his
presence IL tho work of rescGs. or Tor
any other reason. can give sSsistanss
&c the county officials charged with
the WORK OF determining thecause Of
this diss ster, "a hereby directed to give
such assistance in order that those re
sponsibIe for the appalling loss OF life
may be punished and the lives OF rail
road passen gers safeguarded.
The central figures in the inquiry on
Tuesday will probably be Daniel Stew
art the old bridge tender. and John
Spiker. the towerman who operates the
signals. Stewart declares positively
Cat he locked the draw properly after
the schooner yacht Sinbad passed
through and the railroad officials say
that in any event the signal for safety
would not have been set when the
train came along had the rails not
have been right. John Spiker. the
towermau. when asked about this said
that he could not see the tracks clearly
enough from his position TO know
whether the tracks we're in line. but he
said he got the signal from the tender
that they were an right and gave the
train a clear track.
Frantic Rush From Rear Car.
When the rear car OF the train
caught on the abutment on the bridge
where 1t hung poised for a minute
there was a frantic rush OF the pas
sengers for the rear door. Probably
a score or more got out and as the car
plunged over the edge others leapei
into the water The last car that went
over the bridge fell upon the others
and slowly Slid OF into the water. The
moments delay. however. gave several
passengers the opportunity 20 leap
into the water before the car was fin
ally submerged.
Motorman Scott stuck 10 his post
and went down with his train. The
third trainman. brakeman Wood
proved himself a hero. when the train
left the rails and was humping over
the tics Wood ran TO the rear door OF
the last car threw IL wide open and
held is open for the passengers TO es-
cape Tie held the door open until the
car slid of the bridge, aud went into
the water with &c. He then swan 70
the shore. His action in holding the
door open probably saved many lives.
No Warning Of Death.
on leaving Wcetville the third-rail
electric car was applied, and the train
from there ON bowled along al its Gus
tomary speed Not the slightest incl
dent occurred TO cause the motorman
TO slow down. when the drawbridge
which crosses the stream popularity
known as the "Thorouchfare" was APP
preached, the motorman saw a clear
track before him. There was nothing
20 warn him OF danger nothing 20 show
that the rail might not have been IN
place I'm fact. nothing 10 indicate that
everything was not as 10 should be
So the train bounded along over the
bridge with never a hint 20 the unsus-
pecung passengers that death would
come 90 many so suddenly. All at
once the forward coach lurched. the
ponderous wheels leaped the rails and
came down upon the ties. Swervinr
10 the left. the first coach dragged the
Others after and plunged over the edge
into the water The third coach. how
ever. struck heavy abutment. and
was left momentarily suspended in
midair
AS soon as the first coach was pre-
cipitated into the water there were
screams OF men. women and children.
Caught like so many rats in a trap.
they We're thrown IN heaps. and what
little chance these might have had "a
escape was cut OF by the wild scram-
bic which ensued. The two cars which
were hurled from the bridge sank
quickly in 20 feet OF water. and are now
completely hidden from view.
Heartrending Scenes at Morgue.
The scene NJ the old Empire Thea.
tire, the temporary morgue. on Allan.
tic avenue. where most OF the bodies
were taken for identification. were
heartrerding. Weeping men and WON.
en- filed along the lines of corpses.
pausing for a second while an attend.
ant reverently lifted a sheet, then
either passed on with a shake OF the
head. or. with a scream would say:
That is my mother. sister or hus-
bandi" as the case might be.
Among the most pathetic OF these
identifications was made by Andrew
McElroy, OF 2O29 Green street. Phila.
delphia McElroy was in Atlantic City
awaiting his wife and two children
They expected 10 take the II o'clock
train. but for some reason postponed
their start until the fatal train. He
was at the station here 10 meet them,
and when he learned OF the accident
was crazed from grief He had 10 be
restrained from killing himself. and il