The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1907-01-01

Washington, Dec. 31.-The Balti
more & Ohio wreck at Terra Gotta
last night grows in magnitude as the
hours pass. The most conservative
estimates Of the dead tonight is So
with three score of injured in the hos.
pitfalls or at their homes, suffering from
wounds and fractures, sustained in
the rear-end collision which complete.
ly demolished the two day coaches
and the smoker attached to the local
from Frederick, Md, No. 66. Several
of the most seriously injured are ex-
pected to die during the night and the
death list may yet reach so or more.
Heartrending and pitiful were the
scenes at the city morgue today,
where hundreds of persons focked
to assist the police In the identifca-
ton Of the dead. Women, girls and
even men with iron nerves shocked,
sobbed and tainted, as their relatives
or friends were found among the 80
corpses strewn about the floor. Cof.
fins, wicker baskets and winding
sheets were found on all sides.
Officials of the Baltimore & Ohio
railroad are conducting an investiga
tion of the wreck in Baltimore for the
purpose Of placing the responsibility
for the terrible disaster. General Su-
perintendent Todd exonerated Miller
w. Phillips the telegrapher at Ia
koma station, the last signal station
that the equipment train passed be-
fore crashing into the passenger train
at Terra Gotta. The superintendent
declares that Philips was obeying in
structions when he went home at $3.50
o'clock, leaving the double green"
signal burning. While making no posi-
tive charge, Superintendent Todd in.
timated that the burden of the blame
would fall upon the engineer and
crew of the extra. The five members
of the crew who were arrested short
" after the accident are now being
held to await the result Of the official
investigation. They are Harry II.
Hilderbrand, engineer: I. G. McClel.
land, fireman; F. F. Hoffmeyer, con.
ductor; Ralph Butler, brakeman, and
William A. Norris. baggageman.
Gazing vacantly between the iron
bars of his cell at the police station,
Engineer Hilderbrand tonight is too
full Of emotion to make any definite
station. 1T will all come out at the
.ayestigation,' he said. I don't be-
lieve that there is anything for me to
say, and ! could not say it IL there.
was"
Before he was arrested the engineer
made statement to the Associated
Press, In which he declared that il q
danger signal light was displayed at
Takoma he failed to see it on account
OF the dense fog.
Milton w. Philips, the operator. who
is also held prisoner at the Tenth
precinct, said today that the equip
ment train ran past his danger signal
at speed Of from SO TO 60 miles an
hour. He says there was heavy
fog. but not enough to hide a red
light. He declared that he notified
the operator at University station that
the train had taken the block against
orders. His statement Is corrobratea
by the University station operator.
who says that he received the mes
sage.
Flagman Kennedy, stationed at Ia
koma. will testify that he saw the sig
nal light in its proper place and that
Hildebrand drove past the signal.
Fred Lemkum, gatekeeper at Takoma,
makes a similar statement. G. w.
Galloway, general superintendent OF
transportation for the Baltimore G
Ohio railroad, exonerated the company
from any blame and put the response
bility on the engineer OF the equip
ment train or the operator at Takoma
block. "If the coroner's jury fails
to hold the engineer or the lock oper-
ator,' he said, 1--WE shall not consider
the matter settled. We shall so to
the bottom OF the wreck. This horrl-
BILE accident should have been averted.
Someone is responsible and We intend
20 leave no stone unturned until the