Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-01
GROWS IN MYSTERY
AND MAGNITUDE
AS TIME PASSES
Lessons From Railroad Wreck
at Terra Gotta.
PROMPT BURNING OF DEBRIS
Question as to the Speed of the Equip
ment Train.
NAMES OF IDENTIFIED DEAD
Investigation by Interstate Commerce
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Of
Festivities-Relief Fund.
PROMPT BURNING OF DEBRIS
Question as to the Speed of the Equip
ment Train.
NAMES OF IDENTIFIED DEAD

AS time passes the Terra Gotta
wreck grows in magnitude and in
mystery. The police list now
places the number of dead at forty
four persons, of whom forty-three
have been identified, but there
will never be further definite infor-
nation, it is believed, because the
railroad company took the precau-
ton of burning the debris Monday
morning before daylight. Such is
said to be common railroad practice
in recent years The railroads have
learned the lesson thoroughly that
nothing covers all traces of disas-
ter so thoroughly as fire. SO the
misty sun had not risen on the half
mile of carnage at Terra Gotta when
the torch was applied. 1t was like
firing a pile of shavings. The rail-
road people say that all the bodies
had been removed from the wreck
5tsslHLe the fire was started. t they
had not been, no ore was the wiser
afterward. When full daylight ar
rived the right OF way was swept and
garnished. There might never have
been a wreck there, and the photog-
raphers who focked to the scene
found nothing to photograph except
line of clean track.
Naturally the sight OF wreck does not
exercise a good moral effect on either the
railroad force the public that pays to
travel. But the cleanup was almost as
fearfully swift and complete the
wreck Itself. And it left much less trace
behind There were no ghouls. in the COM
mon accordance of the term. There was
little chance for desercation of the dead
with the strong force of police and hremen
that promptly reached the scene. But there
was the morbid crowd of relic hunters.
Some of their finds in the way of small
souvenirs were CHASTITY.
So much for the actual sweeping OF the
track. The railroad officials said there was
to be searching investigation, but whether
either it or the coroner's inquest Will de-
EelOD any TACT Oh Importance OliIS lilt IL
ture can tell. The inquest is set for 10
o'clock tomorrow morning.
The mystery seems to be why did the
wreck occur. Operator Phillips says that
he did not leave the station at Takoma, and
that his signals were all in order. He is
corroborated by witnesses. The engineer Of
the equipment train. on the other hand, de-
clares that he was running according to
orders and that he did not see a signal OF
any sort displayed from the station at Ia
koma.
Speed of the "Dead-Head."
One thing seems certain that the dead
head train was moving more rapidly than
twenty-five miles the speed mentioned by
members of the train crew. Eye-witnesses
estimate the speed of the "dead-head'
as high as sixty-iive miles an hour. They
say the train was simply flying" Ac-
cording to Operator Phillips she flashed
by his station going like HI" But his
evidence may be prejudiced, and the evil
dence of eYe-witnesses as to high speed is
VIGOROUSLY unreliable. There remains how
ever. the mute evidence OF the wreck itself.
A collision at twenty-five miles an hour, 1t
is declared. would not destroy three and a
half cars and carry the mass half mile
before stopping. The big train of ''empties''
must have been going at a terrific clip TO
do it. Experienced railroad men say 1t
could not have happened at less than sixty
miles an hour.
Further mystery is why Engineer Hill
QeDraUd SnOuIQ nave DeSn running inc
engine at such speed under such condi-
lions unless there was a reason for IL.
The Baltimore and Ohio railroad in the
section where the accident occurred Is q
mass of grades and curves. An engineer
takes chances when he speeds up to sixty
miles in clear daylight. Also. there is
a police regulation, never by any posi-
blity observed. that limits the speed OF
trains in the District of twenty miles an
hour Yet the night was black with
rain and palled in fog. according to Hill
debrands statement and in the face OF
that and possibly against a danger signal
also, he rushed through a station at sixty
miles an hour. Why should he do 1t?
Whereabouts of Running Orders.
1t is said that after the wreck Hide
brand gave his running orders to an in
dividual among the crowd OF railway
men at the wreck and that the police are
looking for and possibly have located the
man In question. The inquest is ex-
pected to clear up the point.
The railroad end of the inquiry may
furnish information to the officials. but
It is not likely TO give much to the
public. Following the customary rail-
road practice. the company commenced
from the start to hold Down the news
of the disaster. One Of the officials who
was the scene an hour after the
wreck occurred telephoned to Manager
in Baltimore his own view
of the situation. He said that the sight
was the worst he ever saw, and placed
the total of dead between thirty and
forty. At that time 1t was impossible
to be more accurate. Bit orders were
of the road in Baltimore. to gather
the newspaper correspondents there and
give them a mild and conservative ac-
count OF the disaster. placing the fatal