The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-01
Operator Relieved Of Blame for
B. & 0. Wreck
ENGINEER is STILL HELD
More Than Three Score Were Injured
and Several of These We're Ex-
pected to Die During
the Night.

Washington. December 31.-The Balu-
more and Ohio wreck at Terraeotta last
night grows in magnitude as the hours
pass The most conservative estimate of
the dead tonight is fifty-three, with three
score of injured in the hospitals. or at
their homes suffering from injuries, and
fractures. suffered in the rear-end eolli-
sion which completely demolished the
two day coaches, and the smoker at
tached to the local Frederick. Md, ex-l
press No. Sc.
Several of the most seriously injured
are expected to die during the night and
the death list may yet reach sixty or
more.
Pitful were the scenes at the city
morgue today where hundreds of persons
have focked to assist the police in the
! identification of the dead. Women, girls,
and even men with iron nerves, shrieke6.
sobbed and tainted as their relations or
friends were found among the thrty-twa
corpses strewn about the floor. Coffins.
wicker baskets and winding sheets were
found on all sides.
Operator Is Exonerated.
Officials OF the Baltimore and Ohio
|
of the wreck in Baltimore for the purpose
of placing the responsibility for the dis
aster. General Superintendent Todd ex-
| onerated Milton w. Phillips, the operation
| at the Takoma block station, the last
signal station which the equipment train
passed by crashing into the passenger
train at Terracotta The superintendent
declared Phillips obeyed his Instructions
when he went home at $50 o'cloclz leav-
ing the double green signal burning.
| While making positive charge Super
intendent Todd intimated that the bur-
den of the blame would fall upon tho
engineer and crew of the extra.
The five mornbcrs of the crew who were
! arrested shortly after the accident are
now being held to await tie result of the
official investigation. They are: Harry M.
| Hibrapd engineer: G. c. McCleland,
fireman, Frank f. Hoffmeier, conductor:
Ralph Rutter, brakeman, and William A.
/ Norris, baggagemaster.
Before he was arrested, Engineer Hide
| brand made a statement to the Associated
Press in which he declared that if the
danger signal light was displayed at
! Takoma, he failed to see 1t on account
of the dense fog.
Ran Past Danger Signal.
Milton w. Phillips. the operator who is
| also prisoner says the equipment train
| ran past the danger signal at a speed
OF from fifty to sixty miles an hour. He
says there was heavy fog, but not
| enough to hide a red light. He declares
! he Immediately notified the operator at
! University station that the train had
| taken the block against orders. His state
| ment is corroborated by the University
| station operator, who says he received tho
! message. Policeman j. T. Kennedy, sta
toned at Takoma Park will testify that
he saw the signal light in It's proper place
| and that IIildebrand drove past the Sig
| nal. Frederick Lemkum, gatekeeper at
| Takoma makes a similar statement.
| c. w. Galloway, general superintendent
! of transportation for the Baltimore andi
Ohio railroad for this division. with head
| quarters in Baltimore, is in Washington
| to make further investigation I'm the cause
| Of the wreck. He exonerated the company
| from all blame. and put the responsibility
| on the engineer of the equipment train. or
the operator al Takoma block.
"If the coroner's jury fails TO hold the
engineer or the block operator" he said.
| I'VE shall not consider the matter settled.
| We shall go to the bottom of the wreck.
This horrible catastrophe could have been
averted."
Commission to Investigate. I
Chairman Knapp of the interstate COM
| merce commission tonight said to tho
Associated Press that the commission to-
day considered the advsabty of maxi
ing special investigation in the causes
| of the wreck. No decision has been
reached. he says, as to when this investi- (
| CATION will be made.
As manifestation of sorrow and sym
pathy for all afflicted by the disaster tbs
district commissioners today ordered that
flags on all public buildings In the district
be displayed at half mast until after the
funerals of the victims. The Washington
Stock exchange held no session today.
The funeral of many of the victims who
resided in Washington and suburbs will
he held tomorrow. The railroad company
is sparing no expense In providing for all
the injured at the hospitals.