Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-20
RAILWAY TRAINS
IN BAD SMASHUP
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Continued from First Page.)
added, was scheduled to leave the Union
station at 400 o'clock. but it was about
thirty minutes late starting. The north
bound train was a local from Danville
the speaker explained, and was only
few minutes behind time. He said the
trains were running at the rate of about
eight miles an hour.
II am satisfied that the accident was
the result of misunderstanding" he con-
cluded..
The cause of the accident was further
explained to be due to the fact that the
switch was evidently thrown to give the
outgoing train the notfbound instead Of
the southbound track. - AS total darkness
prevails throughout the tunnel, the mis-
take was not discovered by the engi-
neer of the outgoing Charlottesville train
until he was emerging from the terminal
and when face to face with the oncoming
inbound train not more than fifty feet
away the view of the engineer OF each
train being limited by the sharp curve
into the tunnel made by the tracks at
that point.
The first train to pass the wreckage
following the accident was the Bluemont
train of the Southern road.
Mr.. Mcfarland Makes Statement.
When asked to express an opinion about
the wreck Commissioner Macfarland said:
Il am very thankful to learn that this
deplorable accident. which ought not to
have occurred. resulted In no loss o.
life. If any of the injured men die the
acting coroner will make a thorough
investigation at the inquest. But 1 trust
that this will not be necessary. Mean
While, have requested a full report
from Maj. Sylvester and Acting Chief
Engineer Wagner, both of whom. and
also other policemen and firemen rem
dered efficient service. The responsibility
i ior TINS accident. which imperiled the
lives OF so many people, and might have
neen disastrous: ought to be promptly
placed. 1 shall do everything in my
power to see that this is done The
railroad employees co-operated heartily
with the police and firemen in getting
the people out Of the tunnel and in rem
edying so far as they could the results
of somebody's negligence. 1t is most
fortunate that there was no loss of life.
1t is to be hoped that the railroad com
an accident impossible, and the Commits
sloners will endeavor to see that this is
done.
Official Report.
Frank ]. Wagner, acting chief of the
hre department, has made the follow
ing official report to the Commissioners
ePOH tIS WtCSh ana the part his de-
partment took in work that followed:
Il have the honor to report that
about five minutes to 6 o'clock nm. on
the 10Th instant I was notified by DO
lice headquarters that there had been
wreck at South Capitol and - streets
Immediately upon receipt of this in
formation l ordered truck company
No. 1 to proceed to the scene, render
what assistance it could, and communi-
cate with me.
"Whan NJ
wreck the captain found that two
trains of the Southern railway, one go
ing north and the other going south,
had had a head-on collision at the
and d streets. AS there was danger
of the boilers on the engines exploding,
I ordered No. 8 engine company to 20
to the wreck and extinguish the fires
in the boilers This was done, and
both No. engine company and truck
company No. i rendered ali the assist
ance in their power. under the direction
of Acting Battalion Chief Proctor.
shortly after taking this action I
myself visited the wreck and took
charge.
From the investigation made by this
department it appears impossible to de-
termine who is responsible for the ac-
cident. All that is known is that
trains Nos. 30 and 215, one going
south and the other going north, were
both on the same track"
superintendent Martins Statement.
G. w. Martin, superintendent of the
Washington Terminal Company, said this
afternoon that he had been examining
persons who were in the tunnel yesterday
afternoon, and those who were supposed
to have been there at the time the south
bound train passed through.
while the investigation is still incom-
plete and the question OF who aused the
wreck not been definitely determined,
enough has been leal ned to make i. defini q
that the switch was not turned by an en-
ploye of the company. ! think, however,
that it was not done with any malicious
intent"
A number of workmen were in the
tunnel yesterday, he said. working upon
the ventlating apparatus as we'll as upon
other work. These men are being ques-
toned by the companys detectives and
the investigation will probably be con-
cluded tomorrow. Mr. Martin thought
the turning of the switch might have
been an accident. The SWITCH he said,
was not completed and had not been in
operation. 1t was possible that one of
the workmen may have stopped to ex-
anime the switch and accidentally opened
the valve. turning the switch. The
switches that are being worked now are
being operated by hand, the electric ap-
pa atus not having been completed. This
particular switch is about 800 feet inside
the tunnel and only persons who are ac-
tually employed thee had a right to be
No rI;~