Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-21
Debris From Recent Wreck in
Terminal Tunnel Removed.
CONDITION OF THE INJURED
Failure of Signal to Work Promptly
Probably Saved Lives.
OPINION OF SUPERINTENDENT
Congested Conditions at the Union
Station Greatly Relieved-Com-
plant Regarding Roadway.

Eleven of the persons injured in the
Southern, railway wreck at the mouth of
the tunnel Tuesday afternoon are still
under treatment at Providence Hospital.
The engineers and fremen who were on
the wrecked engines are suffering worse
than the others. but reports from the
hospital this morning indicated that all
were improving, and that they wili-be
able to leave the hospital in a few days.
number of the passengers on the trains
who were merely shaken up or received
slight cuts and bruises returned to the
city yesterday and went to their homes
in Virginia on the afternoon trains. Rail-
road employees have removed all evidences
of the wreck and trains are running as
they did before the accident occurred.
Although no lives were lost by the col
lision, Commissioner Macfarland looks
upon it as a very serious affair. and has
undertaken to get more information as
to the cause of the accident. he mas
directed Maj. Sylvester, superintendent Of
effort to obtain this information.
In speaking of the affair today the
Commissioner explained that the law pro-
vides for summoning witnesses and ad-
minstering oaths. If an inquest Is neces-
sary, aud he has asked the corporation
counsel of the District to advise him
whether, if there is no necessity for an
inquest. the Commissioners can summon
witnesses and administer oathS and con-
duct am investigation into such an acci-
dent. If answered in the negative. Com
missioner Mcfarland said, he will recon-
mend that Congress be asked to give the
Commissioners that power. Heretofore In
the case Of serious accidents some one
has always been killed, so that it was
possible to get at the causes and re-
sponsibility at coroners inquest He
said. however. that everything will be
done that can under the law as 1t now
stands.
q. w. Martin. SUPERINTENDENT of the
Washington Terminal Company, said this
morning that the investigation of the ac-
nothing more definite than what was
learned. yesterday had developed.
Failure Of a Signal.
A railroad official in speaking with a
Star reporter last evening of the wreck
said: ''Only the failure of the signal to
work saved the life of practically every
person on the two trains"
He explained that the signalman had
thrown the signal for the train coming
from the south for clear track through
Tic luuuSls Uul tHde Tile Sc WOOuou All IL
did not fall promptly, and this compelled
the engineer of that trainNto stop, neces-
sarily-delaying him. The arm finally fell,
the engineer had-started and was running
at the rate of about five miles an hour,
when the he adlight Of the engine coming
from the station doomed up in front of
him. He Immediately applied the brakes.
but the southbOund train, which was run
ming at the rate of about twenty-eight or
thirty miles an hour, crashed into it.
But for the short delay to the inbound
train the two iron monsters drawing their
loads Of human freight would have met
about half way in the tunnel, and probably
all of the persons aboard would have lost
their lives, either from being killed out
right or by suffocation.
LAS the matter stands" he said, ''the
main fault lies with the persons who left
the switch open. The engineer of the
outbound train when he found he was on
the wrong track should have stopped his
train and ascertained the trouble, but as
he was late, he seemed not to notice the
mistake and continued on through the
tunnel"
Open Switch the Cause.
Mr.. Martin said the statement of the
official was practically a statement of
what happened, although. he saiu, the
trains being behind time did not nave any
bearing upon the accident. The open
switch, he stated. was the primary cause
of the accident. Had not the engineer on
the engine of the northbound train no
ticed a small section of the red or the
glare of the danger signal and stopped to
make an investigation, Mr.. Martin stated,
the trains would have met in the tunnel,
as the official stated. When the engineer
stopped his train, said Mr. Martin his
conductor advanced and inquired what
was the matter. The signal YVES examined
ana the engineer was told by the con-
ductor to proceed. He also stated that
the engineer of the southbound train
cation when his train changed to the
northbound track at the switch From
the switch to the point where the acct
dent occurred, he stated, is a distance of
about $500 or 1900 feet and his train
could easily have been stopped in tine
to avoid the accident. Because OF the
injuries to the engineer and fireman, he
said. they have not yet been asked to
make statements. .~s,-.---
when the interlocking switches are
in working ORDER said Mr., Martin, "a
of the accident will be impos-
sible.' -
General Order Issued. 81.
The system will be completed by De-
cember I, he stated. Anticipating trouble
of some kind. Supt Martin said, a gen.
eral order was issued November ID, in
which the employees Of the road were In
structed as follows:
1.-The interlocking switches and signals
at Massachusetts, avenue (south end of
low leveD are not complete. and move
ments at this point will be controlled by
hand signal In the same manner as at K
street. That part Of the switch layout
located under Massachusetts avenue Tin
the tunneD, $40 feet from the north end
Of tunnel. will be set and secured for the
running tracks in the assigned direction.
and switchmen will not be stationed at
that point, but will be located at the
north end of tunnel, FROM which point
hand signals. as d :scribed above will be
given for movements.
Trains in both directions must not ex-
coed speed OF twenty miles per hour
between Massachusetts, avenue and ID
street and Virginia avenue
"Southbound trains, before starting
the tunnel, must secure clearance
card from operator at Massachusetts,
avenue signal tower. located between
tracks % and 80, south end of low level,
before starting through tunnel" :.
Interlocking Switches. =
The order gave further information
about the handling OF the passenger traf-
fic and the operation of the switches north
Of the Union station. and stated: :..The in
terlocking switches and signals at New
IL T.