Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-01
TERRACOTTA WRECK
Fifty three Lives Lost at
 Washington Suburb.
FIVE TRAINMEy ARE UNDER ARREST
HeartrendinE and Pitiful Scenes at Baltimore and Ohio HOrrOr-GOv. ernment to Make Searching
 Inquiry as to Causes.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-The Balti. more and Ohio disaster at Terra Gotta grows in magnitude as the hours pass
 The most conservative estimate of dead by the wreck is fifty three, with three scores of injured in the hospitals or at their homes suffering from wounds and fractures sustained in the rear end collision which completely de molished the two day coaches and the smoker attached to the local Frederick (Md) express No. 66.
 Several of the most seriously injured are expected to die, and the death list may yet reach sixty or more.
 Heartrending and pitiful were the scenes at the city morgue. where hum dreds of persons have focked to assist the police in the Identification of the dead.
 Women, girls and even men with iron nerves shrieked, sobbed and faint ed as their relatives or friends were found among the thirty-two corpses strewn about the floor. Collins, wicker baskets and winding sheets were found on all sides. It was sight never to be forgotten.
 Officials of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad are conducting an investiga- tion of the wreck in Baltimore for the purpose of placing the responsibility for the terrible disaster General Super intendent Todd exonerated Milton Phil lips, the operator at the Takoma block station, the last signal station that the equipment train passed before crash ing into the passenger train at Terra Gotta. The superintendent declared that Phillips was obeying the instruc- tions when he went home at 6:3O .i 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 were arrested shortly after the accident and are now being held to await the result of the official investigation. They are Harry H. Hildebrand, engineer: Ira c. McClelland, fireman: Frank F. Hoff- meir, conductor: Ralph Rutter, brake man, and William A. Norris, baggage master.
 I Gazing vacantly between the iron bars of his cell at the police station, i Engineer Hildebrand is too full of emo tiOn to make any definite statement. Tt will all come out at the investiga- tion," he said. T don't believe that there is anything for me to say, and I could not say it if there was.''
 Before he was arrested the engineer made a statement, in which he declar- ed that if the danger signal light was displayed at Takoma he failed to see 1t on account of the dense fog.
 Milton w. Phillips. the operator. who Is also held prisoner at the Tenth pre- cinct, said that the equipment train ran past his danger signal at speed of from fifty to sixty miles an hour.
 He says there was very thick fog, but not enough to hide a red light. He declares that he immediately notified the operator at University Station that the train had taken the block against orders. His statement is corroborated by the University Station operator, who says that he received the message. Po- liceman ]. T. Kennedy, stationed at Takoma Park. will testify that lie saw the signal light in its proper place and that Hildebrand drove past the signal. Fred Lemkum. gatekeeper at Takoma, makes a similar statement.
 c. W. Galloway. general superintend- ent of transportation of the Baltimore and Ohio. exonerated the company from all blame and put the responsibil- fly on the engineer of the equipment train or the operator at the Takoma block.
 Chairman Knapp of the interstate commerce commission said that the commission considered the advisability of making a special investigation into the causes of the wreck.
 Another member of the commission In discussing the proposed investiga. ton said:
 Tt has been suggested that we ought to have an expert present at the coro- ner's inquest. and that may be done, though he could not take any part in asking questions.
 But it is probable that under the joint resolution instructing us to in- vestieate and report on the operation of the block signal system we could make a special inquiry in this. and the commission will take up as soon as possible the question of doing so.''
 l. W. Kelley. trainmaster of the Bal timore and Ohio for this division. with headquarters in Baltimore. Is in Wash Ington to make further investigation into the causes of the wreck and to as- sist in restoring affairs to their normal condition. He declared that to locate the responsibility for the disaster at this time was an utter ImpossIbilify.
 "The police have all the trainmen Iocked up.- he explained. and until we can get at them. ask questions and compare stories it will be impossible to determine anything. Meanwhile would not make a statement simply he cause have not the facts
 As a manifestation of sorrow and sympathy for all afflicted by the Sun day night disaster at Terra Gotta. the District commissioner ordered that