Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-02
FIRE DESTROYS TRACES.
A Criticism of the Hasty Burning Of
Collision Wreckage
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
In your issue of Tuesday you properly
call attention to the fact that "the rail-
roads have thoroughly learned the lesson
that nothing covers all traces of disaster
so thoroughly as fire. So the misty sun
had not risen on the half mile of carnage
at Terra Gotta when the torch was APP
piled"
The railroad people are represented to
have said that all the bodies had been re-
moved before the fire was started which
may or may not be true, but, having been
present at the scene of disaster for several
hours, l can state positively that the
wreck was not entirely cleared of parts of
human bodies and belongings of the unfor-
Inmates, and that fragments of apparel
We're in full view, to say nothing of what
a complete investigation in daylight may
have revealed. l did not feel at liberty to
advise those who We're actively engaged
about the ruins. but | did call the atten-
ton of one of the workers to the presence
in one locality of a human scalp. a lady S
handbag with steel chain attached, a mu-
tilated memorandum book, quantity of
fragments of clothing, and what appeared
to me to be the portion of a lower limb
and foot with a lady's shoe thereon. ! did,
however, attempt to make a closer eXami-
nation of this portion of the wreckage. but
was pressed back to the earth bank by
two uniformed men, whom / now believe
We're preparing for the burning process,
after l boarded the relief train which
brought the dead to the city.
| had taken a seat in the but a few
minutes when / saw the light of the flames
and was Mortified at the sight presented
from the PLATFORM but upon reflection
the program of the railroad company was
revealed. The destruction was to be COM
plete. for the fires were continued through
the night. The light of them was visible
at m Tuesday from my home, three
miles distant. A Photographic view of the
scene of the wreck appeared in your
Monday issue. representing Star reporter
and others finding relics. Those relics
must have been there before the burning,
hence their presence on the day following.
When the debris was fired the tracks
had been cleared, at least al the locality
of which | write-this was at the point of
the collision and about thirty yards south
of where Hildebrands engine stand
ing at l a m. Tuesday.
In this connection l would call attention
to the fact that at the very time of this
wanton and hasty act of burning there were
present at the scene the president of the
Board of District Commissioners, the Dis
trict of Columbia coroner and other District
officials together with numerous police Off
Gals and a portion of the District fire ap-
paratus and firemen. There was word
of protest officially uttered against the
burning from any of these officials. | was
deeply impressed at their apparent acqui-
escence. Indeed, l was forced to the con-
clusion that no one of them could for a
u
might be to preserve all that was possible
of the wreckage until a daylight inspection
could be officially made in the presence Of
the District authorities and the coroner 8
jury, in the meantime having the locality
and wreckage placed under competent
guard.
1t would seem wise and proper thai, in all
cases where death results from accident
the coroner should take as far as possible
absolute charge of conditions presented,
at least so far to avoid the possibility
of such outraSes as that which has just
been enacted. This affair appears to me to
have been honeycombed with negligence and
delay.
The railroad official who authorized his
agents to falsely report the extent of the
disaster to the press should be held account
able for his act, particularly so when he
was in possession of the truth a to about
the number of dead in the wreck at the time
of giving his orders of publication to his
press agent in Baltimore.
b. F.. SPARHAWK.