The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-01

Mai. Syives of the fire
department le station
with the de; cir bodies
were properl ng at the
station until missioner
had many II ose who
we're seeking friends. II
and gave asst ,uld be a
rigid investig
Much valu ected at II
the scene Of tt be used II
at the coroner sac AR Mae Il
farland yesterday
ut Is, of course, terrible calamity. 4
and affects the whole country so deeply .
that I have recommended to the Board /
Of Commissioners that all flags on Dis /
trict buildings be placed at half mast /
until after the funeral Of the victims, as /
a mark Of the general sympathy.
The sights at the Baltimore and Ohio
station were pathetic in the extreme, and
what ! saw Oh the right OF way between
Terra Gotta and Takoma PARK is indie
scribabIe. Such a serious accident will.
of course be investigated TO the bottom
by the railroad company and by the
authorities. The coroner accompanied ne
in the investigation Sunday night and
personally secured some valuable data"
Police 10 Do Their share.
Every effort will be made by the police
department to place the responsibility on
those to blame for the accident, accord
ing 70 Maj. Sylvester.
THE first information concerning the
terrible calamity at Terra Gotta said
Mai sylvester yesterday, reached
me through headquarters without delay,
but It was meager, and 70 the effect that
there had been Il wreck. and four or I'VE
persons killed. OF the principle that the
worst does not always come first, dis
patched all available men and patrol
wagons from the Eighth and Tenth pre-
cincts; Capt. Elliotts mounted men were
called. and Sergt WaTtman and the
mounted men from the Ninth and Sew
enth precincts were also called. In
spectors Cross and GessfoTd and the po-
lice and other surgeons lost no time in
getting there, although the weather and
distance was against them. I also called
the chief Of the fire department The
force did yeoman service IN the face OF
inexperience in wrecking. They would
have done much better work had fun
command Of railway wreckers been on
the ground early.
Trains Were slow.
The trains returning for the dead made
slow progress to the scene. where the re-
mains were viewed by the coroner and
then brought 10 the city. Every precau-
ton was and is being taken 10 detain
those in any way accountable and who
may throw light on the affair. I had
guards placed over the spot to remain I'M
I'll morning TO prevent any property being
carried away that might have been over
looked on dismal night under lanterns
and tOrchlights.
As to the responsibility for the awful
/ calamity. we will do all possible 10 place
II and 10 give details at the investigation.
Many times 1 have ridden over the
same track, and in my observation OF
railway conduct II appears that TOO much
/ time and labor Is required in nerTe-Wrech-
4 ing positions with compensation insufn-
Client 10 encourage or keep employees Up %
/ the kecnest point Of duty
Coroner hewitt Kept Busy.
/ Coroner hewitt spent the greater part
/ Of the day IN issuing death certificates &c
/ the various undertaking establishments
that the relatives and friends of the dead
( have engaged TO prepare the mangled
/ forms for burial To-day the coroner ex-
/ poets 10 gather much evidence that will be
/ introduced at the inquest According q
/ custom, the coroner has picked out ar
/ individual case to be investigated II was
decided 10 hold the inquest upon tn,
/ death Of Prof. Theodore J. King, formerly
a staustician Of the Naval Observatory
and Il prominent resident of kensngton
/ where he organized and directed the Ken
si1gtOn Orchestra. The inquest viii b.
/ held al the mcrguc at 10 clock.
Il have been too busy issuing dealt
/ certificates said Coroner hewitt yester
dav. Ito make much OF an investigation
to-day. but one thing is certain. and tina
is that the inquest Wednesday viii be a!
thorough as it Is possible TO make it.
I have no doubt that evidence fixing TIT
/ responsibility for the disaster viii be pro
! duced, and that the jury viii De able 4
/ return a verdict against the guilty part,
/ or parties"
Extra Trains Crew In Cells.
I At the Tenth precinct station Hide
brand and the rest of the extra train
+ crew sat I'm their cells staring betweel
the iron bars, their faces tense and whit
with the strain. The other four mem
bers Of the crew seemed less affected b.
their situation than Hildebrand, with "a
exception Of Frank Hoffmeier. the con
ductor, who collapsed Sunday night. an
lies sobbing. necessarily sObbing, on tn
narrow bench in his cell.
Honmeier arose from the bench. wipe
away his tears, and in a voice shake
with emotion. told his story.
HOhmeier Knows Nothing.
Il don't know any more about it tha,
If ! hadn't been there" he said.
4 was in the last car Of the train.
am sure we weren't going over thirty-fiv
miles an hour. It was so dark and fogg
that you couldn't see anything at all out
side We went through Takoma withou
checking speed. and you couldn't see an
lights, or anything else. We had n
knowledge of anything ahead Of US unit
the crash came. If they had only don
something to warn US.
IF it was too foggy for signals. VIII.
didn't they give US torpedo, or drop
fuse. That burns ten minutes. and woul'
have warned Us in plenty Of time. But Their
was nothing-nothing at all until "
struck God, what a crash it was. An
the women and children-and Httl
babies" and Hoffmeier dropped on tn
bench. crying Ike a child.
VIII be received at Astoria Pharmacy, 8
J and @ SITS. NV. and promptly forWarde
! 10 the main Office