Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-01-01

Washington, Dec. 31.-The Baltimore
& Ohio wreck at Terracotta last night
grows in magnitude as the hours pass.
The most conservative estimate Of the
dead tonight is SO, with three scores of
injured in the hospitals or at their
homes suffering from wounds and
fractures sustained in the rear end col
lision which completely demolished the
two day coaches and the smoker at
tachcd to the local Frederick, Nd, ex-
press No. &c. Several of the most seri-
ously injured are expected to die dur
ing the night and the death list may
reach 60 or more Heart-rending and
pitiful We're the scenes at the city
mo-gue today, where hundreds of per-
sons have fiOcked to assist the police
in the Identification of the dead. Wo-
men, girls and even men with iron
nerves shrieked. sobbed and tainted as
their relatives or friends We're found
among the 81 corpses strewn about the
floors. Collins. wicker baskets and
winding sheets were found on all sides.
1t was a day never to be forgotten.
Officials of the Baltimore e Ohio
Railroad are conducting an investiga-
ton of the wreck in Baltimore for the
purpose of placing the responsibility
for the terrible disaster.
General Supt. Todd cXonorated Mil
ton Phillips. the operator at the Tako-
ma block station. the last signal sta
ton the equipment train passed be-
fore crashing into the passenger train
at Terra Gotta. The superintendent de-
Clarcd that Phillips was obeying the
instructions when he went home at $50
o'clock. leaving the double green sig
nal burning While making no positive
CHARGE. Supt. Todd intimated that the
burden of the blame would fall upon
the engineer and crew of the extra. me
five members of the crew. who were
arrested shortly after the accident. are
now being held to await the result OF
the official investigation. They are:
Harry II. Hildebrand, engineer: Ira Z.
McClelland, fireman.; Frank +. H"l-
mar. conductors: Ralph Rutter. brake
nan. and William A. Norris, baggage
master
Gazing between tho ba IS Of his cell
at tic station Engineer Hildcbran' Is
too full of emotion to make any dci-
rite statements. ut will all come out
at the investigation" he said. Il don |
believe that Their, is anything FOR m"
10 saw and 7 could not say ii if there
x.,s., before he was arrested the cngi-
peer made Il statement to The ASs"-
ciatcd Press in which he declared mat
il tho danger signal light was "lS-
rlavcd at Takoma he failed 10 sec IL
ON account of the dense fog.
Milton w. Phillips, the operator, WI"
is also held a prisoner at the 10th Pre-
cinct. said today tina; III" equipment
train ran past his danger signal at d
spccd of from so to 60 miles. re says
there was a heavy fog but no en"uS"
to hide a red light. He declares tn'tt
he Immediately notified the operator at
University station that tn" train hdl
taken the block against orders. His
statement is corroborated by tn" INT
yersity station operator. who says ne
received the message. Poii:cm1n D. 1.
Kennedy stationed at the Takoma
Park. will testify that he saw the Sig
nal light in it's proper place and that
Hildebrand drove past the signal. Fred
Lemkum. gate keeper at Iakonla'
makes similar statements.
c. w. Galloway. general supcrinien-
dent of transportation of the Baltimore
& Ohio exonerated the company from
all blame and put the responsibility on
the engineer of the equipment train or
the operator at Takoma Park block.
IF the coroner's jury fails to hold
the engineer or the block operator" he
said I'VE shall not consider the matter
settled. We shall go to the bottom of
the wreck. This horrible catastrophe
could have been avoided. Some one is
responsible and we intend to leave no
stone unturned until the responsibility
has been fixed. The Takoma block
system was Installed two years ago
and is the safest known to railroad
men"
Chairman Knapp. of the Interstate
Commerce Commission tonight said 20
The Associated Press that the c"in-
mission today considered the advisable
ty Of making a special investigation in
to the causes Of the wreck.
No decision has been reached. lie
saws. as to when this investigation will
be made.
Another member of the commission in
discussing the proposed investigation.
said:
1T has been suggested that we ought