The Irish standard., 1907-01-05

injured were heartrending. The thick i
white cloak OF the fog closed around
the horror and mercifully hid for a
while the extent of the disaster.
Strange Feature Of Crash.
A strange feature of the wreck is
the fact that neither the engine. the
tender. nor any OF the empty coaches
of the colliding trains left the track.
Despite the havoc which it wrought,
the engine of the second train, rum
ming 60 miles an hour, was only slight
ly injured, and neither the engineer
nor the fireman sustained any injury.
Both remained in their cab and were
placed under arrest as soon as the
police reached the scene.
Engineer Harry Hildebrand. who
has been on the road many years. was
so excited that he has not yet been
able to give any lucid account of what
happened. He does not even remem-
her putting on the air brake to stop
his train. which ran a full length after
local. He states positively that when
his train entered the block at North
Takonla. short distance beyond Ter.
ia Gotta. he was given clear track.
This statement is directly contrary
to that of the operator at North Ia
koma. who declares that he gave the
train the red light. indicating that the
track was not clear. The Baltimore &
Ohio is run by the block signal sys-
, TEN.
Brakeman Says Signals Were Out.
Living in a critical condition at
Providence hospital. Frederick Leigh,
a brakeman OIL the Inflated passenger
train. gasped out his story of the
wreck and died soon afterward.
when we passed kensinston the
danger signals we're hoisted, and VIC
were told to move cautiously he
said. when we hit Takoma the sig
nails we're still out. and we left. the
station slowly and proceeded to Terra
Gotta, our next stop. The signals
were ont at Terra Gotta, and We. took
aboard a few passengers and started
to pull out for Washington when the
train following lis hit the back coach
and smashed it to splinters.
DIR. r. O. Belt, one of the most
prominent physicians of Washington,
and his sons, Edwin, seven years old,
and Sinclair, five years old. were pas
sengere on the train. Edwin and his
father were killed, and the other son,
missing is believed to be among the
unidentified dead.
Scores Visit Morgue.
Scores of persons visited the norgye
Monday to assist in tho Identification
The total number Of bodies carried
into tho room shortly after midnight
was 80. Most of the victims were res
idents Of Washington and suburbs and
the majority of these will be buried
Monday and Tuesday.
Coroner hewitt began all inquest a
1880 Monday. After the iurymel
were selected and the list of witnesse
secured the inquest was adjourned lin
til Wednesday. The coroner says
may last several days.
The members Of the crow of tn
train causing the wreck, who wer'
placed unde, arrest by the local police
are Harry TIildebrand. engineer
Frank Hoffmicr, conductor: j. G. Nc
Cullum, fireman: Robert Rntter, brake
man, and w. A. Norris. baggagemas
ter. All were taken to the Tenth pre-
cinct police station.
The officials Of the Baltimore
nhio In tn :,
the responsibility for tho disaster. be
gan their investigation at Baltimore
Engineer Hildebrand and the fireman
of the dead" train, tower operator
Phillips, and all others in any wa!
connected with the operation of thu
train will be examined
, Two versions ct Cause.
Two distinct stories were Monda,
, told by the friends of chose who will
: naturally be implicated. The Ell
trance to the block on which the &C
cident occurred is at Silver Spring
Maryland. 1t is said local No. 81
from Frederick, had entered the bloc
!. with clear track. Two green light
,, were then set on the signal tower
. showing that the block was occupied
The engineer of the dead" train
which was following, accordingl
slowed down as he entered the bloc
!. to run Cautiously" At the Takom
station, near the center of the blocl
:, it is said the day operator had tie
:, down white signals showing a clea
;. track, and left his station. At thi
). indication, the engineer Of the dead
= Hr,;~, crowdod nm oil cfoam and forpo