The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-12
MANY KILLED BY
FEDERAL EXPRESS
Train Frequently Used by
President is Smashed
Into Splinters
TWELVE KNOWN DEAD;
MANY MORE WILL DIE
Roger Bresnahan, Baseball
Manager! Does Splendid
Work in Rescuing
Injured

NEW YORK. July 11.-Twelve
persons were killed outright, and of
the forty-seven others whose injuries
were reported number have been
fatally hurt, in a terrible wreck that
smashed the Federal Express, rum
ming from Washington to Boston. into
kindlings at Bridgeport early this
morning.
In an official statement the N Y.
n. IL. and II. railroad company places
the blame for the catastrophe with
its loss of life and train valued at
tens OF thousands Of dollars. upon
A. NJ. Curtis, the engineer, who was
instantly killed.
In order 10 aid the engineer in
his efforts to make up one hour and
ten. minutes lost time, the train had
been piioted To the east bound freight
track, which at that hour Is prac-
ticahy freed OF traffic. stop was
to be made at Bridgeport. Accord
ing to the railroad officials the en-
gineer should have known that he
WAS to Jump his train from the
freight to the passenger tracks at
the Fairfield avenue switch tower.
which adjoins the viaduct. The
jump" TO he made at speed not
TO exceed fifteen miles an hour ~
the heavy nine car train was to
swing across the eighteen Inches
separating the outer rails of tho
parallel tracks on a cross-over switch
at a sharp angle.
Wide Open Throttle.
just what calculations were made
by that engineer Will never be known
for he was probably the first per
son killed. hut the mute evidence
loft behind. to show the terrific speed
that the heavy train was developing
at that point. is the wide open throt-
tie.
With over 100 passengers the train
Jumped the track and plunged down
the embankment and across the via
duct into the street and right OF way
thirty feet below. All but two OF
the cars turned over or partially go.
OF the two that remained on the
ties one was chartered by the st.
Louis National baseball club and
Manager Roger s. Bresmahan, for
merly the star catcher of the New
York Giants. led the rescue work
and aided In extingutshing the fire
which soon started.
The great locomotive, Pacific
type, crashed through granite
abutmeut and pioughed deep into
the dirt embankment.
Cars in Spiinters.
Inc CARS lilGfhAiS tAt" 'tA @As
rections" First the special car Of
the United States FISH commission.
containing thousands OF fry for tbs
New England lakes. which had been
coupled to the engine tender, kicked
its way humping along the ties until
Il had passed 100 feet beyond tho
up-turned engine. Then 1t nestled
on it's side. with Sergeant John u
Rogers, T.. S. A, who was IN charge
and his negro assistants. badly hurt
Rogers wife and baby. who were
riding in the rear Pullman, were both
Instantly killed. while his three-year-
old son escaped with a few hurts.
The baggage and express cars far-
cd badly being of light or wooden
construction. There was not maeh
left for the wreckers to handle wheh
daylight brought the workmen To the
lob, And the same story relates TO
the day coach, which was painted In
some respects like the parlor cars
but bore no interior resemblance.
one mother WAS found there with
her four little babes around her. terri
hly hurt. Others were taken out OF
/, tAa wreekage OF this car. which re-
sernbled a huge pile Of tooth PICKS,
terribly mangied and evidently instant
Nv killed. Five dead and forty wound
ed were taken from this ear accord
ing to the hospital surgeons,
Lawn Serves ~ Mor9uo.
While bridgeport firemen and police
aided the uninjured of the passen-
rers to rescue the less fortunate the
doctors from the Bridgeport and -.
Vincent hospitals turned the oeautifni
lawn of Mrs. 3. A. Koran. in front or
which the wreck occurred Into tenn
porary morgue. As TIE Iffornflig shaa-
ows lifted the early sunlight fell upon
Mt least a dozen forms concealed by
the sheets from the pullman cars while
dozens of the injured were being treat
ed on the grass just like soldiers on
n battle field. These injured were TAX
en- As rapidly as conveyances could
be obtained to the two hospitals. All
sorts Of vehicles were pressed Into
service to convey the bodies OF the
dead to the morgue.
The fact that the Federal Express
was wrecked caused a commotion at
Washington, This IL the train which
President Taft frequently uses when
making trips to New Haven or other
points in New England beyond New
York. He has never met with an ac-
cident while travelling IN the East,
To-day however his advisers consid-
cred demanding that pilot engine
precede the Chief Executive hereafter
to ascertain that all switches and
tracks are In order,
!!
ner OF the county and the chief medi-
cal examiner were on the scene and
+ conducting an investigation into the
deaths. These officials permitted the
company to begin track repairing az
ter examining the damaged cross-ove
and other rails. The mayor of Bridge
port who was away. telegraphed at
once ordering a rigorous investiga-
ton to be made by the city officials.
Draws Crowd Of 100000.
Tho crowd which witnessed the
work Of the wrecking crews during
the day az they searched for bodies
was estimated at 100000.
One passenger who said he was
Abraham Stein. OF st. Louis, travelling
for wholesale jeweiry house. became
frantic after the wreck until the po-
1icemen dug his trunk out Of the debris
4 Of tho baaeAge car. He had the du-
pIicAte ~ the check and luckily the
Dnatnn11 = aeysAth PaSel