Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-03

Neither of Coaches in Early Morning
Wreck Carried Passengers.
DEW AND FOG ARE FACTORS
Tracks Made Slippery and Outbound
Car Plows Into Another Stand
ing on Switch.

Two men had a narrow escape from
death early this morning at Wander
werken station, on the Great Falls and
Old Dominion car line. when car Is, in
charge of Motorman H. H. Reed and
Conductor C. G. McLanahan. crashed into
car standing on the cross-over switch
at that point
Reed and McLanahan were injured, and
were taken to Georgetown University
Hospital. where DR.. ]. A. Cannon. physl-
clan for the railway company, took
charge of them Their injuries were said
at the hospital to be not of a serious
nature. Reed lives at 3512 Prospect ave-
nue and McLanahan is a resident OF
Virginia.
There were no passengers on either of
the cars at the time, and no other per-
sons were hurt.
The accident occurred about Gas am,
there being heavy dew. which created
wet and slippery track There also
was slight fog. which was just lifting.
and through this Reed saw the impend-
ing crash and shouted to Conductor Nc
Lanahan.
Men Stick to Posts.
Both men stuck to their posts, working
away at the brakes. but nevertheless car
Is struck the other while going at con-
siderable speed. Reed being thrown all
the way through his car. McClanahan
was thrown against the wood and steel
frame. If the crew had not succeeded
in lessening the speed of the car they
would, in all likelihood. have been killed.
The rear end of the standing car and the
front end of the moving car were smashed
to bits. The crew of the standing car,
Eppa kerns. mOtorman, and James
Matter. conductor. escaped injury. pos
sibly death, by the fact that the con-
ductor was on the ground changing his
trolley. and the motorman was walking
around the car from the front end.
At the time Of the accident car 10 was
on the way to McEean's station from
washington. Car was being used as
vanderwerken switch on the way from
Georgetown to the switch. where it was
supposed to have it's trolley changed and
cross over for the return to Georgetown.
Traffic Seriously Impeded.
AS consequence of the accident
traffic on the Great Falls and Old
Dominion line was seriously impeded.
the first through car to Georgetown
not being run until o'clock.
Persons on their way to work from
points along the line, due at the navy
yard and other places in the city be-
fore o'clock. were prevented from
arriving at their work on time. and in
the case of the navy yard employees
lost a days work and returned to their
homes. Some people walked into the
city.
Efforts to clear the track were at
once begun by the railway officials who
placed a gang Of men at work under
Supt. w. F.. Crosson, who cleared the
wreckage and repaired the track by
noon.
Patrons Make Complaint.
There was much complaint by patrons
Of the road before Supt. CrossOn's
wrecking crew arrived over the fact
that in the confusion following the
accident a number of cars were run
toward the city past the scene of the
wreck without passengers when. it is
said, these cars might as well have
brought passengers into the city.
The cross-over switch at the scene of
the accident permitted one track to
be kept open, and the track leading
out of the city was used by the COM
pany.