The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-09-03
| TWENTY-FIVE OR MORE
KILLED AND SCORES
ARE INJURED WHEN
ENGINE CRASHES INTO
REAR OF EXCURSION
TRAIN
Passengers Are
Hurled in Air
Dead and Injured Found in
Ghastly Heaps Yards From
Smashed Coaches and De-
rallied Engines---Norfolk Boy
Among the Killed

NEW YORK. Sept 2-The first
section Of the White Mountain ex-
press, laden with returning vacation
lists, ran into the second section OF
the Bar Harbor express filled with
homegoers from the Maine coast re-
sorts, a few miles north of New
Haven, on the New York New Haven
and Hartford railroad, Just before 7
o'clock this morning. The White
Mountain train ripped It's way through
the last two cars of the Bar Harbor
train. tossed the third car from the
last over on It's side, and killed tweM-
ty-two persons and injured two score.
The wreck occurred between North
Haven and Wallingford. Connecticut.
The Bar Harbor train had stopped at
signal set against IT. An instant
after 1T stopped the following train
was on 1t. The engineer Of the Sec
ond train had no Chance TO shut off
his power He says that a fog. which
partially obscured the fiatlands on
which the accident occurred pre-
vented his seeing the danger signal
until he was almost fabre asst of It..
Had just Taken job.
Howard Elliott. the new president
of the New Haven. entered upon his
duties for the first time this morn
Ing, arriving in New Haven from
keette1 n. H., en- a train passing over
the same tracks as the trains in the
wreck two hours before them J. n.
Hustis The new Vice president of the
New Haven, who Is to he the presi-
dent OF the road as soon as Mr.. Ell
lott Is elected to the chairmansnfp
of the board. some time this fall, also
assumed his office only this morning.
The wreck occurred on stretch OF
almost level double track between
tsnAt trse~ - sd
New Haven, and North Haven six
miles to the south. There is a slight
downgraie toward the south at this
point, and trains are wont to make
good speed here when running I'M
der normal conditions.
From the scene of the wreck the
double line Of track stretches without
a curve for some two miles 10 the
northward In clear weather IL would
seem that any obstruction on the
track would be visible for many yards
along this straight right OF way.
With so many thousands of persons
returning from the Northern resorts
all the trains coming from that direc-
ton over the road were crowded
Monday night. Many of the trains.
including No. 81 the Bar Harbor train
and No. s5t White Mountain express,
were split into two sections. This null
tiplicarion OF the number of trains
further increased the difficulties OF
handling the traffic. One man who
stood on the platform OF the station
at the little suburb of North Haven
for some minutes before the wreck,
SAID that he counted four trains pass
ing the station on their way to New
Haven, on the same track, within
seven minutes. This was just before
the two trains piled up some three
miles TO the north.
Traffic Too Crowded
Trainmen told of the same crowded
condition of the tragic. AS they ex-
pressed 1t, there were seven or eight
trains feeling their way southwark to-
ward the main line al New Haven.
all almost within sight Of each other.
The second section Of the Bar Har-
Dor express passed Wallingford at
CAB A. NJ, approximately eight min
utes after the first section, accord
ing to- the statement of c. l.. Bardo,
general manager OF tfs<, road. Th4sse,
section comprised baggage car and
ten Pullman sleepers. 4 local train,
ahead of the first section OF the Bar
Harbor train. The stops made by
this local held up the through trains
behind L. and caused the automatic
banjo" signal at Talcotts Crossing,
where the wreck occurred, to be set
against the second section of the Bar
Harhor train. Whether the express
halted before reaching this signal or
not was not made public by the New I
Haven officials tonight. At any rate,
according TO the officials, the engi-
neer of the Bar Harbor train was
within mis- rights in continuing past
the signal at caution, and halting- lust &
some nifty or sixty feet beyond it. It
was said that dragging brakes caused
him to stop at this particular place.
The banjo system of signals has been a
used on this branch of the road for
many years Following wreck last
spring. the public utilities commission
of Connecticut ordered that these old
fashioned signals be supplanted by tina
more modern block semaphore system,
which is in use on the main line. The
officials said today, has been
with this order. and. Presi-
dent Elliott said. already has the work
of installing the new system between
New Haven and Springfield about is
per cent completed
When the Bar Harbor train passed
the danger signal at the crossing--it
is signal No. % in the parlanee OF the
road--it automatically opened the sig
nal Immediately behind 1t. 7.455 feet
to the north. Signal No. %, however
remained set against following trains.
This signal, however, was only about
fifty feet behind the rear platform Of
the last car on the stalled train.
Fog Prevents Seeing.
The first section Of the White Noun
tain express passed Waflfngford nj Ssh
A. NJ, eight minutes behind the other
express Its engineer. August b. MIL n
Ter said after the accident that the for. Il
which had been heavy over ths -