The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-08-06
Long Island Puts Night Guard
at Crossing-Service
Board Inquiry.
VANDERBILT A WITNESS
Saw Lights on Train-MOtor-
man Thought Auto Would
: Surely Stop.

AIter day long hearing by the Pub
lie Service Commission on the train and
automobile collision which killed :. Os-
good Pell William Laimbeer and Mr..
Pelrs chauffeur at Long Beach on Sum
day night. the Long Island Railroad nut
night fasman last night at the fatal
crossing and one above IT. II promised to
slow all Its trains down to fifteen miles
an hour at both places. and II said II
would consider installing gates and agreed
to pay half the cost OF a new highway
without grade crossings IL Nassau county
wants to build one.
The service boards inquiry il being
conducted solely to guard against acci-
dents In the future. Coroner New will fix
the criminal responsibility. IL any, to-day.
Through II. F. Thornton. general SUPER
intendent. the railroad told Martin s.
Decker. chairman Of the board, that II
would do anything he might suggest to
prevent another accident OF the kind. Mr..
Decker suggested night nagmen, and
Thornton said:
They're already posted. We've beaten
you to it,
Then the Commissioner asked for fifteen
mile speed and the superintendent nodded.
Thornton himself spoke OF the need OF a
new highway. and Mr.. Decker said that
would have to come II only to get rid Of
the two crossings. Thornton's offer on
behalf of the railroad to pay half the
cost OF new highway was made to Mr.
Decker personally.
MOtOrman Describes Accident,
Earlier in the day George F.. Easton.
motorman OF the train that killed Mr..
Pell. sat beside the Commissioner very
III at ease. but very frank with his pic
turc OF the collision. As he told the story
1t happened like this:
he was driving seven cars. the last
four dark, down from Lynbrooll and
though three minutes late wasn't trying
to make UP time. The train had about
fourteen passengers, half In the first car,
half in the second. The conductor. J. II.
Ellis. was In the front car. The train was
making thirty miles an hour over the
marshes. VI c..+y-s ~. ..s---.
At 1900 feet from Wreck Lead cross
ing Easton blew his whistle abreast the
whistle post
Il blew my whistle clear" he said
Two long and two short"
Then his hands went back to motor and
brake. He shut of his power. Wreck
Lead station lay few hundred yards be-
yond.
Five hundred feet from the highway
he saw two automobiles cross
the track almost together. He looked
down the highway toward Long Beach
and saw another ear, a limousine. maxi
ing for the crossing. II was about 500
feet down the road and seemed to be
the same distance from the crossing as
the train and TO be making the same
speed.
Thought Auto WouId stop.
With his hands on controller and brake
Easton watched for the automobile to
slow up and stop Il never had a
thought that fellow wouldn't come to
a stop" he said. II never thought OF him
trying to cross ahead OF me-"
SO confident was he that he never lifted
his hand to whistle again. The auto
shot forward. At 200 feet Easton said
to himself with a shock OF fright: Hes
going to run me-
His hand Jammed on the emergency
brake The train gave a great jolt and a
fraction of minute later struck the
limousine and bore 1t down the track.
All the lights in the train went out and
with a hard Jarring It came to a stand
still, The wreckage OF the Limousine had
shortcircuitcd the lights.
As for Peli. who seems to have been
driving. he must have thought he could
cross easily ahead of the train. 1t is
possible that he did not see II until too
late pOwerhouse hid IL from his view