Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1916-09-25
BLAME SWITCHNAN
FOR TRAIN Crash
One Killed, Two Injured
When Two Freights
Collide Head-on
WILLIAM INQUIRE OF
THIS CITY IS HURT

The mistake Of towerman IN
throwing the wrong switch is blamed
for the death Of a fireman. injuries
TO brakeman and thousands of dol
lars damage TO rolling stock when
his act caused two heavy fright trains
on the main line Of the Pennsylvania
railroad 10 meet in a head-on collision
at 5Sth and Jefferson streets, Philadel-
phia. at 2.O5 o'clock yesterday morn
ing. Reports to the effect that an ar
rest was TO be made in the case,
coupled with rumors that the tower
man was so overwrought following
the collision that he had disappeared
prevailed last night
The dead man was Vernon League
nineteen years old, fireman, OF Chase'
Baltimore county, Maryland.
William Mcclure. twenty-five years
old. brakeman, OF 70l Vandever ave
nue.. this city, sustained decorations
and contusions OF legs and arms. ne
was removed to the Presbyterian
Hospital. Philadelphia. and later re-
turned TO his home
Tho trains involved In the wreck
comprised a Maryland division freight
going west and a Philadelphia diVl-
son freight coming east The crash
OF the locomotives as they met was
heard great distance and hundreds
OF persons living in the vicinity, rush
ed to the scene
League who was a fireman on the
Maryland division locomotive was
crushed TO death when the terrific
Impact caused the tender TO crnmple
as though II was cardboard ana catch
him In It's embrace.
Mcclure sustained his injuries by
being struck by flying pieces OF tim
Der. The force Of the collision was
so great that both locomotives were
badly damaged, the cOwcatchers, pi-
lots and entire fronts being carried
away.
Two box cars containing candy
were lifted bodily from the track and
thrown to one side. the contents be
ing distributed over a considerable
area. Later in the day hundreds OF
small boys gathered at the scene and
gOrged themselves with sweets. II
was found that these cars we're so
badly wrecked as to be unavailable
for future service and they were burn
/ ed by wrecking crew
! Three other cars containing ma
/ chiuery stood the impact better. duo
II was said. to the weight OF the con-
tents. They were split open at the
/ top. however. revealing the nature OF
the freight they contained Several
/ pieces Of shafting burst through the
] top OF one of the cars and lodged on
J Ton Of
naming in this position throughout
I the day.
! ENGINEERS Stick TO Their Posts.
David Shank of Edge Moor. was
engineer OF the Maryland division
freight which had been made up In
Philadelphia but a short time prev
/ ously. The engineer Of the Philadel-
phia division train was John Ross, OF
Harrisburg Both men remained at
their posts and escaped injury
Railroad officials at the scene Il
| the wreck, at the Office OF Superin-
| tendent Gumbs. PoweltOn avenue and
/ Thirty-second street. and at Broad
I Street Station. refused TO make any
/ statement regarding the accident.
/ From police sources. however. 1t was
| learned that the accident was due to
] n lllNidh0 VII AiAN HoAA ~ NA' NNWNA
man and that he had admitted he
/ had been at fault.
Full View Of Tracks.
The tower containing the apparatus
for the operation of the switches
stands but a short distance from the
spot where the two freight trains
came together. It is Lofty. and from
its windows full view of the tracks
for q great distance can be obtained
Wrecking crews were rushed "a
the scene directly following tho crash
The locked locomotives were first re
moved and by daylight the entire
line had been cleared of debris. A bis
force of men under s. u, Holland
.. supervisor of tracks. then took M
, the task Of repairing the roadbed anC
this work continued throughout the
day.