Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-30
DROWSY LOOKOUT
And FOG BLAMED
FOR TRAIN WRECK
Triple Collision on New York Gen.
tral Road Near Amherst, o., Kills
Thirty and Injuries Forty
or More Persons.
ONE CRASH FOLLOWS ANOTHER
Second Section Smashes Into First
and Then Twentieth Century
Flyer Plows In.
MANY INQUIRIES UNDER WAY

CLEVELAND. March 27.-with
a toll of at least thirty persons dead
and forty or more injured, federal
and state officials and officials OF the
railroad company have begun an in
vestigation into the cause which
early today led to one OF the most
disastrous wrecks in the history OF
the New York Central's lines.
Three trains. including the Twen-
tieth Century Limited. westbound.
the New York Central's palatial flier d.
and two sections of No. SO, known as
the Chicago Pittsburgh Limited, east
bound, came together In collision
near Amherst. o.. thirty-seven miles
west of Cleveland.
Three Thrown Together.
Reports generally credited were that the
first and second sections OF No. So were
proceeding at n rapid rate and at some
points were only mile or so apart when
the second section crashed into the fret
section. tho Twentieth Century piowed
into the wreckage OF the first two trains
which bulged over from the parallel
tracks and tho three were thrown to-
gethcr into a mass OF debris
The coaches and the engines OF No. a.
we're toppled over and wreckage was piled
thirty feet high Two cars were smashed
10 Junk. Fourteen coaches were over
turned
General Manager Moon In an official
statement said this coach was modern
solid steel coach" Passengers and 9TH
ers who were on the scene did not all
agree as TO the correctness OF this state
ment, many contending that the coach
was OF wooden construction. Those who
dispute the assertion that the coaches
were all OF solid steel pointed to the fact
that the car IN which the fire started
the death COACH" as they called IL
was torn into small fragments. which
burned like tlnder.
Moons Statement.
Mr.. Moon issued the following state
ment:
About $40 this morning first No, o..
1 the Chicago-P Pittsburgh passenger train,
was stopped at the interlocking tower at
Amherst. o. Shortly after the train
started to proceed and was moving at
speed OF about five TO ten miles an
hour second No. 90 following. being partly
an express train with the Detrolt-cleve-
land sleepers. ooiiided with the first sec
tion.
THE rear car Of first No. 90, which
contained all passengers who were either
killed or seriously injured. was a mod
ern solid steel coach. This car and the
next car ahead, steel under-frame club
car. were thrown over on the westbound
track Just as the Twentieth Century
Limited westbound, was approachins.
The latter train Of eight cars. colliding
with part OF the wrecKage. was entirely
derailed, except the three rear cars.
FOdr-Track Road.
"The railroad at the point Of the acct
dent Is a four-track road. equipped with
automatic and interiocking signals OF the
most modern type. and examination and
test made Immediately following the ac-
cident show that the signals all were
working properly.
Investigation as TO responsibility in
wolves several employees. some Of whom
were injured and have not yet been In
terviewed. and no statement can be made
as to responsibility unless complete In
vestigation has been made. which will be
as soon as the condition Of the employees
will permit and the facts are known"
Identified Dead.
REV. GUSTAV WALYI, Detroit, Mich.
| WALTER u. TASTOE, Philadelphia.
FRANK GALLAGHER, Brooklyn.
4. r. PABHELTAf, manager HunEa-
lrian Theatrical association. Cleveland.
B. r.. ASH mall transfer clerk. Ohm
| j. II. HEARN. Gailipolis. o.
MALcINcA BEMMoL, Indiana Har-
dHoRGY oJoNcA, Indianapolis.
MRS, JENNIE HADDAS, Cleveland,
died at Elyria Memorial hospital.
| CHARLES NELSON, member OF Ma
chine Movers union, died on train on
way from Amherst TO Elyria.
y. FRUCHTMAN. Toronto.
" Ih0MAS PhtIa adeiphia,
EDWARD LEROY. st. Louis. dead at
BRUCE BRowNI.EB, address un-
known, dead at Lorraine.
]. RISEY address unknown; Lee" "
tailor mark on clothes.
| =. X. DOU, address unknown; certif-
cate OF stock In Pekin cafe, Detroit,
found IN pocket
The Twentieth Century emerged almost
unscathed and proceeded on Its west
ward journey. its passengers uninJured
except for a severe shaking up. A heavy
fog from Lake Erie had settled down over
northern Ohio. This. with the alleged
failure OF a towerman to do his duty
under the rules. was ascribed by some of
Continued on Page Two. Column one.)