Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-05-08
Track Had Been Inspected.


the line is of single-track constructions
which had been thoroughly inspected by
trackmen only a short time before the ac-
cident, one Of the trackmen arriving at
the scene of the wreck almost as soon as
the train party left the cars The trucks
Of the day coach and the tender Of the 10
conceive We're strewu along the ditch in a
mass of twisted steel The vestihue of
the Pullman car in which the mission
staff and newspaper men We're riding was
partly teleScoped. The trainmen riding
in the first car had narrow escape from
serious injury when their car was drag
ged along the track and finally overturn-
car by crawling through the windows The
first engine and tender and the second
engine, minus its tender. became separated
from the train when the tender left the
track and escaped from the wreck stop
ping several hundred feet from where the
cars overturned.
After making a hurried survey of the
wreck Chief Nye OF the secret service, aC-
companied by newspaper men. boarded the
first engine and ran TO EilSon, from where
hep was summoned.
Members of the commission remained
aboard their cars, the observation car and
the compartment car until assistance
came. They showed no excitement, and
the American members of the party also
remained calm Breckenridge Long. third
assistant secretary of state, was one of
the first outside the train and alongside
the wrecked ear with Chief Nye They
held a brief consultation, and prepared
dispatches for the government AZ Wash
ington, informing officials there Of the
accident and that every one was safe
and uninjured.
Marshal Joffre was the coolest member
OF the party. With Vice Premier Niviani
and the other leaders of the party he was
at dinner when the jolting began
Members of Party Reassured.
Secret service men Immediately hurried
along 70 members Of the party and re-
assured them that everything was an
right.
AS soon as news Of the accident
reached Arcola people with automobiles
went 10 the assistance Of the distin-
Guishe5; party. Offering their homes and
machines for their use. They assured the
officials that all the inhabitants Of the
section were in sympathy with the allies
cause and that the little town had sent
more than its quota of recruits to the
army and navy Of the United States.
After a few hours delay the train had
been made up with extra equipment and
was on its way again. Meanwhile NJ.
Niviani Marshal Joffre and their COM
patriots, had resumed their dinner, the
table having been laid anew and service
re-established in less than fifteen min
utes
Recognition Of the cool-headedness and
courage of John Redmond. the engineer
in charge of the FIRST engine. and others
OF the crews Of the two engines probably
will be taken by the government. AS
sistant Secretary Long already has taken
steps TO ascertain the names of the men
In the opinion Of railroad men the steel
coaches prevented a worse wreck and
possibly saved lives. Had the cars been
of wooden construction, the railroad men
said II is possible they might have been
badly shattered.
The Washington authorities have ar
ranged for an entirely changed schedule
and revised route. The special train will
stop at Terre Haute for ten minutes to-
day, at indianapolis an hour and a quar-
Ter and at Columbus Ohio. for the same
length of time Further movements have
not been determined.