Evening star., 1918-07-16
Il HURT IN CRASH
!. OF EXPRESS TRAIN
|NREAR OF LOCAL
Federal Employees Tossed
From Their Seats in Lin
den Collision.
STEEL CAR PREVENTS
HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE
Authorities to Begin Inquiry Into
Cause Of B. & o. Branch
smash-Up.

Eleven persons were injured, one
seriously, when an express train from
st. Louis crashed into the rear Of a
local at Linden, Nd, on the Metropol.
tan branch Of the Baltimore and Ohio,
nine miles north Of Washington at
7:1o O'Clock this morning.
William Dawson, sixty-five years old,
Of Germantown, Nd, an employe Of
the fuel administration, was badly
hurt. he is at Providence Hospital,
where doctors believe he is suffering
from conclusion Of the brain. He was
unconscious on arrival at the hospital,
Others Injured.
The others. all of whom were treat
ed in the hospital room at Union sta
tion. are:
3. L Reed. ifty-two years old. Of
Gaithersburg. Nd, an employe Of the
war department; shock and bruises.
years, Of Gaithersburg. an employe Of
jured. ~>,''
Bert Il. Brockway, forty-six years.
Ss Ss.S ~ r,sb, M,stres aes, ss ctty; Injury @
Hershey d. Ayton, SIXTEEN years of
Boyds Station. Nd! injury to back.
MIS-. Elizabeth A. Jordan, forty-six
years. of Gaithersburg; back Injured.
John Fish. thirty-eight years. Gath
ersburg: right leg and arm cut.
Spencer Bean. thirty-eight years,
ernment printing Office: slightly in
jured.
Albert P. Day. twenty-four years,
Gatthersburg, employed at navy yard:
left arm and ankle injured.
John Chambers, colored, thirty-four
years. OF Gaithersburg. employed by
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad: back
hurt.
Vernie Rowland. coIored, forty-ons
years, OF Washington Grove. Nd. two
Inquiry to Be Opened. 4
p. c. Allen. division superintendent
Of the Baltimore and Ohio in Baltt-
more, said over the long-distance
telephone this morning that he would
not venture a statement on the cause
~ Nh0 SoAAAoAoi uhlll NC mas conducts
ed an Investigation at his office this
afternoon.
Mr.. Allen said that, according to
reports received by him, the western
express. No. 4, crashed into the rear
Of the Metropolitan branch local, No.
40. derailing one truck Of the last
coach Of the local and demolishinr
the fender on the engine Of the exc
press.
The impact Of the collision threw
the passengers in the rear coach Of
the local headlong from their seats.
According to local police officials. this
jured told the police they believed
the fact that the coach was steel
saved their lives.
Federal Inquiry Ordered.
Commissioner McChord Of tho rnte,-
state Commerce Commission promnfiv
ordered federal investigation Of the
collision and inspectors Of the safety
division Immediately set to work to de-
termine the cause OF the wreck.
Express Passengers Unhurt.
According to. railroad onicials, no
The truck of the locals coach was
soon put back on the track and the
the injured.
Mr.. Allen said the block system Of
signals installed on the Metropolitan
branch is supposed to prevent coll
Hstons. but he would not venture an
explanation until the Investigation Is
completed.
One Of the injured passengers stated
to police at Union station that the
after q brief wait. pulled back onto
the main track. The collision Followed.
he told the police.
At the Union. station hospital room the
injured had their wounds dressed by
Prs; = r,s.,s :: =. Grter. p; G; Hunter and H.
able to go home after a few hours.
The collision blocked the track only q
few minuteA
Sought to Deceive Reporters.
When The Star. sought news Of the
wreck by telephone a man supposed
to be the superintendent at Union
station said that the injured were
being taken to Baltimore. When two
reporters from The Star tried to To-
cate at Union station the train bring.
ing in the injured Joseph Flynn, the
assistant stationmaster, said he did
but that the injured had ali been
taken away. and he knew no detafIs
about the accident. A few minutea
later The Star reporters found the
injured passengers In the emergency
dressing station receiving treatment
from three doctors, and Assistant
Stationmasters Flynn came In and saw
the reporters there.
Supt. Wilson Of the Washington
Terminal Railway Company, who also
was In the dressing room. said It was
not the policy OF the terminal com-i
pany to conceai facts or prevent re-
that employees or oficials should not
attempt TO conceal the facts. He said
that all he know about the, accident
was what the reporters had bean able
station, and referred fnrther IN
auir;ss e tie district supsetntendsnt'