The Washington times., 1918-07-17
wreck INQUIRY
SPURRED ON BY
VICTIMS DEATH

with the death Of one Of the eleven
victims of the crash between two trains
of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
ut Linden. Nd, inspectors of the bu-
reau Of safety OF the Interstate Com
merce Commission, under direction of
Chief Wilfred B. Borland. today are
making q rigid investigation as to the
responsibility for the accident
William Dawson, nfty-fve years
cid, an employe Of the Fuel Admin
tstration, living at Germantown, Nd,
died last night at Providence Hos
pital from injuries received in the
accident He was a passenger on the
local mo. 4O) train, which was
crashed into by an express train from
New York to st. Louis Dawson died
from conclusion Of the brain and in
ternal injuries.
we are making a thorough probe
INTO the accident TO place the respon-
ability" declared Mr.. Borland this
morning. Commissioner Charles Z.
Aechord has ordered a rigid investi-
cation.
Express Half Hour Late.
n developed at an investigation
----G " - <-AACAAs a. EAPNAAA-
ssndent Of the Metropolitan branch Of
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, held
IN Baltimore yesterday. that train No.
4 which crashed into the local, was
more than half hour late
The express passed Boyds, accord
ing to schedule, before the local,
which is made up at Boyds Station to
bring war workers and others to
Washington. said Mr.. Borland.
I'VE understand that the express
va late and that a clear track order
was given to the conductor OF the
local while II was in the siding. When
the local left the siding and went
on the main line, the express train
engineer should have received signals
% warning end danger. rhs engineer
Of No. claims he go: q signal for a
clear track"
An official OF Mr.. Aliens office to-
day told The Times that the company
held two employees responsible for the
accident as "they failed to properly
protect their train"
Neutrality-suspicious. QuizEed.
Two members OF the crews-S. T.
Best and J. W. Stup, Of Washington.
Conductor and fagman, respectively,
Of train No. 40, were particularly
Questioned as to whether they had
taken proper precautions to warn the
express train. which was in charge
Of Engineer Shipley and Conductor
Kyne.
Engineer Shipley said he got
~clear track" signal at Capital View,
the 1rst signal station west of the
scene Of the accident, and continued
With his train
Coroner To Investigate.
This afternoon. Coroner James Al
by Henderson, of Montgomery coun-
u. Nd, will hold an inquest at
Rockville to investigate the wreck
and to place responsibility.
Three inspectors of the Bureau of
Safety Of the Interstate Commerce |
Commission today are testing the
signal system in the vicinity Of the
scene Of the accident
A thorough investigation of the
death Of their father, William Daw-
son. is demanded by his two sons
and two daughters.
"The accident was aVoidable: 1t |
could have been averted easily had |
the company used the proper precau-
IONS" said Mrs. Corrine Dun, thirty |
four years old, daughter Of the wreck |
victim.
Mr.. Dawson was coming into Wash |
fngton to go to work at the Fuel Ad- |
ministFation, where he is employed in |
the Bureau of Information. When the |
express struck the local Dawson was |
thrown to the floor OF the car, strik- |
ing his head. Hope for his recovery |
was held out until yesterday after
noon.
Mr.. Dawson was q lifelong resi- |
dent of Germantown and only recent |
~ took = position in Washington. |
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. EN- |
ma Dawson and four children, Mrs |