Evening star., 1919-08-25
Old Wooden Coaches Used on
Atlantic City Excursion
Elements of Danger.
PANIC EASILY STARTED
IN ABSENCE Of LIGHTS
Rail Administration and New Jer-
sey Act on Accident in Which
Died, "a Were Hurt.

causes of the rear-end crash of the
ninth and tenth sections of Wash
ington-Atlantic City excursion train
which resulted in one death and
twenty four injuries is being conduct
ed today.
The Office of the director general OF
railroads is carrying on one probe. Ac-
cording to Atlantic City dispatches,
County Coroner Souder is holding an
inquest over the body of Odie 5.
Wathen, SO g street southeast, VINO
was killed in the vestibule of a car
by a flying splinter of steel. In con-
nection with the inquest an investi-
eating corps appointed by the coroner
will submit report.
Statement by Mr.. Hines.
Walker D. Hines, director general of
railroads, issued a statement TO-DAY
declaring that an immediate investi-
cation is being arranged to prone
every phase of the occurrence.
II am distressed beyond measure
over the wreck at Elwood. N. j.. yes
tertiay," he said, IAN immediate in
the railroad administrations safety
section in conjunction with the inter
state Commerce Commission. and also
with the public utility commission of
the state of New Jersey.
Special inquiry will be made into
ascertain the cause and locate and
deal with the responsibility.
The inquiry Will relate not only
to the causes of the wreck itself. but
also to the claims of inconveniences
to which the passengers of the
%vut h.
jected. and as to the responsibility
therefor. The public is entitled to
and will be given the fullest infor-
nation as to the facts"
So, Two Still at Hospital.
The majority Of the injured have
let 1.-The hcspitals and returned to
their homes Only two remain In the
Atlantfc City Hospital. They are
Geerge Seits. a 2ka MarylaRd sayepae
north6ast. suffeffng from contuslons
send. engineer. Of Camden. n. j. Miss
Jennie Cassidy. 1915 K street north
west, left today.
The investigation Of local officials
may have a sensational turn. accord
ing to dispatches. 1t comes as a cli-
the manner in which heavy shore
travel is handled by the railroad ad-
ministration, it is alleged. Atlantic
City today is in anxiety as to further
occurrences growing out of the risk
taken in carrying thousands of ex-
cursionists in old wooden coaches.
In several interviews; 1t was stated
yesterday that the Washington spe-
cials were unlighted and that a seri-
GUS panic was narrowly averted as a
result of the crash. Conditions suf-
fered in the past are condemned by
the public at Atlantic CITY. it is de-
clared in dispatches. -
Commission From Camden.
A commission from Camden, N. j.,
sent by the railroad administration,
also has started an investigat ton. The
committee is composed of Superin-
tendent E. J. Cleave. chairman: A. H.
Rudd. signal engineer; w. G. Cough
lin. chief engineer of maintenance of
way. and William Elmer, superin-
tendent of the Philadelphia division.
Prosecutor E. C. GaskilI, jr., of At
lantic county, is gathering the evil
dence for the state. According to in
formation secured by Mr.. Gaskill, it
been trivial affair but for the fact
that the coaches. requisitioned from
all sections to meet the travel de-
mands, were of an antiquated species
of rolling stock. which crumpled and
telescoped under a blow which a mod
ern steel coach would have withstood.
But for the fact that the train was
not speeding at a high rate, passen-
gers state. q calamity would have re-
suited.
In an interview for a PHILADELPHIA
newspaper Joseph G. Ward, an Off
cial of the Washington Loan and
Trust Company Of this city, declared
hot 10 IN hod hnn
slowly for more than an hour that
the jolt of collision was slight and
passengers did not suspect anything
wrong.
Hours Without Lights.
Mind you." declared Mr.. Ward, ac-
cording to the report, I'VE had been
riding for hours in cars without lights,
the worst kind of old cattle cars. jolted
and thrown about Then a man came
running through the cars and said we
had rammed the train ahead. At once
there was pandemonium. We got out
quickly, however. and helped them get
the women out of the car which had
been rammed. 1t was still dark and
foggy. We saw Townsend, the engi.
neer, lying on the track. He did not
seem to be badly hurt.
Qlu not S0C IA0 uTSU1dn. Some.
body told us that he stuck to his post
until the crash was right on top of
him and then retreated to the coal
bunkers Of his engine. 1 understand
he escaped without scratch"
"I had been trying to- sleep because
there was no light in the cars, but
we couldn't Sleep" Mrs. Ward said,
Il know 1 had taken off my slippers
a few minutes before and had Just re-
marked to my husband that we were
running very slowly when the smash
came. A man ran through our car
yelling something about a wreck.
For Gods sake, then, give us a
light. 1 screamed at him. 1t was sew
eral minutes after that before a col
ored man came through and lighted
the lamp. The confusion was ter
rible."
When first reports reached Phila-
delphia the rumor that forty had been
killed sent Washingtonians of other
excursion sections. hurrying to tele-
graph and newspaper Offices to learn
the fate of friends. Excitement was
The passengers drifted back into
Washington early this morning and
last night in groups. Practically all
of the excursionists are back in the
city today.
Airman Flies Through Arch.