The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-03-04
Bodies of Victims of Wednesdays
Railway-Auto Tragedy Laid to Rest;
County Attorney Will Probe Matter in
Effort to Fix Blame; One Official Says
Grade Crossing Must Be Better Guarded

statement the train crow made CT
whether they made statement a.
all or not, but ! am deeply impress.
cd with tho statement made by Win
ston Brown, one Of the occupants o.
tho auto that was run down BY tn"
train when he said that there was
no brakeman on the head end OF :na
train with . light, and that there wus
no warning signal given whatever.
Take it from railroaders rtand.
point, and I am somewhat familiai
with rules governing the operation
OF trains. and we find that whenever
a train, or string OF cars are backed
in, that Is showed with the cars run.
ming ahead OF the engine, II is ths
duty Of one OF the train crew to pro
tcct the blind end Of the train, ridne
the forward car. II at night. with
a lighted lantern in order that hc
may see as nearly as possible. any
one or anything approaching, give
warning, If possible. and signal the
engineer in case Of danger.
In a case such as this. with the
train being showed by the engine
and leaving tic main track as this
train had TO DO to 80 onto the
tracks Of the belt line. the caboo.e
brakeman would have opened 'ha
switch, signaled the engineer TO bacl;
her up and then caught the forwnri
car while the head brakeman should
have closed the switch. as soon IA
the string and he engine had cleared
the main line. given the engineer the
high sign and caught the engine. r,d.
ing It in.
Now IL all these precautions were
taken no blame can attach to the
train or engine crews. bu, the blamo
still lies where It must be corrected
even if the city finds II necessary
TO have the railway company install
or build a. viaduct across Mcl.ish
avenue, at L street
Understand, am not seeking -
oXonerate anyone who may be FOUND
culpable and 10 blame for this ho,'
ror; neither am | saying If or not cor
trIhutory negligence conspircd TO brlne
about the tragedy am only sayn,
that something must be done 70
avoid a recurrence, to avoid another
accident with possible logs OF life"
County Attorney Brown stated thai
a9 soou as tho train crew returns -
the run they left hrdmuro on .his
morning, he will rcslme tho investina'
ton and that he will sitt matters
TO the bottom.
1t has been impossible for the Ard
moreite TO secure statement from
any member of the train or engine
crew. Wednesday, after the accident,
the crews had sought their beds to
rest up after straight stretch Of 10
hours which information alleged they
had been on duty and this morning
they had gone out on their regular
run.
The Ardmoreite is in receipt OF
communication, unaccompanied by the
writer's name, in which he alleges
tho Ardmoreite's report contained gross
msstatements In the story OF tho
wreck, and in which the writer
further states he has made a personal
investigation and has interviewed mc7l.
bers Of the train and engine crews.
If this party viii send in his name.
not necessarily for publication. tho
Ardmorcite will take pleasure IN civ.
ing his story place in these col.
umns.
In reporting the accident every cffor.
was made to give the story in detail
and in an unbiased and impartial
manner, without attempt to pre.try
the case, fix the blame, or prejudice
public opinion.