New-York tribune., 1921-02-14

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upright, however.
Passengers Hurled From Seats
Scarcely window in either train re
ssnained whole after the collision, and
sthroughout the length of each train
passengers were hurled from their
seats. There is power station near
srent was turned of in the third rail
salmost Immediately after The crash.
The passengers. bruised and dased,
tTho were crawling through shattered
swindows, did not know this, however,
sand huddied between the side of the
strain and the high picket fence which
separates the tracks from the roadway
sof Atlantic Avenue.
! Many of them dropped to the ground.
sweak from the shock or from injuries
(which they only realized after they
stad got clear of the darkness and con-
illusion of the interior of the trains.
SIN the darkness men, women and chill
sdren were trying to thrust their way
sfo windows, endeavoring to find some
Seompanion who had vanished in the en-
stitement or doing their best to crawl
sto some shelter where injured limbs or
sSmised body would be safe from the
Strsmpling of the terxor-stricken throng
s2bove them.
Crash Heard for Blocks
: The crash Of the collision could be
sAeard for blocks, and by the time the
spolce arrived crowd of curious spec
stators was thrusting against the fence,
sSome of them trying to shout advice
kto those penned behind it either to
swalk back to the Autumn Avenue grade
scrossing or to climb over the fence.
The police sent a call for the re-
serves and for the tiremen, believing
sthat the wreck was in danger of catch
s1ng fire from the third rail. Battalion
sChlef Mooney came with two hook and
ladder companies, and as soon as the
spolice had driven back the crowd in
Atlantic Avenue chopped down the
sTence for several rods so that the i'm
sprsoned passengers could escape and
the work of rescue proceed
In this the police and firemen ioined
ssnd were reinforced by scores of the
less seriously injured passengers.
sMany women made hysterical attempts
sto follow the rescuers into the de-
srailed cars, where the groans of the
sinjured could be heard, crying that
sthey had been separated from their
achildren in the smash.
~ Motorists Aid Many Injured
AmbuIances had been called from a
dozen or more hospitals in Brooklyn
and Queens, the collision aoccurring
almost exactly on the dividing line be-
tween the two boroughs. Motorists
returning from trips on Long Island
stopped and offered their assistance
and scores of those hurt were taken to
their homes in private automobiles,
many of them, it is thought, without
2eporting their names or injuries to
the police or the railroad officials.
Officials Of the Long Island Railroad
were on the scene early as were Public
Service Commissioner Morgan 7. Don
nelly and Assistant District Attorney
Wilson. of Kings County. Thomas
Moore, of 81 Bryant Avenue, Jamaica,
motorman of the express; Burton D.
tello, of 1910 Atlantic Avenue, Rich
rnond Hill, motorman of the local.
William j. Dunno, his conductor, and
Charles Small, the signalman on duty
in the signal tower close by, were
taken to the Miller Avenue police sta
tion to be examined.
Local Disregarded Signal
Moore, it is said, told his int8rroga-
tors that the signal was set to give
him the right Of way. Small is said to
have corroborated tAis statement, and
added that the local train, due at
Autumn Avenue at 9:37, got there at
q:35, and pulled out of the station in
the face of signal set against it. The
express, which was due at 9:35, was
there precisely on time
Public Service Commissioner Dom
Relly said his investigation led him to
believe the danger signal was set
against the local train; that the ex-
press had the right of way, and in his
opinion the motorman of the local was
TO blame for the accident. He added
thorough investigation will be made by
experts and that a hearing will be con-
Quoted in Manhattan tomorrow morn
ing.
similar view was taken by officials
in the Office of Frederick Roe, chief
train dispatcher at Jamaica. 1t was
said there at midnight that the pre-
liminary report on the wreck indicated
That the local train probably had run
last the block. A further inquiry into
The accident will be held by the rail-
road in Jamaica at $3.50 this morning
freight, in charge.
Wrecking Crew at Work
At midnight little progress had been
clearing the, tracks, ell of which were
blocked by the wreck. 1t was not ex-
pected that they would be clear before
, a. m. In the mean time, all west
bound passenger traffic, which always
is heavy Sunday night, was transferred
to trains bound for the pennsylvania
Station, Manhattan, tickets to the Flat
bush Avenue terminal in Brooklyn be-
ing accepted.
The first arrivals on the scene and
the leaders in the early work Of rescue
we're William c. Niebling, an architect,
of 8604 Jamaica Avenue, Woodhaven;
Charles Pfohlman, Of 3486 Atlantic
Avenue; Grover Bamon, same address.
and Frank Billek, of 279 Euclid Street,
Brooklyn.
With crowbars, and hastily impro-
vised weapons Of rescue they helped
the imprisoned passengers to safety.