New-York tribune., 1921-05-31
Jersey Trolley
Man Burns to
Death iil Wreck
Conductor Trapped Beneath
Flaming Debris as Two
Cars of TreniolrCaniden
Line Crash Near Roebling
Forty Passengers Injured
Women Faint as Victim
Prays and Begs Help
Rescuers Cannot Give

RoEBLING, n. j., May S0.--Two
trolley cars on the Trenton Cam den line
crashed head-on half mile from here
shortly after o'clock this afternoon
Charles Conklin, of Beverly, q con-
ductor employed by the Public Service
Railways, Ssas killed and nearly two
score passengers were injured.
Conklin's clothing caught when 3
short circuited wire set fire TO one OF
the cars, and he was burned TO death
before passengers couid reach him.
slight injuries. Most of the injured
were able to leave the City Hospital
after receiving treatment for bruises,
decorations and minor injuries.
List of Seriously Injured
A list of the more seriously injured
includes:
Mrs. Walter Smith, OF Far Hills. N.
j.. two ribs and left arm broken and
possible internal injuries. Her condi-
tion is said to be serious.
Anna L. Rowe, of 194 Arlington Ave-
nue., Jersey City, right hand broken,
one finger cut off and injuries about
the legs.
Hattie Glover, of $50 Rosemont Ave-
nue., internal injuries.
Henry Kellerman, of 568 East State
Street, Trenton, legs severely cut.
Mrs. Henry Kellerman, his wife, legs
burned.
Martin Hogan, of 251 Ashmore Street,
Trenton, legs and arms cut.
Helen Andrews, of S63 Revere Ave
nue., Trenton, eyes and legs injured.
John Mckenzie, of Burger, n. j., legs
and arms burned.
Warrington Rowe, OF 800 Washing
ton Street, Bristol, Pa, right leg
broken.
Frederick Herrick, of Palmyra, con-
ductor on the northbound car, scalp
badly torn.
William Harrison, of Florence, N. j.,
right leg broken and left arm cut
Joseph Williamson. of 81 Bismark
Avenue, Trenton, N. j., scalp torn.
Coroner and Road Investigate
The cause of tha accident is being
investigated by officials of the Public
Service Railways Company and Coro-
ner Bolton, of Burlington County. The
Trenton-Camden line is single track
system, with switches at regular in
teryals to permit north and southbound
traffic TO pass. According to officials
of the railway company, the south
bound car, of which Conklin was the
conductor, should have been waiting at
the Roebling switch for the north
bound car to pass. Instead of this, it
was preceding south at low rate of
speed in the single track block about
half q mile from this place.
According TO several passengers,
Conklin telephoned at the Roebling
switch to the divisional dispatcher and
received. or thought he received, orders
10 proceed into the next block After
leaving the switch telephone he
boarded the car, gave the signal to
proceed and stood chatting to the mo-
rorman as the car switched onto the
single track.
Conklin's car had proceeded onlv
snort distance when the northbound
car was seen coming at high speed.
The southbound motorman Immediately
applied the brakes of his car, but the
speed at which the other car was
travehng on downgrade made the
avoidance of collision impossible.
Short Circuit Starts Fire
A short-circuited wire quickly ignited
one Of the cars. Conklin was buried
beneath a pile of wreckage and his
clothing caught on fire. His body was
completely destroyed by flames, as pas
sengers stood by, powerless to extri-
cate him on account of the great heat
AS the flames crept upon him, Conk-
IN alternately prayed and pleaded with
those who saw his plight, to rescue him.
Many of the women passengers who
saw Conklin burning to death were
overcome by hysteria while others fell
to the road. faintine.
The terrific impact hurled the pas
sengers into a heap. Many of the
seats were ripped from the flooring
There were more than twenty pas
sengers in each car, and few ESCAPED
without some injury
Those slightly injured immediately
set to work rescuing their fellow pas
sengers, and the Roebling Fire De
partment was notified Firemen re-
moved many from the wreckage and
extinguished the blaze.