Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-05-30
? Dead, II Hurt
in p. r. Il. Crash
Continued From PAGE One

Continued From Pase One
running on the west -bount- track, so as
to leave the other track clear, for ex-
cursion trains, which had the right of
way. This is supposed to have been
responsible for the twenty minutes loss
cf time of the local between Camden
and Burlington.
Single Track Used
All trains pass through Burlington
on single track. The PENNSYLVANIA
line runs through the town without gates
Or guard rails, down the middle of
Broad street, the towns principal thor
oughfare. and there is local ordinance
forbidding trains to go through the town
at more than six miles an hour. 1t is
said that this ordinance often is ig-
nored.
The local train had drawn up at
Burlington station, having stopped at
Edgewater Park a few minutes before,
and most of the passengers remaining
in the rear car had alighted. About
fifteen got off at Burlington.
L. F. Fox. of Camden. the conductor
of the local train, had signaled to his
engineer to start. and the train was
getting under way. Suddenly came the
glare of fast moving headlight The
heavy express was bearing down upon
the Burlington station and just at the
point where cross over switch leads
from the east bound track, on which
the express was running, to the single
track which goes past Burlington sta =
ton
According to witnesses, and it is said
according to the admission of Cook, the
engineer of the express, the signal was
set against him at the crossover. The
switch itself must have been locked
against his train by the automatic inter-
locking device.
He set his brakes hard fact borne
out by eye witnesses who saw the
brakeshoes fash fire as the brakes bit
into the wheels. The heavy train,
made up Of eleven steel coaches. slack :
ened speed. but did not stop. The mo-
mentum was too great to be overcome in
the short distance-not more than about
100 feet between the crossover switch
and the station platform. 1t is estimated
that the distance between the rear car
OF the local and the switch was not
much more than fifty feet. There was
no chance. therefore for the engineer to
do much more than slow his train.
Engineer Stuck TO Post
Cook and his fireman. Charles Green
stuck to their posts. The heavy engine
Of the express tore into the old wooden
rear car of the local. smashing it. The
rear car, driven with terrific force;
rammed the car ahead and tore and
splinterOd It in turn. Tho heavy ex =
press locomotive caught up the wrecked
rear car and plowcd beneath it.
The crash was heard for squares
throughout the town. and brought hun
dreds Of ncrsons running TO the scene.
Captain William Johnson, chief of po-
lice of the town, was directing traffic at
High and Broad streets only a short
distance away. He struck fire alarm
Immediately, bringing out five volun
tecr companies. Red Cross and Boy
Scouts were summoned also. and tclc ,
| phono calls were sent out by the lOCal
exchange operators in all directions for
help. Every hospital in ten mile
radius was notified,
After the first crash the cries Of thr
wounded began TO come from the wreck
! age. Many of these hurt were able II
! limp away, and with the aid of many
willing workers they were taken to the
Metropolitan Hotel, just across the way
Gilbert Irons, the proprietor, had
thrown it open as an emergency hospi
tai, and the injured first brought from
the wreck were laid on tables in the
billiard room, where physicians CAV,
them first aid dressings, then sent them
on TO the emergency hospital in the
town hall. from which the seriously
hurt were taken in automobiles to hos
pital. There they were reported some.
what better this afternoon.
Volunteer Firemen Aid
! Roscoe Shinn, John George and Ed
ward w Super were the first volunteer
hremen 10 arrive They tool charg,
with Johnson, and as the fire fighters
arrived, put them TO work.
The fremPn attacked the wrcckage
with AK and crowbar. believing victim.
were buried there, Nebbitt and Keis
ling, the two men who lost their lives.
were carried out. Both were breathing
when taken from the wreck Nebbitt
died within five minutes and his body
was taken to the town morgue. Kcis.
ling, conscious but dying, was taken
in an automobile TO the hospital but
died shortly after being admitted
The fremen. working swiftly. due
out Mrs. Nebbitt and Mrs. Hefinger
Both were badly hurt, and after emer
gency treatment, were taken To the hos.
pital.
The fremen and other volunteers con
} tinued 10 work until every inch of ths
] twreckaRe had been zone OVer Tha,