The Washington times., 1921-02-28
SAYS ENGINEER
SLEPT AT POST
Towerman Declares Michigan
Central Driver Failed to OBJ
serve Block Signal.
ROAD HEADS START PROBE
Decline to Fix Blame Until Thor
ough Inquiry Is Made by
Both Lines.

PORTER, Ind. Feb. 28.-Forty-
two known dead at noon marked the
tragic toll of the New York Cen
tral-Michigan Central rail horror
here.
1t seems certain that the death
list will be swelled as rescue parties
continue their search under the grim
monument of wreckage which marks
the scene of last nights crash of
he Michigan Central Canadian
and the New York Central's Inter
state Limited"
INJURED PLACED At 100.
1t is believed that eight or ten
more bodies still remain buried in
the wreckage. The number of in
,ured was placed this morning at
100.
l.. w. Keeler. superintendent of
schools at Michigan City. Ind. listed
among the dead in an early casualty
list. was not even injured IN the
crash.
The following statement was gwen
out by the general superintendent oi
the New York Central lines: = 4
1t seems CERTAIN that the Michi-
gan Central train had taken the de-
rail and that the engine miraculously
jumped back on the track again jost
as the New York Central train crash
ed into it. Officials from Chicago
and New York are en- route here. 1t
will be a joint investigation and a
thorough one. 1t Is impossible TO
place the blame now. Calling a man
guilty of such a thing means calling
him guilty Of murder"
TOwERMAN DESCRIBES CRASH.
In statement to the International
News Service. Joseph Cook. tower
man In the tower from which signals
were given to control the fatal cross
ing. declared today that the New York
Central train had the right of way,
and that the block was set to stop
the Michigan Central flyer. In vivid
fashion he described how the crash
occurred.
"Under normal conditions" he ex-
planned, "the blocks are set against
all trains. The train hitting the
buzzer first Is given the right of way
That is, the block which is set against
them is released and the train Is
permitted to go on.
THAT is exactly what happened
when the buzz sounded last night
1t showed that the New York Cen
trail train was the first to hit the
buzzer by almost a full minute ahead
of the Michigan Central flyer.
Il released the block which per-
mitted the New York Central train
to go through. Just as the train hit
the crossing / saw the Michigan
Central train coming around the
curve at sixty miles an hour. l saw
right away what was going to hap
pen and thought the tower would
also be demolished. / called to Char
lie whitehead. the telegraph opera
steps which lead to the ground.
TRAIN HITS DERAIL.
THE Michigan Central train by
this time had hit the derail, which
clearly showed that the block had
been set against IL, and plowed over
the ties and tracks, tearing them up
as 1t went across the New York Cen
trail right OF way.
when the third coach of the
Michigan Central train had passed
over the New York Central right OF
way, the New York Central train
cut through IL. Its locomotive top
ped over and the coaches OF both
trains scattered In all directions.
II cannot help but feel that the
Michigan Central engineer was asleep,
for there are two blocks that are visible
Continued on Page 2, Column s.