South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-03-01

/ crossing against the Michigan Cen
tral train and opened it for the New
York Central train. Trainmen point
ed 10 cuts in the Michigan Central
ties as proof that the train had been
derailed by the automatic derailing
switch and then had climbed back
on the track. when it hit the
diamond" at the intersection.
Postpone Probe.
Cookies statement were substan-
tiated by his fellow worker. Charles
Whitehead, also on duty in the
tower at the time Of the disaster.
Possibility Of an immediate in
quest was set aside today when DR..
II. o. Seipcl Of Valparaiso, coroner
Of Porter county. said he would not
attempt to start an inquest until the
Identification work had been finish
ed. Hc predicted that this might
be a week or more.
Porter and Chesterton were
| crowded with visitors Monday but
Monday night most OF them had
departed and the wreckage was
largely cleared away.
Town Trustee r. Huff. the first
town official on the scene. an
nounced he intended 10 move to-
ward limiting the speed at which
trains could pass the village cross
ing.
Though this IS the greatest dis
aster Porter has ever had, it lies
within one Of the business railroad
sections in the country, on the out
skirts Of Chicago.
Almost at Porter's doors an even
greater wreck occurred fifteen years
or so ago. This was the destruc-
ton Of an immigrant train west
ward bound from New York. Three
miles east Of Porter, on the Balti-
more and Ohio railroad it ran head
on into a freight train and took
fire.
Whitehead'S Story.
Failure Of heavy fire to break out
last night was a saving boon. The
town maGshal had placed his fire
departments hose on one side.
Chesterton's department soon ap-
peared on the other. But the cleo
trification OF the train lighting
probably spared this GROWING dis
aster, railroad officials said.
Charles Whitehead, telegrapher in
the signal tower which regulates the
passage Of the trains over the cross
ing Monday night for the first time
gave his version of the events pre-
ceding and during the collision.
He subStantiated the statement of
Joe Cook. operator Of the fifty-six
levers in the tower. that the sig
nails were set against the Michigan
Central train and exonerated Cook
Of any blame for the disaster.
Whitehead, too unstrung TO talk
c onnectedly Sunday night, tonight
was back at his post, outwardly
calm. His eyes, deep set from loss
Of sleep, repeatedly darted back and
forth from one track TO the other
and many times he paced the floor.
Il send and receive all messages
telling when various trains will ar
rive" he said. 81 have nothing to
do with the operation Of the signals
and am not considered in any way
responsible for them.
runs the levers, but he wanted TO
take a night off and hired Joe Cook.
Who is a substitute operator, TO work
for him.
Bee Suse of the mass Of switches,
detours, and the intersection, both
Of us must be on our toes all the
time, and we were last night.
Watch Headlight Grow.
Ear down each track is an ap-
pliance which rings a bell in the
tower when a train hits il. Last
night when we heard the bell, we
saw it was the New York Central.
About thirty seconds later the Mich
igan Central bell rang. Joe set the
signals against the Michigan Gen.
trail and opened the track for the
New York Central. We sat peer
ing down the New York Central
tracks. watching the headlight grad
ually grow larger and larger. We
had not noticed the Michigan Cen
trail.
The New York Central engine
gradually grew larger and larger
and finally its outlines were plainly
visible. Suddenly heard Joe
shout:
MY God, Charley, the Michigan
Central is coming through the
block
Il can still hear that shouted
warning.
II turned quickly to the right and
there, not 100 feet away. was the
Michigan Central. number 20, crash
ing down at sixty miles an hour.
1t was so close 1 could see the
spaces between the fender bars. Joe
jumped for the door and I jumped
after him
Tower Windows Crash.
eve heard A terrific grinding
smash. There was a hiss of steam,
brilliant red glare lighted up the
tower and our little building shook
all over. The crashing Of glass
the tower windows breaking-tin-
gled in my ears and the tower con-
tinued 10 rock.
1--WE lay against the door for a
moment and then collapsed TO the
floor. Later a few seconds later,
I suppose, Joe got up and dashed
down stairs. I followed him.
when I reached the ground Joe
was running full speed up the road
to Chesterton, two miles away. 1
am told that he never stopped un-
I'll he reached there, although sew
eral persons tried TO halt him.
81 went down to the wreckage.
The conductor OF one OF the trains
came UP and tried 70 ask me some
thing. He couldn't talk he was
shaking 80. and 1 guess I couldn't
have answered. I don't remember
much after that. I went home but