Evening star., 1935-04-13
SIGNALS IN ORDER,
WITNESS ASSERTS
ATBUSCRASHQU|z
B. & O. Official Testifies All
Warning Devices Found
in Operation.
FIRST OF ID FUNERALS
HELD AT WILLIAMSP0RT
Roosevelt Prepares to Direct Ex.
penditure of $1OO,OO0,O00 to
Eliminate Hazards.

Baltimore & Ohio Railway officials,
opening today in Baltimore their in
quiry into the Rockville grade crossing
tragedy of Thursday night, were told
today that the crossing signals and
warning bells we're in full operation
1T the time of the school bus-train
crash.
Meanwhile, the stricken town Of
WLliamsport, Md, began the dreary
task of burying its IA dead school
children, and President Roosevelt
prepared to direct expenditure of from
100000 900 to 10000 900 to wipe
out highway hazards. In Rockville,
there were unofficial reports that o
special grand jury might be sum-
mcned to inquire into the crash.
Overpass Move Spurred.
Pressing for immediate elimination
Of the crossing. the Maryland State
Roads Commission today had several
surveyors examining the site of the
tragedy preparatory to planning an
overpaSs.
Diagrams of such an overpass have
been in the Office of the Roads Com
mission since 1923, when five boys
were killed at the same crossing. The
new measurement will establish
whether the previous survey will meet
present needs.
H. w. Routenberg, assistant divi-
sion engineer of the B. & o.. was the
first to testify when Charles M.
Shriver, superintendent of the Balti-
more division, opened the inquiry in
Baltimore, the Associated Press stated.
When I arrived at the scene of the
accident at about l am. Friday" Rou-
tenberg said. Il Immediately conducted
an investigation of the automatic
warning devices at the crossing.
II found them all in good working
order.
II noticed that the next east-bound
train that came through, going in the
same direction as the train which
struck the bus, operated the signals
| perfectly"
Completing his testimony. giving
| statistics on the railroads various
certain all we're in good working or
der and operating in full force at the
time of the accident.
Engineer Tells of Crash.
J. A. Shoebridge. the engineer Of
| the express train that ripped open
the school bus. was the second wit
ness. He asserted he approached the
| crossing with the engine whistle
| screaming and the bell going full
blast.
Asked to describe in his own words
what happened, he said:
| When we came through Rockville
I blew my whistle just as I passed
the whistle board G,410 feet from the
crossing). I began ringing my bell
about half way from the board to the
! crossing.
Just a few seconds later I heard
! the fireman shout. A second or two
later the crash came. The fireman
yelled We've hit bus"
Shoebridge testified that his position
in the locomotive was on the far side
of the crossing and that the bus ap-
preached from the firemans side of
the cab. He estimated his speed at
between IS and so miles an hour. The
|
road, he said, is so miles an hour.
&c. C. Officials at Inquiry.
Three representatives from the In
terstate Commerce Commissioned. w.
Lowering, chief of the Accident Sec
ton of the Bureau of Safety; T. B.
Smith, signal engineer, and Robert
Tonkin, inspector-attended the in
quiry.
Lowering said at the completion OF
an investigation which he intends to
make, including interviews with Percy
Line of Williamsport. driver of the
Inflated bus: Miss A. Louise Funk,
teacher who was riding with the pu-
pills; police officials and others, he
would submit report to the Bureau
of Safety in Washington.
In that report" he said, I'VE shall
include recommendations for crimi-
nal action-if any are made"
AS the first inquiry got under way,
1t was reported at Georgetown Hos
pital here. that two of the injured
high school chemistry students were
slightly improved this morning."
Tney are Margaret Kreps and Jane
Staley Murray. 17-year-old bride,
whose secret marriage to Ned Muir.
ray was disclosed by her young hus-
band Fastening to her side after
the accident.
Carl Brindle Buried.
Carl Brindle, one of the IA victims,
Is being buried today at Williamsport.
From now until Wednesday tolling
bells will sound at the little Maryland
town as others of his companions are
borne to their graves. 1t was at first
thought mass funeral might be held,
but this was decided against.
In the Baltimore inquiry, investige-
tors are confronted with conflicting
statements regarding warning lights
and signals at the crossing, which is
protected by a watchman in the day
time, but not late at night.
Deny Hearing Signals.
Line, driver of the bus, who Is held
under $1,000 bond on a technical
charge Of manslaughter, has asserted
that he neither heard nor saw warn
ing signals. Miss Funk, teacher Of