The Bismarck tribune., 1935-04-12
II CHILDREN MEET
|. Death WHEN TRAIN
CRASHES into BUS
Scenes Of Horror Enacted on
Maryland Railroad Crossing
~ Tragedy Strikes
BLAME WET, ,FocGY WEATHER
|'I Didn't See It. Sobs Driver;
Eye Witnesses Tell Of
Tragic Event
BLAME WET, ,FooeY WEATHER

ed Friday the tragic task Of identify
ing II high school children killed late
Thursday night when . fast express
train tore = school bus in two 1T =
grade crossing
AZ the tale Of horror was pieced TO-
gether by police who questioned
shaken and hysterical survivors, fears
that tho death list might grow were
allayed. OF the Is survivors, who In
cluded the bus driver and . school
teacher, only twn children were still
In the hospital Friday although oil
were suffering badly from shock.
The weather w.S wet and foggy .
the bus-e brand new one painted
shiny blue and bearing the party
from q chemistry exhibit ct the Uni.
versity Of Maryland. College Park, to.
ward their homes at Williamsport
Acknowledgements the grade
crossing here.
Though Baltimore and Ohio rail.
road officials said the crossing VA,
guarded by Z bell and red light, the
bus driver declared he did not see the
train until he was on the track.
Heard, Saw Too Late
II heard the whistle just as it hi
,s," he sobbed afterward. Il didn't
|see the train until I heard the bell o,
the engine as started over thu
track"
The fyer-a train bound from st
Louis to Washington-struck the bul
In the middle, sheared It In two, ant
carried the rear half many yard,
down the track before tossing Il
aside, q mass of wreckage. Bodies, *
terribly mangled that they were BE-
yond Identification, were strewr
along the track for 400 yards, some
were tossed into q cemetery nearby
Eye.witnesses told of finding am.
putated limbs ct the scene and the
decapitated body Of . girl. The acci.
dent occurred outside the easement
window Of Rev. Cecil J. McNeal, who
hurried outside and administered the
last rites Of tho Catholic church tc
dead and dying. He found two bod
les on the engines cow-catcher.
Tells Of Horror Scene
A vivid eyewitness account came
from Edward L. Stevens Of Rockville
golf pro at the Manor club, who pass
ed the bus In his motor car just be.
fore the crash.
II was heading toward Norbeck.
he said. II saw the train coming
but crossed anyway. I passed the
bus, Just as It came on the track
I grabbed my brake, and just as ]
stopped, the train hit the bus.
II jumped out Of the car. There
was q young fellow there on laun.
dry truck. I told him to run to the
corner and blow the fire siren. By
that time Wilson Carr Of Rockville
had appeared and we started taking
girls out Of the ditch. We had scarce.
" begun when the Rockville firemen
arrived.
I'VE saw arms and legs and . girl'a
head. There were bodies oil over
We found one girl % feet away In thu
cemetery. Bodies were strewn all
along the track for 100 yards"
eGuess Was Lucky'
Thelma Staley. II. brought te
oeorgetown hospital suffering from
u double fracture Of the right arm
told this story to nurses:
II never saw anything. The first
think I knew, ! was just reeline
around. Then I picked myself up
Then the men came and got me and
took me to the hospital. I guess
WAS pretty lucky, wasn't II"
Ambulances and emergency squads
changed to the scene from Rockville
and nearby towns. Mine bodies were
taken to the Pumphrey undertaking
parloe here, where the teacher. Mia
Louise Ftink. n. Of Hagerstown, Nd.
sought TO aid In the Identification
though she was bruised and shaker
herself.
Slowly, however, the task Of iden.
tificatton went forward. The firs'
name listed among the known dead
Was that of llargaret zimmerman
whose body was viewed BY her faith.
q, Dr. I'm Zimmerman. Before dawn
u were identified.
1yesy soat In the bus Wa suaashet
except two. that of tho driver and tn
first olae behind Il. yirst-comsrs O.
tho soene found. aunong the Wreck'
|aee and The hodieA bits Of luncl
boxes, candy and ft,ilt-mute evidenol
|o9 what had boon q happy outiug.