Evening star., 1935-04-13
BUS CRASH PROBE. .
OPENED BY B. & 0.
Inquiry Begins as Williams.
port Starts Tasks of
Burying Dead.
Continued From First Page.)


the chemistry class which the young
bus passengers composed. has said the
same. Other survivors supported them.
Opposed to this was today'S OPEN
ing testimony and the statement
of C. w. Galloway, vice president of
the railroad, who said yesterday I'VE
definitely know" warning bells were
operating at the time Of the accident"
and that. as is required, 1.-The engine
whistle was blown approaching the
crossing"
Rev. Charles R. O'Hara. the Rock
vile priest who administered to the
dead and dying said that shortly after
the wreck a westbound passenger train
passed. land I heard the bells
operating"
Will Use Relief Fund.
The determination of the President
to proceed with grade crossing elimi-
nation from work relief funds now
available in the S4.880, 100000 appro-
priation, was disclosed at his press
conference yesterday afternoon when
he declared the Rockville crash gave
pointed emphasis to the need for such
a program, which long has been
agitated.
At the same time, he outlined four
basic principles to govern the spend
ing of money.
The States or localities shall provide
the land for doing away with the
crossings.
The crossings eliminated shall be on
mainline railroads.
The Federal Government will pay
the full cost Of the work.
To these he added a previous speci-
fication that he had laid down for
all work relief-that all of the work
that can be done shall be completed
before July /, 1886.
Would Eliminate Disputes.
Because of this, he said. there
that might arise over obtaining the
land for elimination work.
The President added that there was
a growing tendency to do away with
branch line railroads because of bus
and other competition, and for this
reason no work of that character
would be done except for mainline
roads.
The development Of streamline
trains, which were changing train
speed from As and so miles an hour
to 10 or 80 miles an hour. further
demonstrates, he said, the need for
crossing elimination work.
The argument previously had been
advanced that the Federal Govern
ment should bear the full cost Of cross
ing elimination work because of the
public safety factors involved.
Mr.. Roosevelt said the Bureau Of
Public Roads would handle grade
crossing elimination work and that
perhaps a special division of this
bureau would be set up. The bureau
already has compiled long list of
projects on main highways. with esti-
mates of the cost OF such projects.
Some States to Do Work.
The President said that in some
States, like New York, which has a
grade crossing elimination agency, the
States themselves would do the work
with the Federal Government provid-
ing the money In others, which are
not so equipped, he said. the Federal
Government would do 1t for them.
Line will face coroner's inquest at
Rockville Tuesday. at which Police
Judge Donald A. De Lashmutt prob
ably will preside. County and State
police who have been conducting an
investigation will be on hand to TESTIFY.
The bus driver was held In CUSTODY
until last night. when his bond was
made in Washington.
Crash Reveals Marriage.
The crash brought a strange coinci-
dence when Jane Staley Murray, the
17-year-old bride who escaped with
broken arm, was thrown by the impact
into the yard of st. Mary's Catholic
Church, where she was married to Ned
Murray little more than a year ago.
Family and friends were expecting
the couple to be married after James
graduation in June, and her parents,
Mr.. and Mrs. Jessie L. Staley. were sur
prised when. Fastening to Washington
with Murray. he spoke up as they
passed the church and said. That's
the church where Jane and I were
married"
The girl probably owes her life to
the fact that she had just left the back
of the bus at the request of a. COM
panion to sit up in front when the train
struck.
The Kreps girl, who is Is, was the
more seriously hurt Of the two, suffer-
ing internal injuries. Her widowed
mother, Mrs. Janet Kreps, Is with her.