Evening star., 1936-07-02
|. c. c. FIELD MEN
PROBE BUS CRASH
Report on Tragedy Fatal
to Five Will Be MAZDA.
in Few Days. 4
Hy the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Motor Carrier Bureau officials Re-
ported that field work will be con-
pleted today in the Interstate C'rn-
merce Commission investigation o. the
bus crash at Natural Bridge, vs., IN
which five persons were killed.
H. H. Allen, a safety investigator.
and c. z. Talbert, a member OF the
field force, have been working at Nat
ural Bridge in conjunction With State
authorities.
They will file a resume cf the facts
with John L. Rogers, had OF the
Motor Bureau, in the next few days.
and a formal report on the accident
will be issued later.
BY the Associated Press.
NATURAL BRIDGE, Va, July a.
Five bus crash victims, identified
nearly "a hours after they met death,
lay In an undressing establishment
here today as Rockbridge County
coroner DR.. E. p Tompkins debated
whether or not TO hold an inquest.
They were killed, and more than a
score of other passengers injured, when
a heavy bus skidded on rain-sl1cked
pavement Just before midnight Tues
day and rolled over atop the scenically
famous Natural Bridge. Only a board
fence kept it from plunging into a
200-foot gorge.
Mrs, William A. Boyles, of Chatta-
noopa. Tenn, last OF the dead to be
identified, was positively named here
last night as members Of her family
we're en- route to Natural Bridge.
Others who died in the crash were:
List of Dead.
J. J. olderson. Roanoke, Va, the
driver.
J. p. Hamilton, Birmingham, Ala,
a driver for Southeastern Greyhound
lines.
John Keesee, Washington.
Lolita Holdren, Goodview, Va.
Thirty-four persons were in the
vehicle as it fought through a rain
storm en- route from Roanoke, Va. to
Washington, D. c. Most of them were
asleep.
Driver Olderson attempted to stop
the careening bus by turning it into
the rock wall As it rolled over the
front end was smashed and Olderson
and others in foreward seats were
crushed.
Slightly injured passengers went to
nearby Natural Bridge Hotel. while
others, requiring disqualification, were
taken IA miles to Lexington.
Word from Chattanooga said Mrs.
Boyles was on her way to Norfolk
Va, to visit a brother. Lonnie Hobbie
She was the wife of the late William
A. Boyles, purchasing agent of the
Tennessee Electric Power Co.
Her daughter, Mrs. Ola Lee Saylor
vas reported TO be among those er
route to Lexington to claim the body
Miss Holdren, whom relatives tden-
tified late yesterday, was said to have
been on her way back to New York
after having spent her vacation al
home.
DR.. z. P. Tompkins, Rockbridge
County coroner, said an inquest might
not be necessary ana would be post
poned, at least temporarily.
Just Missed 215-Foot Drop.
Highway officials said it was easily
possible for the huge bus to have
broken through the stout fence, which
prevents travellers from knowing they
are crossing the great gorge, although
the highway is protected by trees or
either end Of the bridge for a con-
siderable distance The bus stopped
short of the span, which is 80 feet
long and from so to 100 feet wide
Cedar Greek flows 215 feet under
meath.
Henry D. EiSenman of Richmond
injured in the crash, said the fact
that no one was smoking in the bu:
probably prevented a holocaust.
The fuel tank had broken and gaso-
line streamed through the bus, tc
mix with blood and wash the wounds
Of the injured" Eisenman said III
any one had been smoking when the
accident occurred feel sure that al
OF us would have been trapped In q
blazing inferno"
The roof in front crushed down, but