[PRCo] Re: The LVT Accident REVISITED

[Dietrich, Robert J.]

Folks:

When this Off-topic subject came up I sent a note to the editor of the ECTMA
(The Scranton Museum) newsletter for a copy of an article that appeared
earlier this year.  It describes the wreck in detail and includes the news
stories that followed.  I found it intriguing because the Norristown paper
condemned the LVD while the Allentown Call Chronicle supported it, they had
a running battle.  

This article is a total of 19 pages in MS Word.  How should I make it
available?  I'll include a few pages here, but should I send it to Derrick
to post on the web site or just send multiple messages?  Can you all read a
Word document from that site?

I'll wait for an answer before forcing more of this on you.

Here goes:  _____________________________________________________

TUESDAY, JULY 14, 1942:

The TIMES HERALD editorial for this date: "LEHIGH TRANSIT-NO.5, In
concluding this series of editorials on Lehigh Valley Transit Company
operations, pending official decision or action on last week's wreck, it
should be hardly necessary to state that we have no desire to hit unjustly
an institution when its down or under fire.   Certainly there has been
plenty of reason for offering constructive criticism of concern 12 of whose
patrons have been killed and a score injured in a single accident.  But the
TIMES HERALD did not have to wait for an accident to show up what at least
might be termed shortcomings on the part of this trolley outfit.  We have
aforetime called attention to it as a fair- weather public service.  In
other words, to its falling down on the job during and after Winter storms,
when its cars promptly and unanimously stopped running, although all other
transportation facilities in this area managed to go through.  We also
published the company's feeble defense on that subject-about foggy as the
Aleutian Islands.  With this we leave the case and the points made by this
newspaper looking to greater safety and better service to the consideration
of the investigating officials and the recommendations of the Coroner's
jury".

The Lehigh Valley Transit Company's trolley troubles were nowhere near
ending.  On Tuesday afternoon, less than one week after the wreck, a
southbound Liberty Bell trolley was proceeding to Marshall Street Siding
headed for the Norristown station with a P&W motorman at the controls.  The
P&W motorman had taken a northbound Liberty Bell car to Brush Siding and
switched cars at that point instead of Marshal Street Siding.  When the car
operated by the P&W motorman on Markley Street was approaching Hartranft
Avenue, the power in the overhead went off and the car came to a stop before
it reached Marshal Street Siding.  Kermit Rex, an LVT motorman riding the
southbound trolley, came up front to assist the P&W motorman.  Motorman Rex
called the Allentown dispatcher and informed the dispatcher of the problem.
The Allentown dispatcher informed Motorman Rex he would dispatch a trolley
from the Rink freight house siding to pull the Liberty Bell car back to
Norristown.  Meanwhile the power came back on and the Liberty Bell car
proceeded towards Norristown while the 'red and white' trolley, (one of the
430 series local cars), proceeded towards the Liberty Bell car.  Two Bell
Telephone Company linemen working on Markley Street saw the two trolleys
moving towards each other and quickly flagged the two trolleys, thinking
they were headed for a crash.  Both cars stopped short of each other and the
motor-men got out and conferred with each other and the local car changed
ends and proceeded back to Norristown with the Liberty Bell car following.

The Wednesday, July 15th TIMES HERALD headlines announced, "Utility Men Flag
Cars to Advert Wreck". The sub headlines stated, "COUNTY PROBES NEAR CRASH
AT BOROUGH LINE TUESDAY; COMPANY OFFERS EXPLANATION".  LVT Vice President
and General Manager, William McGorum, when contacted by the newspaper, gave
the account of the incident.  The newspaper, in reporting the event, stated,
"It was not explained why the Limited did not remain on the double track
"Brush" siding near Coleston instead of running around a one-track curve to
Markley Street in a manner similar to the site of the fatal crash a week
ago".

This last statement by the newspaper does not make any logic since the power
went off when the car was on its way to the Norristown station as a
scheduled run.  This is another example of the newspaper's attitude towards
the transit company.

The NORRISTOWN TIMES HERALD was not done with its editorials directed to the
trolley line. Thursday, July 16, 1942, "A NEW TROLLEY ROUTE".  "One way to
greater safety of the Lehigh Valley Transit cars is to use the route of the
old Stony Creek railroad, (Reading Company), now all but abandoned, from
Lansdale to Norristown.  This would help to advert not only wrecks but also
near-wrecks on a
one-track line such as occurred on Tuesday, less than a week after the
tragedy that cost 12 lives.   It would avoid operation on highways and
readily enable the double-tracking the Transit Company so evidently needs in
these days of faster service and increased patronage due to greater
employment and rationed
transportation.  If any trouble with underlying interests should arise,
probably the State authorities could step in and compose the situation in
the interest of public accommodation and safety.  The time is fast
approaching, if it is not actually here, when a ban should be place on the
use of Markley Street as a railroad yard and also on the cluttering up of
the same important Norristown thoroughfare with trolley tracks.  The street
surface has long been in a disreputable condition, with only a limited
patching done now and then by the Transit Company, which pleaded poverty
when requested by Borough Council to make satisfactory repairs.  The changes
here outlined should also make Stony Creek and its banks susceptible to a
long needed improvements"

The July 16th Allentown CALL CHRONICLE ran the following editorial, "The
obvious attempt of some Norristown and Philadelphia newspapers to discredit
the management of the Lehigh Valley Transit Company as a result of last
week's tragic accident near Norristown is as absurd as it is intemperate.
Of course, the accident was terrible and regrettable.  Of course, the
authorities should bend every effort toward determining the exactly who was
responsible for a crash that took 12 lives and injured many bodies, some
perhaps permanently.  Of course, whatever redress is due the victims should
be forthcoming.  But to deliberately drum up sentiment against an
established useful transportation line is neither serving the best interests
of the public, nor is it helping get to the facts.  What is more, it is not
consistent with the record of the Liberty Bell system, which is a good one,
as anyone who cares to look into the matter can determine for himself.   If
the company is responsible, that is for the authorities to determine, and
once the responsibility has been established, nothing should be left undone
to see that justice is meted out to the victims.  Trying to make a case
against any individual or group of individuals in the absence of facts will
get no one anywhere".

The NORRISTOWN TIMES HERALD, on Monday, July 20, shot back at the Allentown
newspapers with an editorial, "AN ANSWER TO ALLENTOWN".  Efforts of
Allentown newspapers to administer a deft coat of whitewash to the Lehigh
Valley Transit Company and acquit it in advance of responsibility for the
wreck which has cost a dozen lives and injuries to a score of other
passengers would be amusing were they not connected with such tragic
circumstances.  These papers have been mildly critical of the TIMES HERALD
as seeking to convict their local corporation in advance of official
judgement.  All we have done is call attention  to what may be officially
deemed errors of omission or commission which might have been readily
rectified before death and disaster brought them out into the open.  We have
also, in the company's own interest, suggested a change of route between
Norristown and Lansdale which would take the trolley cars off the highways
and place them on the Stony Creek railroad line, with a possibility of
double tracking.  The company's alleged 'Liberty Bell Route' would be no
more a misnomer there than it is now; for, of course, the Liberty Bell was
not transported from Philadelphia to Allentown by way of Norristown during
the Revolution to save it from the British.  We do not gloat over the
misfortune of the Transit Company in having on its hands an accounting for
the worst wreck in its history.  We do not welcome news which sells papers
but breaks hearts.  We stand only for the justice for which the heavens
cry".

By the end of July of 1942, families of the victims began their suits
against the Lehigh Valley Transit Company.  The first to file suit was the
attorney for John M. Gray of North Wales in the amount of $50,000.

SATURDAY, JULY 25, 1942, 17 DAYS AFTER THE NUMBER 1003 WRECK:

Saturday night, at the LVT Perkasie trolley station.  Liberty Bell trolley
car No. 1030, the first section of the northbound trip, operated by Motorman
John F. Schmidt, was scheduled to leave at 9:11 PM-Following, was car 1001
operated by Motorman James Gerhard, running as the second section.

Car 1030 was running about eight or nine minutes behind schedule.  Leaving
the Perkasie trolley station, car 1030 proceeded under the Reading Company's
North Penn branch and began the climb up the hill past Perkasie Park.  As
the car began to accelerate into the curve and up the hill, the trolley pole
came off the wire.  Motorman Schmidt brought the car to a stop and went to
the rear to replace the pole.  Before he could get the pole on the wire,
Motorman Schmidt heard the second section, car 1001 coming up the grade.  As
he ran down the tracks trying to signal the second car with a flashlight,
Motorman Gerhard didn't notice Motorman Schmidt's signal and car 1001
smashed into the rear of car 1030.

Motorman Gerhard and 16 passengers were injured in the wreck. Motorman
Gerhard was the most seriously injured with fractures and lacerations of the
right leg. He was taken, along with the other injured, to Grand View
Hospital, Sellersvillie.