The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-29
Providence and Worcester Railroad Disaster
Examination before the Railroad Corn mis-.
slohers In Pr evidence.


Examination before the Railroad Conamls.
sisners In Ps evidence.
SECOND pay.
FRIDAY, August 2G-Nathan Stevens recalled =
have very often been upon the road to assist the
regular conductors, and in such cases have always
considered myself as being under their orders; Ihave
assisted Mr. Taft quite often the morning previous
TO the collision assisted Mr.. Putnam from Pawtuc
ket in collecting his tickets, but this done at his
requests attribute the late accident to the slowness
Of Pntnam's watch, in connection with the regula-
tons ny which his train Was rum have never seen
any THU. in Pntnsm's conduct that indicated reck-
lessness or caressness On his .rt but should think
him to be somewhat tmid; have been in0ffnea nat
one man employed by the company Conductor on
freight traiD) was in the habit Of getting intoxicated
when On duiy complaint to this effect was made TO
who afterwards told me he was retained by the com.
paIy on condition of his signing the pledge !" the
freight tran down, due by the time table at the
Boston switch at fifteen minutes past three p. NJ
and the L0nsdale passenger train, up, is due at the
Central Falls Matinn at sixteen minutes past three
(ehe distance between these two points is not over
6hetouith Of . mile)
Perry G. Card swOn.-N0thing new was ELECTED
from Mr.. Gard to-day, except the production Of the
following special rule, adopted, as will be seer
since the collision -
sfkciAl RUE
l. Upon the failure Of airy train to Leave OF Arrive At
the duetcr to report in writing the of the delay
Any Conductor fl ding train ont of its proper place.
hA report SAC sf s:1i 9 sc TTPS s,O
Superb endeut's Office, W. r. r., August %, 1853
Caleb y. Bacon sworn-I have sometimes acted
as assistant conductor excursion trains assisted
DIR. Card on the 4th Of July last thought there
was train passed up on that day which was not
| running on it, time-think Mr.. Freeman had it in
charge as condr stor III Mr. Southwick on board
OF understood Mr. Card to say that this up train
was running out OF its time and on that belonging
to him did not think so much Of it then from the
fact that on day like this, confusion is likely
| to arise cannot say who gave me my orders on
the morning after the collision, but do not think it
! was Mr. Soufhwick; had orders from some person
| to take charge Of . train that was going out
Isaac A. Brooks sworn-I am employed by the
Boston and Providence Railroad Company as master
of transportation at this end Of the route and have
acted in that capacity for the past five years. !
should not think it my duty to interfere with con.
ductor in the management OF a train, after leaving
station, unless knew that he was out Of his time,
ard apprehended an accident as consequence; in
this case shonld advise with him, and ii this was
not sufficient, should take very strenuous measures
TO avoid an accident; regs r6ng such conduct on my
part as right and proper, from my position an Of
tcer Of the road. On the morning after the COLI
sion, the midday train from Boston was detained
between Providence and Pawtucket, something over
hall an hour; this was caused by train belonging
to the Providence and Worcester Railroad Company
having in charge the wreck of broken cars and
which was running track in direct violation Of
special orders; Mr.. Winslow, the m aster mechanic
had charge OF it; do not think Mr. Southwick had
any knowledge OF this matter at the time this delay
and the cause OF 1t, was reported TO me by Mr..
| kmtz, the conductor, Immediately on his arrival
here; had such thing been done on the Boston and
Providence road by subordinate officer, think
that Mr.. Lee, the superintendent, would have dis.
charged him without delay; it is the rule on our
road for the conductors to report any delinquency
that comes to their knowledge the part Of those
employed by the company; they are not furnished
by the SUPERINTENDENT with correct time peces but
| obtain their watches Themselves
Perry q. Gard, recalled should not obey the
Master Of transportation. il received an order
from him IN regard to running my train, unless it
\ was In the absence Of the Superintendent | did
receive an ORDER from Mr.. Stevens short time after
the collision, and obeyed il, because understood
! that MIR. Soufbwick was unable to discharge the
duties OF his Office and was Of course absent from
| his post.
Frederick w. Putnam, sworn have been in the
employ Of the Providence and Worcester Railroad
| Company something three years; had written
orders IN regard to running the train the 18th of
| August last; J received them from Mr. Southwck,
and Mr. Stevens was present when he gave them to
me- ] did not hear Mr. Southwick give Instructions
to Mr.. Stevens IN regard TO rendering any assist
anse m coming down on that day; ] had no con-
versatlon with Mr.. Stevens al any time daring the
18th; the usual place for the Uxbrdge train to pass
the freight train is at Millve and on the morning
| Of the I'm we were detained some four or five
! minutes this account | beard Mr. Southwick
cay to Mr.. Stevens, the evening Of the Ilth that
| If he (Southwick) conld get up early enough the
| next morning, he should go up on the freight tran
the reason OF my being behind my time on the
morning oil the 18th was Che length of the train
teight passenger cars,) it being impossible to stop
and start from station in short period OF time
| II Is twentyfour miles from Uxbrdge TO Proy
| dence, and nineteen from the former place 10 the
| Boston switch: when was at Valley Falls no per-
said anything TO me in relation 10 my benglate:
rec0llect comparing my time with that Cd Mr.
Card Immediately after the collision but canno. tell
now az 10 the difference between thom on several
mor0ngs prev to the collision, and when ! had
been late. Mr. Soutbwick asked me the cause IL il:
always told bin that i was caused by the freight
train; ON the morning Of the nth was late and
waited at Valley Falls for the Lobsdale train 10 come
up; there we're about six hundred passengers on
board that day and ON that Of the collision we had
some three hundred; if my watch had been right. /
do not think the collision would have bappened. for
i seems clear to my mind that one minnie If t,oo
wonld have saved us
GLnLlcs s. ELLnL II afLLaacl " LII IL ---.-.