Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-08-17

detained beyond our usual time Of starting (tWen-
ty minutes past seven) by the Newport baggage.
Our running time from Providence to PawIuck-
ct is ten minutes. When the train arrived at The
Boston switch, the black ball (signa TO atop) was
down. don't know exactly how long we stop
ped at the switch on the morning of the 18th. |
think that when we started we were a minute la
ter than The usual time (thirty seven minutes past
seven.) saw the signal up, and heard the con-
ducter (Card) give orders for the train 10 start
As soon as we were under way i spoke to Ross's
Express messenger, saying, / lUiU look out for
the OT6radge train but a moment of time
elapsed before saw that collision was inevita-
Bile. ran TO the rear part Of the baggage car,
and stood on the lower step for perhaps two sec
onds, and then jumped off. I heard the crash
the instant 1 struck the ground. | heard the
whistle TO break up few seconds before leaped
from the car.
cannot say that had fears of collision as
reason for my speaking as did to the express
man. | compared watches with Putnam, the
conductor OF the down train, short time after
the accident, and his watch was one and three
quarter minutes slower than mine. My time was
right with that of the railroad company in the of
ice at Providence. The orders are for the train
from Providence TO leave the Boston switch at
thirty minutes past seven, if the Uxhridge train
shall have arrived there before that time on its
haze reached this point by thirty.two minutes
past seven then the Providence traln waits for it
five minutes. If it does nOtarrve when the time
Is up, (thirty-seven minutes past seven) the praca
lce Is for the train going up (Provdence) to start
without waiting any longer for it, presuming that
ii is waiting at some point above.
Frederick .drnoLd, Slcorn.-I was fireman on
the train from Providence, the morning of the
18th of August last. think we were minute
or two behind our time when we left Providence,
but am very sure that tce leere on our time at
Pawtucket, and at the Boston switch. Saw the
signal down, and stopped FIVE minutes, our usual
gave orders to start. When going around the
curve, saw the Uxbrdge train approaching. |
saw ii before the engineer (Green) did, the smoke
pipe OF our engine obsructing his vision. | In
stanty said to him, Green they are coming.
put up the brake, and jumped from the engiss
cannot say what the engineer did after | spoke TO
him, but think he reversed the engine. l
sure he heard what said TO him. / had no time
piece of my own When | first saw the Tx
bridge srain was on the left side of the engine,
and Il course on the inner line of the curve.
Frederick Putnam, Sl0Ora.-I was conductor
Oh the Uxbrdge train on Friday last. Have been
acting in this capacity on this route for about two
weeks The train left Whtinsville for Provi.
dence on the morning of the 18th, at twenty five
minutes past x,-lel Uxbrdge exactly at half
past
The train left the Valley Falls station at thirty
two and half minutes past seven, by ma time.
said to Gates, the engineer, just before starting
from the station, aoe hare four minutes IN aohach
TO go to the SUitch; can you make it? He re-.
piled by saying yeS, and started the engine.
stood IN the forward platform Of the first passen-
ger car, when | saw the train from Providence
approaching from behind the curve, Just above the
junction. am very sure that seized one of the
brakes instantly, for | had but a second before
heard the whistle sound 10 break up remem-
Der distinctly of hearing the engineer blow his
whistle, from the time we left the Valley Falls
station, until but short time before the collision
| receive my orders 10 reference to running the
train, from Mr. Seuhwick, the Superintendent of
the road. | have no definite or fixed time allowed
me in which TO run from the Valley Falls station
to the Boston switch mean by this, that there
is no length Of time laid down on the time table.
must, therefore, rely on my own Judgment
We have instructions, however, that in all cases
when there is any doubt, TO take that course
which appears to be the safest. The time allow"
| ed by the same table, for the trains to run from
the Valley Falls station TO the station at Central
| Falls, (Which is one fourth of a mile below The
juncton) is three, four, and FIVE minutes The
time for our arrival at the Boston SWITCH is by or
der, twenty~nine minutes past seven. When |
FIRST saw the two trains approaching, they were
from ten to twenty rods apart. We were net 60
ing at faster rate Of speed than fifteen miles per
hour. In order to break up so as to stop the
trains entirely, space of twenty rods would be
required. In the afternoon of the day after the
collision compared my time with that in the of
hce of the Company at Providence, standard
tlme) and found ii slower one and three quarter
minutes. [ compared it the night before, with
the same timepiece, and both agreed. had had
my watch from four to six days. On the evening
of the day before the collision, ] received the fol-,
lowing instructions from Mr. Soulhwick:
Mr. Putnam-You will run your train from Tx
bridge to Whitiu's tomorrow morning, leaving Tx
bridge at O'clock or Immediately behind The first
freight train, TO take in excursion party You
will leave Whitin's to reach Uxbrdge at 80
II the first freight train does not arrive UxhrIdge
on It's time, you will go up ahead, and the freight
tram must keep oul Of your way.
(Signed) l. IL. SOUTHWICK, Sup't.
Henry RiedeI s,pora II reside at Whiiinsyile
station. Was passenger in the Uxbridge train on
the morning Of Friday last. After we left Woon.
socket, passed through the cars, and asked Mr.
Putnam, The conductor, il we were on time ;-he re-
Piled by saying sure are a little late" | soon asked
| him where should meet the train from Prov.
! dence. He said ''at The Boston switch, that we
are now making up time" Just before the cars
reached the station at Valley Falls, l asked him
again how much time we had to go to the junction
in? His reply was, looking at his watch, five min
utes. When the train was about start | heard
him (Punam) tell Gates, the engineer, that he had
four minutes time 10 reach the switch in, holding
up the -four fingers Of his right hand. Soon after
the Train was under way, heard the whistle blow
long and loud ,and supposed from this that there was
danger ahead. ! went out OF the forward car on to
the platform, and the train from Providence
coming around the curve. had but moments
time jump from the train on TO the bank below the
track. The first i after the collision was
Putnam, who said, "RiedeH, 1 am right. lie ,cas
good deal agtated. then compared my watch
with his (Putnam's) and then with the conductor
ofthe up train (Card's) and found variation of a
minute and ahali. Punam's watch and mine agreed,
but both were slower than Cards one and half
minutes.
Samuel Fessedea sloorn.--I was passenger on
the UxbrIdge train on the morning Of the 18th Of
August last; was on my way from Valley Falls 10
Providence; ] occupied the fourth seat from the