New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-08-17

thu! ny bnly chance wts TO Jump from the tram whs
did; the engine was about 10 rods distant WYNN 20.
saw il; Mr. Plumb had Just looked at his watch anu :.
marked that we had plenty OF time to get 10 60
before the freight ram would leave my heau anu vent
were somewhat injured by jumping ,ne Of The freight
broken; think should nav t.,Ied ot the
whistle of the engine coming np il haa down at
crossing below; the down train was a, the place
about 10 or perhaps IL miles an houi III TTries
| of collision the curve is sharp; il lhe NJ ,
end regulations No. y, bad Deen eoin comps,
with there could not nave p "nn, m, pSsseng er
train ON the engine; had 10 intlmaton mat tne en-
zine was going out; the Master Mechanic. Mr. " ms
fnw hos The charge Of taking out an engine ana can
tore an engine ont the road by complying with the
| regulations; this new engine which they were
taking ont on trials the engineer could not TAKE tne
engine without the consent of the master mechanic; u
was the duty of the engineer going ont OF time 10 see
that flag carried on the preceding engine; no uas
Ter mechanic or engineer is authorized to take our a
engine without complying with the regulations; II
there had been flag the passenger tram
should have sent nag ahead; IL was
not necessary TO flag the freight tram; the
names of the engineers the engine coming up were
Edward Lyman. James DelAney and Myers; we
found the freight train about six miles from bridgeport
and The regulations did not require US to flag IN back
inC down we were only 70 look out Tor the ii 40;
inquired of the engineer if he could push the freight
train up and he said he could not and our object was
get back Bridgeport before the III 40 freight Tram
started: when the collision occurred the down tram
showed he engine coming up back toward Bridgeport
freight trains do sometimes get stuck at about the place
the freight train broke down. had supposed that en-
gines gong on trial trips went 10 Stephey as .oIe
vas a iurn.tabe there: knew nothing about this en-
CINE going up. -.
George b. Hunt am the local freight agent of this
station having served this road for IL years; am son
of the President; have been neutrality-suspicious.
was Waterbury Yesterday know nothing ofhe facts OF
the Disaster it is the duty of an engineer and conductor
If there Is one, TO see that they are properly
tagged when they are running as extras; 1t
is their duty by regulations o. road; II i order
train out II is not my duty TO have red flag put
up the regular train; 1t is the duty OF the
engineer OF the extra engine and conductor. If any
The President Assistant Superintendent myself. and
mechanic only have authority to start out an
extra train and when the order is given, the engineer
Is bound run only under tho rules If this engine
had been tagged by the express such accident could
have occurred but Conductor Plumb, not being aware
OF this engines coming out, was not supposed TO send
ont flag 10 back down. When regular train IL fol
lowed by an extra train is always liable to bacRdovn
he first train s the absolute safety in doing may be
secured in three wnys-either in allowing the FIRST train
TO back down without nag AS we do; secondy.a as on
some roads allowing the extra 10 run without notice,
BAT requiring the first train to flag in backing down;
thirdly by requiring both precautions to be taken but
either aNnsures absolute safety when the rule is not
violated; our men all have copies Of our regulations
this engineer has been employed by several years
our regulations regarding tagging have been IN force
several years. the master mechanics business IS to ds
tribute copies OF regulations to the employees uiai
trips Of engines occur seldom extra trains often go
Andrew winslow-Am master mechanic; this engine
was broken down at the New Milford bridge some
months snce been IN shop FOR repairs in the course OF
which considerable oil got into the boiler, which We
have to get rid o. and TO do so we generally run out
short distance and back had been out on trial trip
the day before; i told Myatt, foreman of the shop to
ire up and go a short distance and yesterday as was
payng Myatt asked me If it was necessary to carry
flag: I told him mo; he was going but
short distance and would be back SOON"
thought he would go further than the Pacific Iron
Works because he did not have much time ahead OF
freight train; We nag on trials; always tell
engineers TO run slow trial trips as trackmen may
have rail up and other distractions may occur we
never uee Tagging for trials Of engines; we do not go
away far and run so SLOW and there may not always
be train leaving 10 carry flag when we want % run
ONT for trial our switch engine up for BenSs
Brewery and Pacific Iron Works almost dli! tia
trips seldom, in three months or oteher tne
distance to 20 on trials depends on me ime we na'e "
spare have been Newtown 20 miles, but III that case
had flag carried never have gone on trial Tips
more than four miles without flag never sehd OUT
train without flag unless 10 60 those snorl
where you run only short Distances We have 10 have
two or three trial trips to get the OIL out OF her
With the conclusion Of this Witness testimony the
Court took recess until y. m .
Ca reasscmbling i. w. Downs was called ID Tue
stand but nothing important bearing Oh the case was
elected from his testimony.
Edward Il. Lyman sworn; Am engineer in the en-
poy oftne Housaionic Railroad sent out yester'
day by Mr. Winslow on engine Fairfield Tor trlal' ne
told 20 four miles up lett the enginehouso al
lO2 o'clock; LETT New-NOrk and New Haven depot at
10 minutes to H. the switchman told me the express
had met left the time Of the collision our speed was
eight or ten miles an hour; stopped on the way ny
twice al tie Pacific WORKS and az the hsLing Post
the place OF disasters was only a. rods from where
| We las, stopped; Edwin Hunt was running the en-
CINE al the time Of collision having asked him 70 try
her; Hunt is an engineer on our ROAD Hun' att AZ
myself jumped of first; Delaney either Jumped or was
knocked Off have n copy of the printed rules. and a
time table, am familiar with Rule No ~ don't think
made violation of this rule IL not being customary to be
nagged on, when we were going bn, short way heard
no signals from the train think would have heard them
but may not got direction to go on trial trp she night
before. and next morning. at 9ocock, asked nun II
wanted flag; heIWiusOw) said II was not Necessary
when first the ,raD, was only distant 10 rods
think if the train had been standing still could have
stopped my engine have been out on several trial trp
before never got tagged unless going as FAR as step
ney; have been ordered up by Mr.. Hunt on extra; al
ways got orders from Mr. Winsow TO go on trial tips
the engineer has no right 10 place nag out Tor an extra
until ordered tits the duty Of the officers OF the road
las understand rule NOI2 tO order preceding train
or engine fas extra and none OF the duties OF en-
gnecrs engineer often notifies another that he
ordered to follow knew there was no nag out Tor nut
| yesterday.
Dr. Robert Hubharl-I visited the scene Of disaster;
saw oil that were killed made no examination Uost
mortem) of the cases. five dead; am not prepared
to say what the Of death whether suocaion
otherwise bot OF course was the result OF the accident
Mrs. Thorn died think. from injuries Of the brain
iuptnres; Mansfield evidently died from scalding; also
Nj Deming, either b. inhainS steam saw Mrs
| Egan's injuries mostly mechanical
| WIN. +. Trubee-Was passenger on this train
| first knew Mr.. Plumb said he must haul back The
freight train that broken down some one remarked
we were running very fast coming back thought We
were going very fast; we ran along quite distance
after the collision snt in the inside seat Of the second
car; think we were running at least 10 miles al hou
coming down.
Edwin NJ Hunt-In employ as engineer on the
HousatOnc Railroad was on the Fairfield yesterday
had the throttle the time OF cosion stopped at
the wbistling post; was going about three or foul
miles an hour when cOllded. approaching tran
first at Elk OF seven car lengths reversed the engine
gave her steam and blew the whistle; did not hear h'
ether train whistle the Impetus was 30 great as to drive
our engine back don't know how tar; have been on tria
trlps and extra trans the practice has been that Mr.
Winslow would always have a flag put out; sometime
IL. L. -..-I. .lax I.I.