Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-08-15
Not dn .iccjdeHt.
3 the Editor Of the Press.

70 the Editor ~ he Press
BETHEL. Aug. 9Th, 1871.
Who was to blame for the accident at
Bryauts Pond, Aug. 9Th? ] will state
what was in evidence before the Coroner's
Jury. In the first place, the regulations
Of the company require the section men
to keep clear OF all regular trains by 4
time table furnished TO each foreman, and
also to keep clear of all special trains
without any notice, and consequently
they are on the watch all the time. Mr..
Swan, the foreman of the section, says
if he had been going the other way and
had met the train at the same time, he has
NJ doubt that all could have got clear.
Mr.. George Cobb, the engineer, says he
received his orders from the Superintend
eut at Island Pond, ut half past three.
Tuesday morning, started soon after, and
arrived at Danyille Junction 1t 4.35, at
South Paris at s. - lett Tor Gorham, on
special rules, which require special trains
to keep clear of all regular, and signal
lied trains He passed Bryaut's Pond
citation about G.1S, and one and u quarter
miles from the station stuck the hand
ear. and as soon rs he could stop, looked
at his watch ana il was 6.23 He had
run lG IA miles in from > to 50 minutes:
At the time OF accident was running about
p miles m hour. lie had whistled nj
all crossings as requircd-whiStled when
he come to depot. again at the crossing
upper end of the village, and again when
he entered the curve He saw the hand
ear when ten rods of, reversed the en-
cine and whislled Immediately.
Mr.. Swan SAYS he did not hear any
thing of the train until the alarm OF inn
mediate danger. They do not hear the
whistle when the hand car is running.
All on the car jumped but Mr.. Robbins,
he turned to look and did not attempt 10
oct clear, as All stale He was, no doubt,
paralyzed and could not move. All the
ether evidence only confirms what is
stated above
heply to the question, why not tell
who is To- blame >" have only 10 say,
that as far rs known, all the rules of the
road were observed in the case and due
caution used, and ii the rules Of the COM
pany do not give The sectiOn.men any
rights of way for any part of the day
without liability OF being rum over by
wild trains, and they consent to the rules
and abide by them. this class OF accidents
cannot be avoided always. The curve in
which they met is one Of the sharpest on
the line of the road, and will offer this
suggestion, that iuasmuch rs the sections
men in this first passage over the road
are required to look after defective rails
and missing spikes, that they have the
right Of way, excepting regular or sig
ualized trains. Had this been the lule
the accident would not have happened.
| will leave the matter here and allow
each one TO answer for himself the off
repeated question: WHO is to blame ?"
L. B. GODDARD.
The Press comments OF the above rs
follows: Coroner Goddardls comniuni'
cation published in our last issue clearly
indicates that the death OF Mr.. Robbins,
the section man by being run over by
wild train, was under such circumstan'
ces that it could not be properly callet
an accident. Similar and far more iata
disasters are likely to occur amy day thai
a special train runs over the road, since
the section men hayeno orders but TO 'ooh
out for themselves in such eases, having
no means of knowing at what m0men
a wild train running at The rate OF TWEEN
ty-five miles an hour will come thunder