The New York herald., 1871-03-01
THE NV HAMBUaG DISASTER.

Investigation by the Legislative Committee
The Bridge in Good Order-TLe Patent
Brakes Not WOrlking-The Wrecked Train
Behind Time.
ALBANY, Feb. 2S. 1871.
At meeting of the Legislative joint committee to
Investigate the New Hamburg railroad disaster this
afternoon the first witness examined was Isaac A.
Coleman. or New York, a civil engineer. He said
he had examined the bridge and found 1t to contain
good and sound timber.
Mr.. Wheeler, master workman on the southern
division Of the Central Railroad, testified that he
had examined the road where this accident oc-
Cured two weeks before the disaster and found
II In good order There are no signals to operate
from the ground. To change the signal on the
tower man has to ascend about thirty-four feet
the signal in order and could have been changed
III minute ana half; on examination found
there had been car OIL the track as far back as
the stauon don't know how much further BACK; /;
men that can be got; the number employed at the
time was as great as at any former time; we have
man stationed at the draw.
John NJ. Flood, trackmaSter, testified that there
was but one man ut a time at the draw at the New
Hamburg station; his duty Is to patrol from Old
Troy to the draw; this has always been the case;
the walchman could run down the track and signal
train quicker than he could go up and change the
signal; the watchman is not Instructed to change
John Bradley, of New York testifed-I examined
the train when 1t left New York and found 1t per-
brake on one end and hand brake on the other OF
each car.
fireman on the express train when the accident oc-
Cured; we were probably thirty or forty rods below
Old Troy when we first had signal from the oil
train to stop; we were going ut the rate Of about
thirty miles per hour; felt no application Of brakes;
l felt the reversing OF the engine JUST after we
passed 0ld Troy; when heard the signal said to
the draw" then pulled as hard as could on the
cords attached to the patent brakes felt no effect Of
ia Affn w han lah
and said he spoke to the engineer urging him to
Jump on The engineer made no answer-simply
looked at him. turned away and then en- witness VII ,ss
light at the draw as guide; can see It two miles
below, and Il It is red instead Of white we stop.
VIM. Baird, engineer on the Hudson River Kali
road, testified that he s guided TO safety by the
lights on the road In his opinion IL woua be lmpos-
sbe 10 stop that tram short OF from 20 TO 30 rods;
in summer time 1t could be done at shorter distance;
the patent brakes are operated by the engineer ana
fireman: the engineer this train can see the sig
nal at the draw l20 or 100 rods distant II he stays on
his side OF the engine, and bv that time 1t would be
impossible to stop the engine in time 70 avoid TINS
cosion but the engineers cross over twice TO look
for this signal In time to stop; this Is their practice.
w itness exhibited simmons (the englneers) watcn,
stopped at twenty-five minutes past ten. or seven
teen minutes after the train was due there. Otner
testimony has shown that the train was behind that
much time.
s. d. Granam, foreman OF the track repairers on
the Duchess and Columbia road, testlneu tnac ne
had been employed on the Hudson River Raroad AZ
Hamburg; the signal was merely one to notify dan
ger on the bridge-when something was the matter
with the bridge; 1t was not deemed expedent to use
IL to give notice OF danger anwhere else: anything
was the matter we would not touch the lower sgnai'
but would run down the road TO give slgna.
Mr.. LittleJohn asked the witness II tram OF cars
was broken down and thrown across the track on
the bridge he would not consider II his duty 70
change the signal In the tower.
Witness answered that he would not; that he
would run down the track with light instead; con-
Bidered himself Instructed to DO 30. 80
At this point the investigation was adjourned unu
three O'Clock tomorrow afternoon