Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-09-01
boston
The Lat.
The Late Railway Horror.
Testimony of the Blamed En-
gineer.

BosToN, Aug. 3L-The inquest on the
| Eastern Railroad disaster coatiuued To-
day. Ashbel Brown, Engineer of the
| Pullman train, was sworn: To the best
of my knowledge it was twenty five min
utes past eight O'Clock when the collision
occurred. L started at i've minutes past
| eight from Boston. After was ready to
start the conductor gave motion to go.
Lunt, the depot master, then came along
side the engine 10 hurry and says to me,
Look cut for the Saugus branch train"
l said 'All right
l then started and the first stop made
| was at Prison Point. Started and then
| stopped a. Boston and Maine Crossing.
| Started from there and run to Mystic
River bridge, The first place / saw light
IS signal OF danger. The first light |
saw was moving from trsin going in
the opposite direction. l Whistled for the
brakes to be applied and we came nearly
to stop. Knowing that had my train
under full control whistled off brakes,
ran little ways and saw a second light
swinging in the middle of the track. Soon
sitter | saw the red light on the pole at
SaUgls Branch was hauled down and the
train that was ahead of me crossed the
Saugus Branch. After the switches were
set the light was run up and as ours was
up and another going up this gave me the
rigat OF road.
had no reason TO suppose there was
another train within six miles Of me.
Rin along. and the first signal of danger
l saw was after leaving the Overhead
bridge. 1 then discovered two lights
locking me in the face. The witness
was affected TO tears, and could hardly
90 on. l Immediately reversed ny en-
CINE add whis.led for the brakes. H4V-
ing done all in my power TO stop my
train, made preparations to leave my
engine, thinking she would run into the
rear end of that train
When | got within four or five rods, I
jumped Sff, was thrown on my face and
scratched little. | got up IS quickly as
L could. Ny fist thought was whether
my fireman got off OF not. / went up to
my engine; she WAS blowing off steam 90
could not see my cab. Soon as the en-
gine got rid Of its steam, looked into
the cab and called the fireman by name.
got no reply. Went round to the other
side of the train, near where jumped off,
to see if l could find him Think when
coming back | met him. Asked il he Was
hur2 He said no.
Then wentto the train to give all the assis-
taCCe | could. assisted several persons
out of the wrecked cars. Staid out about
two and half hours. Heard that the
train was going to Boston and having
Iona all fb.e I
nothing Of any train after leaving Everett
that did not have twenty minutes start of
me. Did not expect the train ahead.
las running not over 20 miles an hour
when l passed TIE overhead bridge.
The rate Of speed when I jumped rwss
10 milts per hour. Tue Tor of the
lights WIS white. Saw no red lights.
saw no lantern swung. Bsipg SO near
onto that tram and knowing tBa5 train
was there my attention was turned to
something else, that is, to stop my train
as soon as | could.
Cross-Examination.
knew that the Beverly train was half
81 hour bebind time; mad 30 difficulty
in seeing light that night. Did not try
TO make up for lost time. Always run
carefully. Was positive it was the
Ssugus Branch train that was 70 look
out for. Can positively swear that there
was no train in sight on q straight track
that night Knowing that the Beverly
train had twenty minutes start of US, and
that they were leaving Revere
ahead, when l was stsrsing, l had no
anxiety about it. 1t was my duty to look
out for signal at Revere. Do not eX-
plc- q light there without there is danger.
There was no light though.
Vim. e. SimmODds IVES sworn, aud
his testimony was corrObOrasiYe of the
engineers evidence.
Adjourned.