The New York herald., 1875-03-02
THE ERIE TUNNEL DISASTER.

EXTRAORDINARY VERDICT TERRIBLE BUT AN
ExCUSABI.E MISTAKE.
The inquest on the body OF Patrick Savage. who
was killed by the collision IN the Erie tunnel last
Saturday week, was resumed last evening before
Coroner Reinhard, at Jersey City. james Drum
mond, fireman, testified that he was one o.
the engines attached 10 the coal train on the day
OF the disaster and they passed through the
tunnel all right; when they came out OF the east
end the switch tender signalled ''All right, back
up" He looked back and saw that the dag was not
on the rear carr the engineer jumped on, leaving
witness in charge OF the engine and ran back to
see what was the matter; before he jumped on
two cars came out Of the tunnel; saw the de-
ceased. Patrick Savage, with his red lamp lighted
standing on the rear a. they were passing into
the tunnel
John Van Ness, the engineer OF the passenger
train that c0llded with the coal train testified to
the facts already given. After the collision he
lighted his torch and found that the pilot Of hts
engine was smashed to pieces; In looking along
the track he stepped on the leg OF man and
found he was dead; when gathering up the pieces
OF the pilot found the mans arm: there are times
when they could see clear through the tunnel and
at other times they could not see farther than
three or four feet; the collision threw the rear
wheel OF the truck Of his engine or the track !;
they were in the tunnel about an hour.
Michael Keenan testified that he was O fireman
on the Delaware and Lackawanna Railroad, and
that on the day IN question they got signal TO
60 ahead; he saw no req lights In the tunnel;
when the engine struck he asked the engineer
what 1t was, and the latter answered he 8 imposed
1t was d rock; the snocK threw MIN or the plat
form to the 1ootboard; he rushed for the brake to
put 1t on. but 1t was covered with coal and he
could not reach it; the engineer told him to stay
on the engine till they saw what II was; they
were running fifteen miles an hour al the time;
the locomotive ran the length OF car after the
shock before 1t stopped; witness was looking
ahead all the time. but could not see anything.
Samuel Baldwin. an engineer on the Erie Rail-
way, testified that he saw the accident; 1t would
take from i've to fifteen minutes TO go through
the tunnel and clear tracks at each end; could
not see more than two feet at the time OF the col
lisOn he supposed that the jerk OF the engines
broke the pin and divided the train; Mr. COnklin
and the bell man waved their hands and told US
to hurry up; they ran back into the tunnel with
Orange s. Conklin. Superintendent OF the Erie
tunnel, testified that he was at the east end when
reported he had received signal, but did not
know for what; witness telegraphed TO the west
train would lie clear through; before he could get
on the message the bell IN the signal house struck;
graphing, so he ran back into the tunnel; the rear
end OF the coal train was about three blocks clear
tram struck the Two cars that were broken on in
the tunnel; saw the two cars running out and
observed that they had been struck; learned
aterward tnat man was killed; had
the body taken OUT and placed in the
signal house: when Braddon, the sgnalman.
found he made q mistake he ran into the tunnel
and placed torpedo on the track; have n OF seen
Braddon since; the sgnalmen work twelve hours
q day and receive sos a month. The most important
part OF his testimony was tnat not even the
gines OF the coal train had emerged from the tun.
mel when the signal was given that another train
was following, to which the foreman OF the jury
remarked, "Ihen this man (BraddOn) must have
been bewildered.' witness also stated that the
average time for passenger trains to 90 through
the tunnel is five minutes, and for freight train
Six minutes.
the jury spent an hour wrangng over the ques.
tiOn OF cupaDllity, and at midnight they brought
IN verdict setting forth the cause OF Savages
death and the terrible mistake that caused the
collision, but inasmuch as Braddon, the signal.
man, had borne good character, the Jury be.
peved that the mistake occurred while he was
laboring under some peculiar state OF mind, and
therefore they found no fault with his conduct in
the matter. This ends the case as far as the Cor.
oner's jury are concerned, but the District Attor.
ney intends TO bring 1t before the Grand Jury.