New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-18
20 rs G RI p T.
800 a. m.
THE BRIDGE AT ASHIABULA.

THE CHIEF ENGINEERS TESTIMONY.
THE PLANS OF THE BRIDGE NOT TO BE FouND-I"h
STRUCTURE REPORTED ALL RIGHT IN sFPlE"-
BER-ERRDRs IN BUILDING, AND Ho" THEY
WE'RE CoRRECTED-BRACEs SLIPPED FROM HE
ANGLE BLOCKS tr THE TINE OF THE DISASTER
CLEVELAND, Jan. 1.-THE Joint Legislature
Committee Of into the Ashtabua disaster
examined this afternoon Chas Collins Chief Engineer OF
the Lake Shore Railroad, who testified as follows:
7 do not xnov where the original plans OF the bfd.e
are unless they at Ashtabua, before tiie of or
jury they The full working plans never say ~, s ~
iouged 10 nv vihce hut at shout tho tune the
bridge constructed was put on o'"ef wore anu 80
put into The hands OF aoiher han hcn , tce
plans, therefore, thcy were not sent 10 my "inse
think they up AT the SHOP whoh inc WORK Wss uon
they would also he wanted when the bridge was SCI MP
the examination Of the bridge belongs To men u-ue @
nv instructions are 10 report everything wrong
c. ". Reed If at the head OF the examining corr
he has set tine, but works On general ord 81,
Time in september he REPORTED vefoai'y tha ,ne
bidge was al rlht; tney hs no' neyar ordered
any special examination of that bridge; never made
any to the shses 's a naabns and
Mr. Rogers asked to and visit the bridge and tn
linn tho braces were IN wiok' pu. that nan nnth1 ~
do w1h H. o requested me t. hay r stone come down
| went with Mr.. Stone WHO remarked that lie was sur
The trcsricwork When 1t next tested. The
braces ttrward turned and an addtonai number
necr, and thought the yokee about the atiYie
not anticipate any trouble on account OF the
position Of the bGaccs | considered me
ascnings Gf The sufficient. In the change mat
was made the corners Of the braces were Clipped on Ont
til do not think would affect It materially. nave
never made any estimate az The weight OF the bridge
have experience in building thai Kind or boge
but il would have Dean stronger the braces
bad been united as 70 Uake them ACT 10
cethcr. have known of another
DriCgc 10 be built OF wrought iron on tins
plan This bridge on experiment. mink the upper
cords not all the sze. never saw or eA-
Rmucd the train sheet Of the bridge. never myscH
made a mathematical examination OF the bridge WIN
view to ascerning its SAFETY There was guard RAN
winch would prevent the wheel from jumping unless
sonnet mag lad been ;lmpercG with think ocOmo-
tive mignt ran across II thcrc Vac nothing wrong.
Bpi0w the floors f,1Tn9 or strlngeIs
The bridge was built tor double track the OUTSIDE
rall Wis Immediately tac cord TIC bridge would
not he stronger wider would have Ia he more than
double .troug for double Track ~ for single one
Layc txaPiucd the wreck and found that some oi the
braces hal slipped ont Ut the angle blocks since the
accident have been busy win the election 81 new
bridge to examine carefully a. j desired
the material OF the wreck. II one or moro
of the sway rods TO break, the floor
would 20 one way and the train tie Other;
the APPLICATION Of brakes would cheek TIE tram Gnd
possibly Jump a iron, the track not 10 my know
edge was there any order SlYen not 10 throw water on
tn, burning wreck there were two barrels hled with
brine at each end OF the bridge 20 in ease of hrc
TIE company had other facilities Ia put out nrc than
buckets.
fFor ofher Detliis see FIyst Pdgsl