The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-27

Engineer Iidder. Fireman johnson, and
Switchmnn Davenport Dismissed.

SWttchnnn Davenport Dismissed.
The number OF passengers on tho elevated
railroads yesterday was not apprcciably loss
than on days before tho collision on the cast
side tracks at Forty-second street. After sitting
the mntter Of responsibility for tho accident
which SO narrowly escaped being n calamity,
the management Of tho rond has dismissed the
engineer. J.. F. Kiddcr. and the fireman n. o.
Johnson. of the locomotive that ran of its track
and into collision with the up-bound train and
the switchman. j. j. Davenport. II Davenport
had properly attended to his duties. tho down
train would not have ran off its track If the fire.
man. who was driving the locomotive while the
engineer WIS eating his luncheon. had not been
negligent. the train would have been stopped
before any damage could be done even after
going on the switch If the engineer had kept
an eve on the management Of the locomotive. rs
it is held he ought to have done while passing
that point although the fireman was running
1t. the train would have been stopped before a
collision could have occurred.
General Superintendent Stewart was found in
his office Yesterday afternoon. just as he was
going to visit the scene OF the accident for tho
purpose OF getting additional light on some
points connected with the collision. Henvitcd
the reporter to 20 with him. They entered tho
cab OF locomotive 10l. and the eng peer resign
ed his scat TO Mr.. Stewart. who explained the
nctiQn OF the vacuum brake and illustrated its
working while making the trip To FJrty-sccond
street. Botwecn Twen,y-third and Thirty
ioufth streets H." pulled open the valve. and the
motor ratified along at brisk ratio.
= We are running at the rnio Of about twenty
i've miles an hour" said Mr. Stewart. Now
Steam was shut or some little distance before
reaching tho Thirty-fourth street station. hut
Inr speed oi the train WIS hardly diminished.
When The locomotive was oven with the end Of
the station platform. the vacuum brake was ap-
piled. and the train came 20 n halt within dis
lance less than it's length. II was stopped in u
little moro than tho distance from where En-
gineer Kidder's train ran from tho main track 10
where i crashed into the up-bound train.
Nv letting ON tho vacuum brake 10 rs lull
pressure and reversing the engine. said MIR.
stewart. the train could be- stopped So short
thut the passengers would be thrown from their
seats. The down train TINT colliicl yesterday
stood within few feet OF tho misplaced switch !;
ana ~ either engineer or fireman had been
attending To his business the train could have
been stopped almost on the instant-beiore 10
had gone one-half tue distance 10 the point
where the collision currel.'
Mr.. Stewart EXPIRES sod tho opinion that the
accident could have happened only through
the greatest rarclessuess on the part Of tho en-
gineer and fireman ~ the down train.
were examined with the Wow ot determining
II the accident coul have occurred in the man
ner described by Davenport, when he told his
lever bounded out n It's slot after lie had put IL
over. thus slightly opening The switch. several
trials failed 70 niodure the conditions claimed
10y Davenport. I b" lever was then raised from
the slot and turned around onc-uunrtor Of the
distance necessary to throw the switch over TO
the other side. i was left IN this position while
down train ran through the switch. but the
train did not leg We the track Thus the switch
the switchman claims II was. aud the accident
would rot have occurred. II Is the opinion OF
Mr. stewart tht Davenport did not change the
swir'. at all f.om the position It was III whom
the branch train passed through.
David suthei tad the dispatcher nj the Forty
second street .tation. ia not blamed by tho man
"a II
Tagged the wn train 10 halt Ia time 10 allow
the branch y ain 70 Eet out 81 the way. IL was
starting. aud the locomotive drivers duty To
disregard TINT signal II anything was wrong
thnu he kncy but he Will be on duty to-day.
Nicc-Pr' ST. TENT Guilford said Yesterday that
the manage nent had decided h. Udott Priest
dent Feds plan OF running shuttle trains
on tho Grad Central branch. and that he was
inclined to Relieve that the same plan would be
adopted on al the branches The plan will he
put IN oper ltion on the Grand Central branch
within u III ort timo-aS soon as some necessary
alterations in the Forty-second street and The
Grand Central stations cen be- made.
The injured persons are all rapidly recover
Ing. Among those not reported yester-
Arnold Hu 2S Third nyenns n nSd are s@n how
whose n',me WIS not Escertaned. Almost any
change from tho positions 81 the two trains
might have made the accident fright
tul ca astrophe II the up-bound train
had g mo one or two seconds sooner tho
chr IN stead Of the motor woult have been
the result would very likely have been O. upset
the CIR and drag the whole train down g. tho
stree. In that event the loss Of llfe must have
beer great. Even II the train had not been
thrown 10 the street the side 81 the car would
PROBABLY have been crushed IN md lives sncr .
Heed Again. II the up train had been second
or two later 1t would have caught the other tram
on the sharp curve at the switch and the results
must have been much more serious than they
were. IL Is reported that suits will be brought
against tho company by some of those who
were injured.
Since the accident the management O. tho
New York Elevated road has been looking oyer
tht, hgures OF the number OF pcrs ms carried.
and Il is claimed that these ilgUres show that
tn elevated road is less dangerous than a sur
fac road. The road has carried. since its
opening. more than fourteen million pHssen-
gers. and no person has been killed except
through his own cHrelessness
Lawrence Collin and Henry Martin died yes
tarday having been injured while employed
On the elevated roads. Collin was injured on
Tho Metropoliian road. near Chambers street.
last week, and Martin WAS hurt on the l7th
inst. ct the City Hail station.