New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-02
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY.

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY.
A TALK WITH RECEIVER SHARP AND THE MANAGER
OF OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES THEY BLAME.
Thomas r. Sharp, receiver of the Long Island
Railroad Company and president Of the Long Beach
Improvement Company. found by TRIBUNE
| reporter at Long Beach yesterday. When ques-
toned in regard to the accident he said
You may state from me that the train going
west from Jamaica to Flatbush-ave had the right
of way and was about on time. The train coming
east ten minutes late. The only conclusion
can come 10 is that the engineer and conductor of
the eastward bound train forgot that they had to
meet the other train going west at Morris Grove
The accident occurred On piece of the road where
both men cOnld each others tram for long dis
tance before meeting the road there being straight
for two miles. The engineer Of the westward
bound train the headlight of the other engine,
but supposed that it the side track at Morris
Grove where it should have been. Both were
regular trains, and the men had passed each other
there every night"
could not the engineer or conductor of the train
out of Brooklyn have had some excuse in previous
DELAYS of the Long Beach trains ?"
"They had no excuse to go ahead 1t moth
ing but cupable and careless neglect the part of
the men coming eastward 1t must have been
piece Of simple forgetfulness on their part"
"Were these men IN the habit of forgetting so
easilyY'
"It seems not, for it was their first error of the
kind, aud they had been in the employ of the road
for several years But | have lately stationed men
at every curve in the road where there is any
danger to watch day and night, a precaution
against mistakes and blunders of train men,"
What became of Conductor LestrangeP
Il think he Jumped oft when the accident oc-
Cured. He was not hurt. ! was at Jamaica half
an hour after the accident l went there TO clear
tine track. LestIange was there but made no state
ment to me. Al connected with the occurrence
Will make statements to the company in writing"
"How much will the damage amount TOT"
About $1,000 1 think that will cover it,"
"Were the trains not running at an unusually
fast rate'"
"NO they were running on their average time"
How soon VIII you make an investigation 7"
" had talk with tho officers OF the company
this morning and we shall begin an investigation i'll
day or So"
OPINION OF J. I. MORROW.
J. L. Morrow, manager of transportation of the
Long Island Railway, was found by a TRIBUNE re-
porter at Jamaica Station yesterday. When asked
for statement concerning the accident he said ;
d" | was at Fiatbush Station where was Informed
by telegraph of it. l sent for physicians and took
with me on the regular train which left Flatbush
at 10 o'clock DR.. Richardson, of Brooklyn, and
Drs Weinmell and Capron, of East New-lork On |
arriving at Morris Grove | found the two engines
badly wrecked. The larger one which on the |
Long Beach train, turned almost completely |
around and heading east. The engines were |
completely destroyed, but the were injured very
little. Engineer Wocott was found under his en- |
CINE. He was removed to the Morris Grove Station |
and died fifteen twenty minutes after being taken
there. There were about $50 or 200 passengers on |
the Long Beach train. and there were only four or
five on the train from Flatbush.
"a caused the passengers from the Beach to be |
transferred to the train which brought me |
down from Fatbush, and they were In Brooklyn in
a very short time. A wrecking train had arrived |
from Long Island City in the meant time,
and by 1870 the side track was
clear so that trains could pass. The delay TO traffic
on the road was less than two hours. number of
aen was kept busy at work all night, and at
o'clock this afternoon all trace of the disaster had
been removed"
What was the cauSe of the disaster 7" asked the
reporter.
1.-The Flatbush train was q local train, and had no
rights 1t should have stopped at Woodhaven, being
behind time, for orders, indefinitely. For not doing
so the conductor Lestrange, and the dead engineer
are equally responsible. Lestrange will undoubt-
edly be arrested by the Coroner. He is about TWEEN
the road having been in the employ OF the company
since he a boy. He Is n sober man, and
hitherto has been considered trustworthy every
respect. He says he thought he had plenty of time
to 20 TO Morris Grove. He does not acknowledge
that he forgot that the Long Beach train had not
passed him. He said he thought he had sufficient
time to make the run from Wo0dhaven TO Morris
Grove and to get on the siding there before the ar
rival of the Long Beach rain. There is swtchman
at Morris Grove; it is not regular station and If
the Flatbush train conductor desired TO go on the
switch there he would have to stop on the switch
open 1t and pass n The Flatbush train went on the
switch at Van Scklens crossing and while il stood
there the Rockaway train passed IN. In my opinion
Wocott mistook this train for the Long Beach
train and he went ahead believing that all was clear
before him."