Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-01-17
THE SPUYTEN DUYVlL HORROR
LIQUOR TIE Likely CAUSE.

Engineer Rurr Tells How the Collision
Could not he Helped
Frank Burr, engineer of the Tarrytown
train which cOllided with the Chicago ex
press, made the following statement to
Coroner Merkle
81 have held the position of locomotive
engineer in the employ of the New York
Central & Hudson railroad cOmpany for
ten years l was the engineer of the Tar
rytown special, No. GC, coming
south, that ran into the Chicago
express, No. 6, below Spuyten
Duyvil on the 18th inst. We left
Tarrytown at GAO p. m., whicl, was five
minutes behind the regular time because
we were waiting for the Chicago express
to pass. 1t went by Tarrytown at :35 D.
m. We stopped at Spuyten Duyvil at
1:14, which is about I mile above the
Spuyten Duyvil station, and according to
the time board we were thirteen minutes
behind the Chicago express. After leav-
ing Spuyten Duyvil we entered the cut
going at speed of eighteen or twenty
miles an hour. There were no danger or
warning Signals ahead of me and passed
on to the curve, looking ahead all the
time, and I saw fagman with
a red and white light in either
hand. He was swinging a red light across
the down track. At the same time saw
the red light at the rear of train No. 6 be
fore me. When first saw the red light
the tlagman giving the signal was not
more than two car lengths ahead Of HE,
and the train was not more than thirty
five feet distant from him. ! Immediately
put OIL the air brakes, reversed the engine,
pulled the throttle wide open, blew the
xx,l,isf Flo and did al in, f,
to 4 stop, but failed to do so in time to
prevent the accident. remained at my
post until the train stopped, and assisted
in extricating the injured passengers from
the smashed cars. The engine smashed
through the rear car.
FRANK BURR.
What Assemblyman Crane saw.
The statement of Assemblyman Leroy
Il. Crane would serve to assign probable
cause for the negligence of the brakeman
and directs attention to certain short
cOmings of trainmen which might ut any
moment be attended with very serious re-
suits. He said "There is something
noticed which may have a bearing on the
dreadful events of Friday night. | refer
to the liberal use of whisky aboard the
train, which was not only freely partaken
VA Wy pstSoChsClS, OuO ny luc >
servants also. In fact, saw trainmen TAX
ing drinks furnished by passengers, and it is
not the first time that have observed what
has apparently grown into custom on
Albany trains. The night, as you may
remember, was by no means comfortable
one, and it can readily be imagined how
easily few drinks of whisky might affect
employees who are obliged to move in the
inner and outer temperature of railroad
car. 1t seems to me that legislation should
make it criminal Offense for railroad ser
wants to use liquor while on duty, and
they appear to use it pretty frequently on
the Albany trains.'
" Did you see any of the men drinking
frequently ?"
80 saw two or three men drinking
liquor, and those men were in the com
panys service, I believe. OF course do
not mean to say that the accident was di.
:ectly due to the use of the liquor, but
do say there is no telling how far the cf-
feet Of the use Of stimulants may go or o:
the disaster it may cause. On this line, it
must be confessed, there are special
temptations to railroad servants to take
liquor, the road being used largely by
public men, who sit and chat with the
hands, and the result is that these men
are liable to forget their duty and to place
the public in a position similar to the one
in question"
do you intcId to take any action in
the matter:''
"When return to Albany on Monday
have fully made up my mind to ascertain
the views of my fellow assemb!ymen and
to sec if there cannot be some efficient
legislative restriction devised by which
the frequent drinking by railroad servants
can be put q stop to. When the collision
occurred the passengers in the car in which
was were having a pretty good time,
singing ard enjoying themselves gener-
ally