Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-02-01
THE RECENT COLLISION ON
THE CHARLESTON AND SAVAN"
NAH RAILWAY.
The Inquest ON One of the Victims
OPened-A synopsis OF the Nd ost 1n-
portant Testimony.

No serious railroad accident has occurred
In this section that has aroused greater
excitement in our community than the re-
cent unfortunate collision on the Charles
ton and Savannah Railway, and the result
of the investigation is looked forward to
with intense earnestness. 1t has already
been stated that this fatal collision was &C.
casioned by one of the conductors placing
the wrong Interpretation upon q telegraph
| order.
The safety of life and property impera-
lively demands that every person In any
manner connected with the movement OF
trains by special order should use the ut
most care and watchfulness, and that all
| rules regarding the same should be strictly
observed. Orders should be made plain and
explicit, and If not fully understood by the
parties addressed, an explanation should be
/ asked for.
In view of this general interest we synop-
| size the most important testimony ELECTED
at the inquest impapneled to inquire into
| the death of Mr.. w H. Burbridge, one Of
| the victims of the accident. There were
| present Railroad Commissioner NJ. L. Bon
ham, Mr.. W. H. Brawlev representing the
railway company, Gen. B. H. Rutledge rep
resenting Conductor PinckneY, Major G. L.
| Buist representing the engineer Of one Of the
/ colliding trains, and Mr.. Wingate, the coun-
| sci OF the deceased.
We condense from the Charleston NelOs
and Co1rier's account as follows:
THE SUPERINTENDENT STATEMENT.
| @. s. Gadsden sworn: Il will be best to
| state the telegraphic organization of the
| road. The telegraph system is organized
| with general Office in Judith street for use
| In the day, and at the Northeastern Railroad
| office for use in the night. On the road there
are offices at the junction, another at jack
sonboro, and another at Green Pond. Trains
are controlled during the dav By kilograms
| issued from judith street. On the 2lst OF
| January the trains were reported; No. 43,
from Green Pond, forty-six miles from the
city, coming northward, eighteen minutes
| behind time. No 40, the south bound train,
/ was reported at the Junction as twenty five
| minutes behind time. These trains were
| approaching each other at a distance of
| forty miles apart. The ordinary point of
| passing each other YVES Adams Run,
| and II each had been on time the telegrs pA
| operator would have said nothing. But
being behind time, one eighteen and the
other twenty-five minutes, 1t was necessary
| to make 3 meeting place. Between Green
/ Pond and Adams Run there was telegraph
| station at Jacksonboro. The message was
| given to train 40 at the junction. The orders
| were made out to the two trains at the same
time and were delivered, one at Jackson
| boro ard one at the Junction. The orders
were given to train 40 to meet and pass No.
| 43 at Adams Run. Both day and night
| operators were present when the order was
| given. A like order was issued to No. 43;
| the conductor to meet and pass No. 40 at
Adams Run. By the time No 43 had ar
| rived at Jacksonboro she had made up some
of her lost time. and was only seven minutes
behind time. The order having been al
ready extended to No. 40, no change was
made in the orders, and the order was hand
| ed by the operator to the conductor on his
| arrival at Jacksonboro. Nothing was heard
OF the trains until $50 a. m, when r. ceiV-
ed dispatch stating that the two
trains had collided two miles
| south OF Adams Run. As soon as the dis
| patch reached me a train was made up for
relief, and the necessary arrangements we're
made to transfer the passengers and the
wounded. Had nothing been said to either
of the trains in approaching each other they
| would have been governed by the ordinary
| rules in the guide book. Under these rules
the conductors would have worked their
way along. The conductor who arrived at
| Adams Run on time would have waited If
| teen minutes and then gone on cautiously.
| 1t was an exceedingly foggy morning and
great caution was necessary, but that was
| where no telegrapbic order was given. The
language used In these telegraphic orders
| was the language used for passing trains at
different points on the road as laid down in
the look. The dispatch received concern
| ing The collision was from the Supervisor of
the northern division Of the railway. Sub
sequent dispatches were received.
The cross-eXsmnation Of the witness re-
| vesled nothing Of particular importance be-
yond the fact that it is the duty of the con-
ductor, when in doubt concerning an order,
to ask for explanation.
G. K. Eddy, night train inspector for the
Northeastern and Charleston and Savannah
| Roads, was examined at length In regard to
the sending of the message, and stated that
| the order 'Meet and pass" is the order al
ways given to trains when dead meet is
appointed. That he has had, on several oc-
casions. to explain orders to conductors.
Rule No. 9 is not in general use on the
road. II the conductor doesn't understand
an order be asks for an explanation. II he
doesn't ask for this it is presumed he under
stands he order.
The Rule referred to is as follows:
CAN special orders for the movement Of
trains by telegraph will be given in writing,
addressed to the conductor or enginemsn,
and written by the operator upon manifold
| paper, so arranged that three or more copies,
/
| kept on file IL the telegraph office, and one
| copy to be given to each conductor and en-
gineman, who shall write their understand
| ing of the order and sign it. Such under
standing must then be sent to the person
| giving the order. When 1t is all right they
will receive Correct with the time and ini-
tials of the person giving the order, and the
train will be allowed to proceed"
CONDUCTOR s. K sLAwsoN's TESTIMONY.
Witness was the conductor Of No. 40 on
the day of the accident. Left Charleston
on time and reached the junction. While
waiting there received telegram to report
for orders at the telegraph office. Before
| leaving | got the order: "Meet and pass No.
43 at Adams Rum | understood the order.
If had arrived at Adams Run before the
| other train would have waited indefinitely
for it. That is my construction OF it. l
gave nv telegram to the engineer Have
frequently received similar kilograms to
"Meet and pass"
Q By General Rutledge: l stopped at
Ravenel's three or four minutes to take in
| wood. | had no conference with my en-
! gineer as to the meaning OF the order. We
both agreed about that. He had his head
| light burning because be always burnt it in
| fog. looked for no danger. Was sitting
| down near a window when felt the air
| brakes, and as | raised the window to look
L
crash occurred The order / received was
not such an order as l would think it neces-
sary to sign my understanding Of it to. The
engineer can refuse to obey any order of the
| conductor IL he chooses. The telegraph
| order to me was given 10 me written on the
usual paper, not manifold. The rule as to
manifold paper is not generally observed.
| There was no red signal at the sta
ton. The red flag is net displayed
for trains that stop at stations.
| Under general rules when we are out of
time we wait at station fifteen minutes,
| then go ahead az the usual speed, unless we
receive telegraph orders, which supercede
general orders. l would not proceed at the
usual speed after the fifteen minutes If there
was heavy fog prevailing, | would not
have gone confidently forward in fog. l
was IN possession OF telegraph order. This
collision took place on straight line. There
was very heavy fog. / could scarcely see
two telegraph poles ahead.
@ By Mr.. Bonham: If | had had any
doubts about the meaning of the order /
would have asked for an explanation. /
made up no time In running that morning.
We were running about twenty miles an
hour when the brakes were applied to my
train.
ENGINEER R. W. LEAKE's TESTIMONY.
Is engineer of No. 8, on train 40; understood
the telegram distinctly; expected to meet
No. 43 at Adams Run. Witness knew what
the order meant; it gave him the right of
the road. He left his head light burning,
because it was terrible morning and be
was afraid he might have run over somebody.
L. Il 4 Il 90