New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-24
INQUIRIES INTO A DISASTER.
FINDING OUT WHERE TIE BLAME LIES

the Coroner IN the investigation. Meus. the brake.
| benches occupied By n few persons Who had
gathered ont of curiosity to listen 10 the testimony
! The conductor OF the Chicago express and the en-
gnecr of the larrytown special were alt 0 present
/ General Superintendent John VI. Ioucey was the
| first witness. General Nlelc a juror, had some
! questions written out and he put them TO tho
| superintendent
Has the company ever had any previous die.
! arrangement Of the brakes OF this character" was
/ the first question.
-" Not that am aware off,
S. Are ar brakes used As a matter Of economy or
For safety
! Can Lrakcmcn with ordinary brakes stop tic
| tran rs eleotuahy rs with the air brakcsT
Isn't if fact that the full power of tho brakes
! can only De applied at the loc0motiye"
No sir. The cord through the cars will stop tie
tram rs quickly - ii the brakes were aoplied Nv
the engineer Pulling the cod Iu one car applies
the brakes IN all the cary II the valve m any car
Is left opcn the brakes cannot be- released at tho
Isn't the curve between Spuytcn Duyy.l and
Morris station the most dangerous spot on the
/ whole road ~
"What special precautions exist In regard -
trains running on this curve"
Bakemcn and engineers are required TO run
! cautiously. aud hdpucn are stationed There con-
! 9,aHt5' lAeTe Is HdSman Just east 81 hIcullrn3
! Hotel. one Mt the crossing az Riveuiac one about
l5Oe leet further cast, one at the end of Godwins
Cut about l,2OO feet further east and one at tho
east end of the cut about 900 feet east Of that
In this way Is covered the most dangerous part Of
! the curve from Spuyten DuyYl to kng-bridgo
Station. The trains run twenty miles an hour
through the cut; do not consider that too FAST
What IS your experience about heating and
| lighting cars
We tried steam at one time and it worked I'M
successfully for the reasons that the engine did not
always have steam 70 spare; and II the engine
was detached from the train for any length OF timc
the cars would become toe cold for the passengers.
The present system of heating the cars by stoves ~
so dl thscu thdt tie CoaiT YIN ny SPIN II NY GU
I'm mo l. had IA
over nero Woul' nave pceH 10 IRE puV Ihe 2.oIci
-, al Con- d., lime ,rI,,nb - cops,lernd non
explosive. Candles wOlld be safer
ere any OF tle cnSlheerS OF ualnu.en s,moleC'o"
We ask ali men questions to measure their
capacity They are not submitted To ANY physical
examination nor to any test III regard 70 sight or
color"
Isn't II tho lrtv If the couducior 10 order the
last brakeman IN o TO the rear 10 signal any com.
ian, + ~ "'N ~ ~ ~ WV '0'' aug '''
" l7 on every ocra-ioh.
as there any reason on this occasion 10 protect
the NJ track /"
10 .lr"
.Ibrn Tho condrctor had no busincss 10 nrcteet
-, ','' w W. w.. 49,. W. 10. ''' ~ ~ w " f''0'
'. Va V'' ~" ~" 20 ty 90, =, r,oto,t "a, r,r
III. ,r,'l. 49, ,n,..,r.,t,,.,.v
Inc rue Is Imperative
w nay was thc cause o. tAe actucht III yoHi
opinion :!
II was di,Obejlence 10 liuie No. % of th" COM
p1ny rrGIirlng the rear to he protected bV signal
Was 1t the duty of the rear brakeman 10 20
back without order 'n
Yes. In hi. ease there was plenty Of time 10
warn fine comm: ram If NcIuS had gone a. fa-t
on that orca>.uu "a. ne did when We tried the cN-
,r,.'.,,t II, H., ,r...nce of The i,r, tL,,c y,orI
i,y. be,u no disa~Irr"
.. Vbo,- .au,ad tIr fire 2r
. The Goals scattering over the floor; and OF
cour.a rho oil increased ~
Would the disaster have been aycrtcd if Ito
block system hal been IN use 1r
can't say that n would. The BIO ( system =
u.eI when the frequency of the train, require a.
+ is used between tia depot and o-hundrs-lu
tweutcth-st. between those points about 100
trims ms. lsb way daily. vh.f,- yyhor, Inc l,r,.
dent occurred only thrt four tfa, pass each way
dg.Iv When the traHic is not aIcat hagrru and