New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-04
CAUSE OF THE TUNNEL ACCIDENT.
SUPERINTENDENT TOUCEY's OPINION

| NEGLECT on THE PART OF THE sIGNALMAN AND
| THE CONDUCTOR OF THE HARLEM TRAIN-AN
EXAsPERATED JUROR.
| Coroner Herman continued the inquest on the
victims of the tunnel accident Yesterday The ma
iority of the witnesses men who we're passen-
gers on the wrecked train, but escaped injury. One
after another gave his version OF the trequen stops
| and the torpedo explosions, and there was general
agreement among them that the train stood at the
EIghty-siXth Street alton from two TO four minutes
before the collision Two of the jurors grew weary
OF the oftreerated story and protested against thf
consumption OF their time. John j. CoOgan INDUCED
in passage of words with the Coroner Oh the su D.
iect and asked to be excused from service, but was
told to sit down. and that ii not IT him TO de-
| eide whether the testimony wSs ~ want or not.
This was in the forenoon Sc SON. In the afternoon
Charles II. Young, anoth.r passenger, who added
nothing to the circumstances OF the accldent, re-
| marked that the car seemed 70 be an old one.
Had 1t reached its najontyf" asked Dir Coo
gan, who was smiling the little information OBJ
:" think it had" the witness replied.
d" 1t takes uphosterer TO tell the condition OF
cars" said Coroner Herman. A.. Ill.,.
Mr. Coogan grew angry. consider that slur
ON me- ne retorted u have been asked three
tunes ii i have upholstered for the railroads. |
won't submit to il. You sat on me this morning, and
won stand il any more"
The witnesses, not passengers were Francis 5.
Gunther the sIgnalman at One hundred-and-te
st., who said he mad reported girntls Inc the
St. that there no crowd on the wires
at the time and he thought the work could easily be
done by one man: Abraham close, engineer OF juc
Portchester special, whose statement has been pub
lished; William Russell, engineer oil hudson
klver train that stopped two and half minutes on
the nam track at EIghty-sXth-st. who saw the
New-Haven train there at least that time; Edward
H. Minkler, conductor of the same tram, who cor
roOorated this testimony; hiram j. Hedd"n,
engineer of the Harlem tram, aud D.. NJ. IOucey,
general superintendent of the New York Central
and Hudson River Railroad and manager OF the
Grand Central Depot.
Mr. Toucey testified that he had made an Investi-
% accident
reported the results 10 the presidents OF the respec-
tive companies. The first cause was the breaking
OF an axle on the New-YOrk Central which blocked
the main line and. forced all the sOuth-bound trains
the rapid transit track. lie ascertaiued that
consequence OF the apparent dIsaTrangeinent ali the
trains more less delayed i'll side tunnel.
On that portion OF the road the block system is not III
use, and trains are expected 10 protect themselves
when on that track. Ills assistant, who was lii
charge, directed, however, that the trains be
blocked by teegraphic ordeT; that Is, train ar
irving at Ninety-slxth-s st coming south would be
%9e9 there ne was train between Eighty
sixth and Ninety thesis THIS was done
for all trains until the Harlem rapid transit No. As
came dowh the line. AT the time that came on us
track at MISUNDERSTANDING -tfth-st. notice
was given that the mann line was clear
put upon It, and OF course the signal
| man at Ninety-s!Xth-st. began using his regular
block signal This 10 doubt occasloned his error IN
| not blocking by hand the rapid transit tram. The
| New-dayen train passed into the tunnel at 500
m. and the Harlem rapid transit at 9:03 The con-
stopped between Elghty-sixth and NIne st,
| by preceding train, and tine conductor imme-
dately sent ms men back to stop whatever
tram might be following, and one OF them met the
New haven train III the tunnel He sig
nailed the tram, got upon the engine
| aud came ahead with the tram The conductor Of
| No. az was again stopped, and sent his second
| man back, who met the Ncw-liayen tram abont
Nineueth-st. He placed n torpedo on the rail-
waited for the tram to come up and got on. the
New York and New-Hayen conductor took steps
10 protect his traln and the result was the collision
The operators first duty always TO block the
tram be was not Obliged to send IN reports TO the
tram dIspatch her until he had time.
Would the accident have happened If the train
had been neld at Ninety asked juror.
Probably nof."
"Was IT the signanan's duty to hold it ~
Yes, sir"
WAS it not the conductors duty to have sent
ba k and torpedoed the track. and was he there
fore not responsible for the accident r.
"Yes, SIR He was proportonately responsible.
attribute the collision 70 neglect on the part OF the
conductor and the sgnalman. l think the con-
ductor most responsible. The error of the signal
man does not relieve the conductor OF his duty aud
responsibility"
The jury will visit the tunnel at noon to-day. and
probably conclude the hearing OF testimony this
afternoon.