Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-04-06

Harry Lewis was the next witness
and gave the following testimony: u
reside in Los Angeles. l am brake
man by occupation. l work Tor the
Southern Pacific. Last Tuesday l was
at work on the work train at San Fer
nando tunnel. At about $3.50 P. M
we started to return to San Fernando.
While we were at the tunnel the
Santa Barbara train met us and Mr.
Westerfeld, the engineer OF the work
train, told me to ask the engineer Of
the passenger train when he passed
train No. "a. l called to the passen
ger engineer and asked him where
"24" was, and he shook his head.
think he did not hear me. | had the
switch unlocked. It was still thrown
for the main line. l asked the con
ductor of the work train if he was go
ing to go and he gave the
signal to the engineer to back up.
After We pulled off the sidetrack
asked the conductor in regard to "24, y
and he said "24" could not have LETT
San Fernando for at least ten minutes
after the passenger train and that
would give us time to make the
straight track beyond the curves
where, if we saw "24" coming, we
could run back to the tunnel again
and sidetrack. We started to do this,
The other brakeman and myself got
out on the rear end OF the passenger
car used by the work train. We were
running between ten and fifteen miles
per hour and when arriving near a
sharp curve I heard my brother say,
"Jump!" looked up and saw trainNo.
"a coming. I gave signal to our en-
gineer to stop. l felt our train slacken
in its speed, and l think he reversed
the engine. l then jumped. l after
ward looked and saw our train going
back toward the tunnel again.
started to assist those who were in
the wreck. 1 built fire and then
went to VIII re our train stopped. 1t
was about mile from where the
trains collided, and l saw the en-
gineer lying on the ground dead. I
was told that he had been found on
the engine dead. The conductor OF
the work train had told me that day
that our working orders were between
San Fernando and Newhall. l under
stand The orders are to keep flags out
all the time. When the conductor OF
working train is running on flag
ging orders, he is supposed to keep a
flag out in bo.h directions. In ap-
approaching obscure places on the
track it is the duty of the conductor
to stop the train and send fagman
ahead to protect the train. From the
time we left the sidetrack to the time
of the collision we had not sent a flag
man out"
Edward Lewis was the next wit
ness. He said: "I reside at Los An
geles, and am brakeman by occupa-
ton. Last Tuesday l was with the
work train at San Fernando tunnel,
and was engaged all day in tagging.
A bout 6 :45 p. NJ. my train was on the
side track at the tunnel. When the
Santa Barbara passenger train passed
by | heard the conductor of our train
calling to some OF the passenger train
men to know when they had passed
train No. "a, but did not get any an
swer. Conductor Upson then told
me to throw the switch and / did so,
and our train backed out. l closed
the switch after it and ran and got on
the coach, got on the rear platform
and the train then started for San
Fernando. set up the brake a little
bit so as to hold the train, as il
is down grade. When We got
from the side track, 1 set the brake
tighter, as 1 thought the train was
going too fast. l think it was run
ming between fifteen and eighteen
miles per hour. Shortly after l let
the brake off as the train had slowed
up, l looked up and saw train "a COM
ing around the curve. 1 told my
brother to jump, and l jumped too.
The two trains went together. l saw
the cars of "24" piling over one
another, and 1 then started back down
the track and met Conductor Jones oil
train No. "a, and we commenced
assisting the wounded to get out oi
the wreck. After we got them out we
helped the wounded to the caboose oi
train 25. 1 afterward went with them
to San Fernando. 1 saw the bodies
of the two dead men at San Fernando
the next morning."
D. j. Jones, the conductor of No
"a, was next called and testified as
follows: ''I reside in Los Angeles. ]
am brakeman and extra conductor
for the Southern Pacific Railroad
Company. l have worked at railroad.
ing for twelve or thirteen years. Last
Tuesday 1 started from Los Angeles
bound for Mojave at l.: 0 in the
afternoon. We arrived at San Fer.
nando and were delayed there until
5 40 P. NJ, waiting for helping en-.
CINE. We left San Fernando at 5 :4(
and got about four miles west of there
when we met the work-train. My
train and the work-train collided. ]
was in the cupola Of the caboose Of
my train at the time of the collision.
| did not see the work train, but
about second before they hit us ]
saw steam over the hill ahead of my
train. After the collision I went tc
the head end of my train, and as
sisted in getting out the wounded. |
AOuh0 0l0OAo OCIos Cl1Ci
took a hand-car and went to Sar
Fernando and reported the wreck
When we left San Fernando we lef
regardless OF No. 81. 1 expected te
run to Newhall, as I had forty
minutes to make the run against trair
No. 19, which was on time. Wher
we do not get orders against worl
train, we ara not supposed
to know where the work trair
is, and if there is a work train a
work along the track it is supposed tt
protect itself by fagmen going ahead
with flag to flag all trains approach
ing it from. both directions. l hearc
a short whistle blow for brakes abou
the time the trains hit"
There being no further witnesses
present and it being desired to Civ,
Conductor Epson, against whom tn,
testimony was rather damaging,
chance TO testify for himself, reces