Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-02-16

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eideaf From Ill The evidences eIleitsd Il Il
eytssnt .shst II ths. rules Of The / compeoy
ssvunlng lhs running Of vaiss haA been
ssiclly csmpiisd Win sad obsysd ~ those
q charge Of shis Wild sssias. shs sccl1sns
vosA sot have occurred" Ths, sspsss
sdds:
rRaIs 80 ofihs Boston & Maise Railroad
Csnpsny, afsss giving fern 81 vhss l.
csllsd . Wild order 10 = follows: sUpoa
skis order NE tssin named viii run to H.
st1tloa dssigns;td - Wild train, keeping
10. 10 minutes clear Of oil Irregular Of
epscisI trains
RnIs "a IL ~ foii,ws: Keeping CHAR
Of trains means for passenger trains 70
resp clear Of other passenger frsins full
6,sf5J minutes, freight and mixed ssuiue
ss'ksep clear Of passepgsf1 trains fall ten
freight trains full i've co.. minutss. wild,
sstrs, and irregular trains to keep clear Of
III regular or special trains fall ten 10}
misutss, Special trains viii have only thu
dshss given in printed nosices. Tfainmsp
msa cot construs this rule into keeping
e.su Of the trains only. bat must keep clear
Of be time table tins the specified number
Of ninu'ss."
n the words keeping clear mean any
thiar, they mean keeping clear Of all
rains. no matter which way. they may. be |
going.
!. A. ~ have before stated, sYaln No. I54
ali not leave the station In Portland ill |
i0.l7 A. NJ, being on that der two mio- |
utss late IN starting therefore II vas prob |
sbIy 10 70 when said train passed engine |
No. II, h tho Maine Central junction
The order given to,Mf. Tuttls to run Wild /
Vs., % tappesrs. receiptsd for 1t 10 10,
snd Of 1923. notwithstanding the rule
shove quoted and the fact that train No. |
ia bad been seen to pass. BY Mr.. Bonnsy.
net more than two minutes before that
,iae, hey proceeded and ran ~ above
described. That this was clear violation
Of the rule above quoted, there can be no
doubt. because the time table time of train
No. i54, At the Maine Central junction, 10
10 20 and to follow them as 1923 10 not
keeping clear fall ten minutes - re-
qsired by said ruls.
Whether TO do 90 was violation OF the
rss.of not. no valid excuse. can be given
BY Mr.. Bonney for doing 90 - the evil
eence shows he did. lie had seen train
No. 154 pass; he was aware Of the hour
and the minute when that train was due Ut
ssch station. Ordinary prudence required
that hs sbould be mindful Ut these facts
end oct accordingly. This he fully admits
and gives ~ his only excuse, that, having
been accustomed to preceds that train he
esreisssiy assumed that he was doing 10
on tha. day. While we find no excuse for
Mr.. Bonney's conduct and intend TO use no
vcsds that may be construed - Z palia-
ton Of this sesrslessness.i .wei cannot but
deem Mr.. futile, In . large degree also
responsible for the accident. He received
the order and had receiptsd for IL; he knew
the tims.train No. l5t WAS to start.
Whether or not Mr.. Bonnsy vas under
his control OF subordinate to him, while on
the locomotive on the way to Biddafosd,
Va ere unable to determine; but he was
there In the cab with Mr.. Bonney. he saw
end knew what Mr.. Bonnsy was doing. II
he had not the power to command, |. was
clearly his duty to have suggested that they
we're running on. or nearly 20, the schedule
time Of train No. 1854. We therefore, can.
not but conclude that Mr.. futile 10 guilty
Of cafelessness, II not equally 90, with Mr..
Bouney.
Though we 9nd the direct cause Of the
accident was the carelessness Of these men,
~ cannot but believe that the rules for
running trains adopted by the company,
and the manner In which they are enforced.
contributed remotely. II not directly, to the
result.
Rule II Of said company 10 a. follows
"a blue flag BY day, or blue light by
night displayed At q station, indicates that .
,tsin or ensine has passed within Ave (5)
minutes, bound in the same direction - the
approaching train. and trains will proceed
carefully keeping good lookout for trains
ahead.
Notwithstanding the provisions Of Rule
"a above quoted, which, pro sides that "keeI.
ing clear OF trains means that passenger
tfsias shall keep clear OF passenger trains
full Eve (5l minutes" and that wild,
extra and irregular trains shall keep clear
Of al regular or special trsins full ten (l0) |
minutes" and further that "trsinmen must
not cousirue this rule into keeping clear OF
The trains only. but must keep clear Of the
time table time the specified number OF
minutes" Il appears by rule ~ that trains
Of any kiad are permitted to proceed
carefully. keeping . good lookout, etc
Sarely trains following cannot proceed
within dve minutes. and ct the same time
KEEP clear Of preceding trains fully ten
lo) minutes SO FAT ~ appears from the
testimony in this investigation, rule 81
above quoted, is not construed - applying |
to one train following anothef. As an sx-
plAustion of the seeming inconsistency in |
the rules above quoted the officers OF the |
company cay that rule requiring trains to |
Keep clear Of other trains goine in the came |
direction, ten or even Eve minutes. has
been fouad to be impracticable. on account
Of large number Of trains that have to |
be sent cut Of Boston to surrounding |
paces to meet the demands Of the public.
However that may be. we cannot com |
mend rules that leaves il discretionary with |
employees on traios ~ 10 when and TO what
extent they shall obey them.
All rulee for the movement OF train
should be definite and explicit, and con-
ststeat With one another. and these should
be strictly enforced"
Amuasmauta