Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1891-03-04
THE TUNNEL INQUEST.
How the Fatal Fire was Started
Manager Platt's Testimony-DeRdly
Stoves in the Cars.

How the Fatal Fire was Started
Manager Platt's Testimony-Deadly
Stoves in the Cars.
NEW YORK, March 3.-The inquest in
the matter of the Harlem railroad tunnel
disaster was resumed to-day. William h.
Brumpton, conductor on the New Haven
road, who brought the telescoped cars
from New Haven in the morning of the dis
aster, testified that the cars had heaters,
and he believed that the stoves contained
fire on the fatal morning. He was cor
roborated by his brakeman on the rear
car, William Murphy.
Charles H. Platt, manager of the Grand
Central depot and the railroad tunnel,
testified that he controlled the movements
York central, the New Haven and Har-
lem railroads. The signals, he said, are
under his control, just as the men on
duty in the depot and tunnel are. These
men report to the train dispatcher and
the latter to him. Witness said he has
filed his present position for the past fif-
teen months. He did not think that the
system of signals could be improved. No
steps have been taken to clear the tunnel
of smoke and steam. The New York Cen
trail Railroad company has control of the
tracks and the condition of the tunnel.
He could not recall any instances where
the signals had proved defective. Once or
twice, he said, he had heard that the signal
lamps had turned only one-half. His in
vestigation of the recent collision satisfied
him it was due to disregard of the dan
ger signals. He was certain that the sig
mails were at danger.
The New Haven road, said witness, has
full control of lighting and heating of its
cars.
All witness had to do with them related
to the dispatching of the trains.
Witness was asked if he knew that no
train was allowed to enter the Bergen tun-
mel until the preceding train had cleared
it.
Witness said he knew nothing of the
rules regarding the Bergen tunnel, but if
such rule existed it certainly would pre-
clude the possibility of an accident in the
tunnel. AS to whether it would be advis-
able to adopt similar rule regarding the
Fourth avenue tunnel, witness was in
doubt. 1t certainly would delay traffic,
and the travelling public would surely OBJ
the tunnel was from Fifty sixth to Ninety
sixth streets, and the grade was almost
iorty-five feet to the mile.
At the afternoon session James Norris
sey. an employee of the Boston and Albany
road, in the Grand Central yard, testified
that the stoves were all lighted in the cars
of the "shop" train, but that the lamps had
been extinguished. The evidence of the
witness was to show that the fire was due
to the burning Goals from the car stoves.
Manager Platt, who was recalled to the
stand, stated that there had not been a
collision since 1882. He said that from
ten million to twelve million passengers
were carried through annually The signal
system in use he believed to be the best.
The sickness or sudden death of an oper-
ator would result in leaving the signals set
at danger. The danger gongs in the tunnel
were not being replaced by ones of larger
size.
Joseph S. Schofeld, assistant manager
of the New Haven road, testified that the
cars of his road were heated by the Baker
stoves and that Clarence A. Simmons,
foreman of car inspectors, described the
effect of fire on the cars. John T. Cade, a
signal engineer, described at length the
block signal system. The inquest was ad
journed until tomorrow.