The Portland daily press., 1891-05-27
THEY SAW BONNEY'S ENGINE COMING.


a. sho nag ous niHSoll' LII was caution
nag that remained out five minutes. About
Inree minutes after Cousens's train went by,
bonney's engine came. 1t was 1898. Bon
ney just stopped at the Know Nothing and
then went on.
Cross-examined-Ceased to be station
agent March IA. Had been station agent
about year and half. AS station agent 1t
was my duty to see that thu blue flag was
put up Immediately after a train passed.
Prior to last summer no blue flag had been
used. Began to put 1t up about a year ago
this spring. An arrangement was first used
to hoist the flag from the station. 1t was out
OF order at the time of the accident There
were some trains that it was not necessary
TO put up the flag. | always put 1t up when
necessary. My attention was never called
to the fact that did not put up the blue
flag when l should have done so.
Inc arrangement was out of order when l
lett, l allowed the apparatus to go out of
order because 1t was more bother to keep it
IN running order than to set the flag L rec
0llect distinctly that the blue flag was put up
after the passage of Cousens's train that
day. l thouldn't say B0nney's engine went
past the station at rate greater than 10
miles an hour. The rule was that the blue
nag should go up after all trains and wild en-
gines. Its position was never changed while
was there. The witness insisted that on
this day the flag was put out properly.
The court then adjourned until D. m.
In the afternoon Henry j. Bradley, the
signal station in Portland, testified to the
difficulty he had with the wires on this morn
Ing. 1t was after ten o'clock before he could
get Boston. He then called for orders for
wild between Portland and Biddeford," at
l0.15. Tuttle, the conductor, was there and
signed his name and also Bonney to the
duplicate which was telegraphed back to
Boston to show that they Understood the
office at 1920 Bonney's engine started at
1923.
DR.. w. L. Dana and DIR. Pendleton testified
to taking Swazey from the station to the
Harry A. Smith, the nurse who attended
Swazey at the hospital. testified to his death.
Charles A. Pickett, the brakeman on Bon
ney's engine. testified that they left the
transfer at Portland at 1923 Tuttle sat on
the freman's seat next the front window,
witness en- the same seat to the rear, Bon.
ney on the engineers seat and Fisher, the
fireman, was standing up in the centre of
the cab. Not word was spoken going out.
Just hauled up at the the Know Nothing and
there was danger ahead Tuttle hollered
then 1t wasn't but few seconds before we
dashed into the train. l can't tell what was
done aboard the engine during those few
seconds. kept looking straight ahead. When
Tuttle hollered we were the other side of the
bridge. within two or three hundred feet of
the train. When we struck it threw Tuttle
against the side of the cab and me against
him. Bonney still sat on his seat and Fish
er was against the. boiler head buried up
with coal from the tender. / heard Bonney
say, "My God what was | thinking ofw
When we approached the bridge think we
were going about 20 or % miles an hour AT
ter the accident l noticed the reverse lever
was hooked up very near the centre.
Charles E. Fisher, the fireman on Bonney's
engine, was the next witness. He said: We
were delayed about an hour in getting or
ders. l saw CouSens's train 60 out and 1
cant say positive, but think we left in five or
ten minutes; My watch wasn't right that
morning. Tuttle came down to the engine
with the orders and passed one to Bonney.
Bonney says: Have you got them at last~
We ran out about the usual speed. l didn't
notice the signals at Scarbor0 crossing as l
was standing up in the cab facing back tow
ards the tender. judged we were running
about 35 miles an hour when we reached the
overhead bridge this side of Scarboro
Beach. BOnney didn't shut off steam
at all; there was no occasion
for it after we started from the crossing, be-
cause we didn't intend to stop at Scarboro
Beach. The first knew of any danger Tut
tie sprang up and hollored 'Bey" at the top
of his voice. l turned my head to see what
he was h0llering at when we struck the
train. was thrown against the boiler he ad
and all the coal come on top of me. l did
not lose consciousness Tuttle says: you've
done it this time, Bonney!" Bonney said
"Yes, have"
Twas aware that Cousens's train was
ahead of us, but didn't speak to Bonney
about 1t because didn't think it was neces-
sary. wasn't aware that we were gaining
on him and knew my watch wasn't right.
l knew Bonney had watch that was right
and always kept good time. At the time of
the collision we were going about an ordina-
ry rate of speed.
vufy n.ucn o1orvtu ttruer Iue' -colnslon; ap-
parently beside himself. l understand Bon
neY was In charge Of the engine and Tuttle
| In charge of the work it should do, when it
| should start and when 1t should stop.
suppose If anyone of US had thought we
were In danger of collision we should have
spoken of 1t.
M. L, Williams, general agent of the Bos-
ton d Maine in Portland, testified to the
rules of the road applicable to wild engines !;
that when a blue flag is exhibited the en-
glneer must run so slowly and carefully that
he can stop anywhere before colliding with a
train. He mast keep his engine under such
control that It Is impossible to collide with a
train. The blue flag means that a train has
preceded within five minutes. A wild en-
gine, working as Bonney's was, has no
rights; 1t must keep clear of everything, and
proceed at its peril, and the engine must be
of the hag.
On cross-examination, he said, 80 or 35
miles an hour, Is an ordinary rate of speed
for train or wild engine running over
clear track, or where there are no shifting
engines, large yards or other trains 1t is
customary to run by Scarboro station at that
rate OF speed. l have known Bonney IA
years. His general character as man is of
the best In every way. doubt if he has
neen absent three days from duty In his
standing as an engineer is good. He never
met with an accident on the road before to
my knowledge or with any serious trouble.
In the summer time his hours have been
from seven In the morning until about 10 at
night.-.not hard work, but long hours.
By the rules, conductors have entire charge
Of their trains. de can control the speed
with the engineer. 1t makes no difference
whether the engine is wild and without car S
OF whether there are cars attached, except
proximity and in better position to control
1t. On redirect examination he said the
TACT that the conductor is on the engine does
not give him any more control than il there
were cars attached.
Fairfield Tuttle, the conductor on Bon.
ney's train, testified that he is still in the
employ of the Boston and Maine, as yard
conductor. The orders came at 1915 and
sigued them for myself and Bonney at 10.17.
booked our departure on the register at
three minutes walk. handed BOnney's or
der to him and he says "Smith 1.-THE engineer
Of Cousens's train has just gone" l said
res, put there is no need to hurry for we
Gan 0O anytnlng until the Portland trains
leave Biddeford." Pickett got on the fire.
mans seat, behind me, and we started.
Nothing was said going out. Kept nv ewes
ahead on the track. The first thing /
knew, just as the nose of our
engine was going under the bridge | saw
something that looked like the tail end of a
train. said "My God, you are into her." |
got off the seat and undertook to Jump.
Somebody said Get back" and 1 did and
braced one foot and reached for the injector.
when we came together and that is about ali
l knew. had my head cut and was near
ly unconscious afterwards, although | real.
lied little something.
think 1t was 1928 when we left Portland.
should say the engine was running at the
rate OF 20 miles an hour-not faster than 25
miles. She was running perfectly steady
and wasn't Stating any. She was working
steam when she went under the bridge The
reverse lever was in the six inch notch and
the throttle about in the place where Bonney
usually carried 1t. He blew a good long
whistle about 300 feet this side Of the over
head bridge.
AS to my having the direction of the speed
OF the engine have no authority over the
engineer in running the engine, except that
give orders to stop and do the work but in
running the engine 1t Is under his control l
can tell him not to run so fast and he can
tell me he will run as fast as he wants to.
Ii there are cars attached [ can pull the
pin and let him go. As matter of fact there
was nc need to tell him So for he never