Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-02-19
VERMONT PHOENIX, BRATTLEBORO, FRIDAY, FEBRUA

facts rs did Conductor Rouse about the
makeup of the train and the time of de-
parturc. 1t was very cold and the train
pulled hard. Besides this he had u green
fire. and expected trouble when he left.
lie lost time in going to Vernon, and had
to send in hagman, as already stated.
The essential and interesting part of his
testimony was i'm regard to what was done
at Vernon. lie said that after the passrn-
ger train had gone north he pulled his
train down and stopped at the Vernon sta
ton for some time, 10 minutes he should
think, to get up steam. Pulled down SO as
to clear the upper switch, and his engine
was near the lower switch. After that he
started along and had no more trouble with
his steam, though progress was slow ON ac-
count of the cold weather, heavy train,
the curve and the heavy grade. Should
think he went about four or five miles an
hour. When questioned further about
how the 30 or % minutes were used, which
elapsed from the time the passenger train
went north at 20 minutes past six until the
collision, which happened at five minutes
of seven, he said the time was lost at the
Vernon station while getting up steam.
/ He went around the curves below the sta
ton at the usual speed. When he had got
down past Whithed's to Wcbster's cross
/ ing he looked back to where he could see
across to the level space near the station,
and there he saw the headlight of the pas
senger engine. He at once blew two pro-
/ lection whistles and sent the head brake
man, who was then on the engine with
/ him, back with signal light, but the
| brakeman did not have time enough TO get
/ far enough to do any good The speed of
| his train was constantly increasing, and
he expected "A little ways further on to
pitch over the hill down into South Vernon.
lie should think it took about - or 20 min
utes to run from Vernon to the place OF
the collision.
Rouse Recalled.
/ At this point the register books of the
! Vermont Valley and New London North
/ erd roads were brought in, showing the
record of the arrival and departure of the
trains on the day in question. Conductor
Rouse was then recalled, having with him
/ the engineers clearance order which was
in regular form. When asked if he looked
at the Valley book at the time he eXamn-
ed the New London register book, he an
swered that he did not, that he had moth
/ ing to do with the Valley books or the
/ Valley trains. When asked if he could
not have told by looking in the Valley
book whether the 4 - train over that road
had arrived he did not make "A direct an
swer, but said again that he had nothing
to do with the Valley books, though finally
admitting that an examination of that
book would have told whether the train
had arrived. Further questions elected
the fact that "A careful examination of the
/ New London Northern register would have
/ shown whether the steamboat train, which
left at AS, had gone with its usual train
of five cars, or with only three, as was act
ually the case on that day. Rouse said
that all he ever looks for is to see whether
train is registered rs having left and il it
has any signals out.
brakeman Towards Evidence.
Fred Howard said he was the rear brake
man of the freight train. lie described
the making up OF the train, the slow prog
reSs to Vernon, the stop this side of that
place. and the same facts testified to 10y
others. Said that he went back with a
signal flag as soon as the train stopped.
His orders are always to do this, whether
specially told to or not. Usually goes back
10 or 20 telegraph poles. After the passrn-
ger train went up the freight train stopped
at Vernon so that the hind end was near
the upper switch. stopped there about
four or five minutes and he went back with
a signal flag but only got back a little way
when he was called in. Did not know
what the train stopped there for. Thought
they were about - minutes in running
down from Vernon to where the collision
took place When the accident happenc.
he was in the caboose with Rouse. Ii,
was fixing the fire while Rouse stood look
ing out of the rear window. The first h,
IL. IItttA
ard then jumped off the car and Wen
down the bank and over wire fence int
the highway
Brakeman DeyO's Evidence.
George Deyo, front brakeman on tn
freight train, testified to the general fact
about the make up of the train, and the de
lay at Vernon. He testified, as Hadle.
and Howard had done, that the train ha'
stopped at Vernon station, but he coul'
not tell how long. He knew nothing abou
the approach of the passenger train unit
Hadley sent him back with signal lights
He started back with red and a whit
! light, and had got II or l6 car length
2 toward the rear when the collision occur
= red 1t was his business to see that TIN
tail end of the train was coming, and h
had looked back after coming out of tn
5 cut and had seen then that the Who'll
e train was coming along, but saw nothin
, of the headlight of the passenger train
, At the time he was sent back the freigh
, engine was at or near Washburne's cross
E ing.
The Commissioners visit Vernon.
The taking of evidence at the Brook
!, House was completed at about O'Clock
/ and at % minutes past 3, as soon as tn
q day express had gone north, the cOmmi:
q sioners and railroad officials were taken t
: Vernon on a special train to view the seen
a of the accident. The points especial
looked after were the distance from wher
q the cut and curve begin below. the static
q to where the collision occurred, and tn
4 length of time and distance ahead that tn
h passenger engineer could have seen the re
v lights on the rear of the freight train. n
q new facts of importance We're developed {
= the scene of the accident The place o
the embankment was pointed out whel
"a the marks in the snow showed that Fir
! man Vassar had struck when he jumpe,
and where he had slid along with the m,
mentum of the train until his thigh or hi
struck the end of tie, lying lengthwise q
= the wharfng at that point, causing h
\ broken hip.
's On reaching Vernon station on the +
= turn trip the board stopped there to as
several important questions of c. G. Gal
:, the station agent and telegraph operate
~ Mr.. Gale produced the train record of ia
- 26 This showed the arrival of the fla
~ man of the freight train at o'clock p. NJ
- the departure of the freight train for Il