Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-02-19
THE RAILROAD
COMMISSIONERS
INVESTIGATION
Held at the Brooks House on Tuesday.
\ Careful Summary of the EV-
idcnCC.

and the Board will Have to Decide
where the Facts Lie.
The board of railroad commissioners
held public hearing at the Brooks House
on Tuesday in investigation of the collision
between a passenger train and freight
train near Whithed's in Vernon, on the
New London Northern railroad, on the
evening of January 26. There were pres
ent Hons. 5. f. Pingree, Amory Dawson
and l.. G.. Bagley, members of the board.
States Attorney George b. Hit appeared
for the state, conducting the examination
of witnesses. and the Central Vermont
railroad company was represented by j. NJ.
Foss, the general superintendent, and c.
f. Spaulding, the superintendent of the
New London Northern division.
Freight Conductor Rouse.
The first witness called was Thomas
Rouse. the conductor of the freight train,
into the rear end of which the passenger
train crashed on the evening referred to- Mr..
Rouse testified that this was regular train,
due to leave BVattlebOro at $50, and to ar
rive at Vernon station at six o'clock, and
at South Vernon about 6:3j. He and the
other trainmen made up the train at Brat
tleboro. 1t was a through freight, and
consisted of 26 freight cars, besides the
engine, and two cabooses. n. n 1adley
was the engineer and Jerry Dugan the
fireman. George Deyo was head brake
man and Frank Howard rear brakeman
The train was about five minutes late when
it left BrattleborO.
Rouse testified that before leaving he
called at the depot office, but received no
instructions other than the ordinary. He
did not know that the Valley train Uhe
Montreal express from the north) was not
i'm when he left. He had not seen the
New London boat train 90 down at 4:45,
or the engine, which is scheduled as train
No. IS. which goes to South Vernon about
o'clock to bring up the 6:25 train. He
registered at the station as usual before
leaving. On being further questioned he
stated positively that he had no knowledge
that the Valley train was not in, and that
nothing had been said to him by any one
about the train not being in. He obtained
his clearance card by telegraph from the
train dispatcher at New London before
leaving, as usual He had lost his own
clearance card, but had the engineer card,
which he produced at the afternoon session.
The substance of this card was that the
train dispatcher had no orders for him.
He made no enquiry about the 40 train,
but saw that the train was registered as
having left here.
He had only his usual train, but it was a
cold night, and the train moved hard
Time was lost in getting to Vernon, and il
was necessary to stop at the shop field tC
cut off the engine and send it into Vernon
station with hagman to flag the up pas
senger train. The engine then came back
to get the freight train. He was due to leave
Vernon at GIL, but did not know what
time he left there. He thought he was
probably 10 minutes late. He did not run
at the regular rate of speed after leaving
Vernon. There is a hill there and q
curve, and the train went very slow, about
five miles an hour. He had got three OF
four cars length beyond the curve anC
Just beyond the arch or dry bridge, where
the highway goes under the track, when h'
saw the passenger train coming The mrs
warning was the headlight of the passen
ger engine coming around the curve. liz
Jumped off at once and started back will
his lantern, swinging it, to signal the engi
neer of the other train. He got bacl
three or four cars length but could not ge
any further. The passenger engineer di,
not see him and did not shut off steam I'm
til he was within three or four cars length
of the freight train.
Mr.. Rouse then testified as to the dam
age done by the collision, the two caboose
and fiat car of the freight train bein
wrecked, and the engine of the passenge
train being deraied and somewhat injured
He did not send man back to signal tn
passenger train when he was running S
slow. He had no torpedOes, but had sine
been supplied with them. Had been toll
there were none when he asked for then
He did not consider it necessary to send
man back because he was not running o
another trains time. Being question:
To hic Lnnuylaun that a
train was to follow him Rouse said thu
Mr. Brooks told him there was anOtht
passenger train to go south; said it wa
train No AZ, which was the empty engin
already spoken of. This was just as Rous
got his clearance order. This engine wa
then registered as having gone out. II
did not understand that train was to fO
low him.
Rouse then testified as to the straigl
piece of track down past the Vernon ST
ton, before entering the cut and curry
Said he had three red lights burning on Ii
rear car. Thought it was five or six mi
utes after the tail end of his train enter'
the cut before he saw the other train, cor
ing. He again said in answer to question
that he was sure that nothing was sa
about any other train that was to folio
him. AT the time of the collision he e
pected soon to pitch over the grade, al
then run right along into South Vernon.
Conductors SpaHord's Evidence.
George L. Spafford, the conductor of Il
passenger train, was the next witness ca
a ed. After describing what his regul
runs were at that time Mr.. Spatford sa
he went to South Vernon that night
4:45 on the steamboat train, of whit
George Blake was the conductor, to fet
R.DS a arrival af Son
Vernon about on time, and stayed the
until he started north with his train. w
due to leave South Vernon at 6 o'clock, b
was two or three minutes late Got to VI
non at 6:13 was delayed there little
mseting the freight train No. 3d. The pa
senger train went on to siding to let t
freight train pass. He left Vernon abo
6:20 and came up to BTattlebOro with
train, and then returned with engine n
1853, running "wld' to South Vernon,
take down the Montreal express which h
then arrived. He had the usual order
wild train. Did not stop at Vernon, /
slowed up in passing the station, accol
ing to the rules. Saw the station mas
there with his lantern as he passed. I
first intimatiOn he had of trouble was
sudden Stacking of the train as if the
gineer had shut off steam and reversed
engine. Then came the shock of the c
lisiOn, which happened at $3.50. He loo
ed at his watch, because the rules requ
an accident report to be made. Mr.. SIP