Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-27
AN OPERATORS CARELEssNEss.
Cause of the Railway Disaster ut Harrisbur
Early Saturday Morning.


Cause of the Railway Disaster ut Harrisburg
Early Saturday Morning.
At the ceroner's inquest Saturday afternoon
into the railway disaster early tina. morning at
Harrisburg, Pa, II. s. Hayes, the telegraph
operator at the steelton tower, practically adj
mitted that he was responsible for the wreck.
Hayes, who is a young man Of twenty-five
years, was arrested at the instance of Coroner
Hoy on charge of granddaughter. He is now
in Jail and his mental distress ia terrible to
witness. Fears are expressed that he may
lose his mind. The young man has not been
in the service Of the company more than Q few
months, and has been an extra operator, going
wherever he was ordered. Friday night he was
on duty ut the Steelton tower as O substitute for
William Goode, the regular operator. He
allowed the second section Of the express to
enter the block before the first section had
passed out at the western end, against the
rules of the company, and the disaster is the
direct result of the violation of the rules.
When informed Of the wreck and loss of life
he became almost frantic and the day operator
was ordered on duty. He simply assumed that
the first section had passed the block without
troubling himself about any notification
from the Dock street tower to that effect.
Hayes WINS closely questioned and during his
examination wns greatly agitated, frequently
breaking down and weeping bitterly. He is an
unsophisticated youth and but lately left the
farm in York county. He frankly admitted
that he gave Engineer Kelly the white signal to.
60 on without first having been notified that
the block was clear, but thought he was not
wholly responsible for the accident. He said
other operators had made the same mistake Of
which he had been guilty, but the consequences
that there had been two other persons in the
tower with him, and that in that he had broken
another rigid rule Of the company. He with
held nothing from the jury and cried as though
his heart would break as be finished his testi-
mony.
VIII. Fisher of Harrisburg, passenger brake
man Of the Philadelphia division. was on the
first section rs passenger. He testified that
the fagman had been called in, and. in his
opinion. he was careful employee.
Joseph H. Kirkpatrick, the engineer Of the
first section. said he was stopped at the Dock
street tower and that the detention was caused
by freight train ahead; that when his train
was struck it was running at the rate Of eight
miles an hour. The fagman, he said, had ample
time TO get back and stop the train following.
He considers Engineer Kelly Of the second sec
ton a capable engineer.
ENGINEER KELLY's STORY.
When Hugh Kelly Of Philadelphia. the en-
gineer of the second section. was called he
stated that he had been in the service of the
one years, and in that time has never been sus-
pended for reckless running. When he came
in sight of the Steelton tower he got the white
signal. Near the Dock street tower he received
the red signal. He whistled, applied the brakes
and reversed the engine as be saw the other
first section was struck it was sixty yards west
Of the Dock street tower. He would have been
able to discover the signal at the tower if the
weather had been better. Under more favor
able circumstances he would probably have
been able to stop the train. The engineer did
exploding. He was about 200 yards away when
the signal on the Dock street tower
was first seen. Kelly said the operator
at the Steelton tower had evidently
thought the block clear and given him
the white signal. He said the operator at the
Dock street tower had told him that he had not
reported the block clear to the Steelton OPP
orator. His train was about twenty-five min
utes late at Lancaster. and he was running
about thirty miles an hour when the crash
occurred If no run-in had taken place he
would have reached Harrisburg depot but five
minutes late. The schedule time allowed be-
tween Dock street tower and the Harrisburg
depot is two minutes. He always considered
the hagman O safe man. The fagman is sup
posed to have his caps at least 800 yards away
from the rear end OF his train. Kelly did not
care to say whether the fagman should have
remained back or not. The rules say that an
operator is not to declare block clear until
train has passed his tower 100 yards.
j. Z. Paynter, operator at the Dock street
tower, explained the block system and said he
could prove that he did not report his block
clear to the Steelton operator by his train sheet
The track walker was in the tower with him at
the time Of the accident. He held the first Sec
ton because the block was not clear. Friday
night was his first night at the Dock street tower
as an extra operator. he has been full-fedged
operator for the past six months. Engineer
Kelly and Fireman Neill, being recalled, both
testified that the operator at the Dock street
tower had displayed q red light.
Charles B. Rettaw, conductor of the second
section, stated that he believed Engineer Kelly
to be competent engineer.
Robert N. Brown. the fagman of the first
section, who has bcen in the service eight years,
stated positively that he placed a torpedo on
the track opposite the Paxton mills He said
he was called and climbed up over the top Of
the private car attached to the first section,
signaling the engineer from the car He said
he was called in too soon to get back any
further. The Steelton operator, he thought,
was to blame.
Several railroad men were called to testify AZ
to the operation Of the fng system. The Jury
will conclude its sitting today.