The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-01
INDICATING THE OFFICIALS
Concerned in the Recent Ohio
Extension Wreck.
McDowoli wv. va.) Recorders Statement
of the circumstance Leading Up to
the collision-what Captain Bailey Did
as Precautionary Messures-Where the
Sole Blame Should bs Placed.

He TIMES publishes by request the
following statement from the Nc
Dowell wv. Va J Recorder OF Septem Der
! % concerning the recent wreck on the
Ohio extension L ear WEIGH. w. Va in
which several persons lost their lives.
The Recorder gives this sketch OF the
case in order, as it says. that Captain
Bailey and Engineer Brown, who were
dishonorably discharged by the COM
psny, m ~ be at less, placed In proper
light befor the public:
The Recorder does not wish to appear
antagonistic to the Norfolk and Western
railroad nor any OF its interests, realiz-
ing and fully appreciating the fact
that it has been the principal factor in
bringing about the great development
which has taken place in this county
and this part OF the State within the
past few years, but in accordance with
the privileges Of free press it does
not hesitate nor will not refrain from
commenting upon the actions of pub
lie corporation whenever it secs fit, and
the Norfolk and Western railroad is not
nor shall be an exception to this fixed
rule Schedules, freight rates and
many other things pertaining to rail
roads are matters of pubic concern, as
are also undue delays and wrecks, and
in the latter particularly does it be-
noove the public to see that proper in.
vestigations are made, and the response
bility and blame fixed upon the proper
parties and upon none other.
1t is therefore from purely public
standpoint that the Recorder will re-
view some of the facts concerning the
accident which recently befell the
Columbus express near this place in
which several lives were lost and it will
be left to the reader to decide for him
self II the company was not more to
blame than either Conductor Bailey,
Engineer Brown or Baggagemaste
Witt. upon whom, by some nook or
crook, the blame was fixed.
The question in a nutshell is simply
this Was the company, in fixing the
blame upon and discharging from its
services three Of the best and most re-
liable men, strictly right in SO doing?
We think not. Public sentiment is
againstit The trainmen and other en-
ployes of the road disagree with the
stand the company has taken; so much
so that the Order of Conductors and the
Order of Engineers will respectively
make thorough investigation of the
case.
The accident in question occurred
about two miles east Of this place. A
wheel OF one of the trucks OF the ten
der worked loose on its axle, causing
the truck to be derailed. 1t was while
this mishap was being remedied that a
through freight folio wing crashed into
the rear OF the passenger train because
U Ho
most disastrous wrecks that has ever
occurred on the Ohio extension, six
persons losing their lives, two of whom
were passengers.
AS soon IS the first accident occurred
to the passenger train, Captain Bailey,
who knew that the freight train was
following him, sent his fagman back
with positive orders to keep on until he
met the freight train TO flag it down,
and get on the engine and ride back to
his own crew. as an extra precaution
Captain Bailey sent his baggagemaster
back to see that the fagman had done
as instructed. The baggage man went
back until he came to point where he
could see around curve, beyond which
is long stretch of straight track, as he
could see nothing of the hagman,
naturally supposed that he was beyond
the curve on the straight piece of track
and returned to the train. thinking
everything safe. This alone should ex
clude Captain Bailey from all blame,
for he certainly did everything within
the power Of human being under the
circumstance to prevent the wreck.
The flagman, however, instead of
doing as instructed, went back, as he
thought. twenty telegraph poles, as re-
CURED by the rules. but he afterwards
found that he made mis- count and had
only gone back ten telegraph poles.
There he says he placed torpedo and
remained until the freight train came.
The engineer of the freight, however,
says the flagman was not over five or
six poles back at the time he was flag
ged, and also says the torpedo was about
the same distance. Tho rules under
circumstances required him to go back
twenty telegraph poles and place two
torpedoes and one torpedo ten poles
back. The conflict in the statements
Of the flagman and freight engineer il
therefore immaterial since the main
point is established that the lagman
placed only the one torpedo and never
went back the twenty poles to place the
othor two. which fact firmly clinches
the guilt upon the flagman and the
company or officials who employed such
an incompetent hoodlum. Another
thing in favor Of Conductor Bailey and
against the company is the fact that
the flagman was inexperienced and in.
competent and he Bailey had reported
the matter to the proper Officials and
asked TO TO relieved of his services
This was granted, but the incompetent
fiagman was finally put upon Bailey's
train again in spite of his previous com
plant and protestations. The only
thing else that Captain Bailey could
possibly have done to prevent the acct