New-York tribune., 1894-01-16
WHAT TIE TRAINMEN SAY.
HOFFMAN THE ENGINEER or THE ORANGE LO
CAL TRAIN. SAID TO BE \ NAN
WHO TOOK RISKS

CAL TRAIN. SAID TO BE MAN
WHO TOOK RISKS.
Before David Hoffman. the engineer OF the Orange
train was removed to the hospital. he said TO
Rundlo the conductor Of the train:
Il did not the train ahead until was within
a few rods of It. reversed the engine at once.
turned on the air brakes and Jumped. at the
time yelling at my fireman t. do the same. The
crash came the instant jumped
Hoffman then again became insensiblc. and he
was s,ill unconscious when he arrived at the hos
pital.
Irwin Metz. the fireman Of the Orange train, was
seen at his home in South Orange yesterday after
noon. He was suffering from shock, but was only
slightly Injured. When questioned concerning the
accident he said: I'VE going about twenty
five miles hour. when suddenly there loomed up
in front Of the Dover express. II was barely
MOVING along. as the Nackensack draw was open.
The fog was thick that We got within 100 feet OF
the train ahead before We saw It at all Ensneer
climbed over the tender behind the locomotive. and
just as the crash came ! jumped too: ! ,L landed
body ana was lying on the track The shock and
/ don't know how / escaped further injury. or how
long the track. but ! consider mat was
Il don't know who is to blame. but do know that
there werr no signals for Us to stop The signals
d. T. Wheaton rear brakeman OF the Dover Ex-
press. said yesterday afternoon that hs train was
running abou, t'c rate Of twelve miles an hour
He heard two torpeioes explode. lie was standing
near the rear door at the time ana opening IL, he
went out upon the rear platform OF the car. when
was combination smoker ana basEag. lie
stood for n lew minutes undecided whether to 70
back up the track and look out for an approach
ing train Wheaton finally took his nag and started
up the track. He had gon" but a Few feet. now
ever when he heard the sound of n train coming
RAPIDLY down the track. Quickly realizing 1t would
be impossible To stop the OncominS train. ne ran
10 his own train and shouted for the passengers
10 save themselves After doing this he had barely
time 10 save himself when the Orange Local crashed
into the rear Of the forward train. Wheaton did
everything possible. according to his statement to
avert the disaster
Louis Bailcntine. baggage master OF the Dover
train saw the locomotive Of the orange tram tearing
down upon his train at high rat" or speed ~.
made one leap for the side door or the car ana
iumped out fIe rolled down the cmbankment, but
was no, seriously injured His statement OF the al
fair IL AZ follows:
ness of the engineer of The South Orange Local.
He had been In several accidents before. anu was
known to be "A man who took risks. About year
ago an accident similar 10 this one was barely
ayerted at South Orange. when HOFFMAN was the
pushed about two hundred feet before It came to
a stop yesterday,
HE THINKS TIE ENGINEER WAS TO BLAME.
Samuel Sloan, president Of the I.ackawanna rail-
from the information he had received about the
accident he thought the blame should be placed
upon the engineer of the second train THE train.
II seems, he said. was running under iul speed.
In such heavy fog the engineer should have re-
duced his speed and proceeded with caution. There
l. lock-sgnal system that point, but signals
would have done no good In such a fog The fact
that we have reduced our force OF men can In no
way be considered a. one cause OF the wreck Our