The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-02-25
FIXING THE BLAME
SECRET INVESTIGATION IN REGARD
TO THE WRECK.
Crews of Both Trains Trying to Ex
plain Why They Attempted to
FOrcibly Make Two Engines
Occupy the Same Space
at the Same Time.

| Who is to blame That is the question
which always follows wreck. and that il
| the question which the officials of th'
Santa Fe and Missouri Pacific are now in
vestigating concerning the collision o
| Thursday night between the Santa F.
freight and Missouri Pacific passenge
train at their crossing on Eighteenth
street.
The reason for the great care ant
| thoroughness which they are eXerting il
this case is not so much Of a pecuniary
nature as the fixing of blame where by i
mere shave many lives might have beer
lost. Also because it is desired to show
that at any time where carelessness exists
two passenger trains might collide witt
inestimatable Joss.
Railroads hnve laws of etiquetts just a.
individuals and certain rules govern theiI
action at meeting one another just rs
cab-drivers turn to then right whe L
they meet on the road. If two passenger
trains meet the first to stop and whistle
passes over first. The same is doue in
case two freights meet. If freight trair
and passenger train meet the preference
is generally given to the passenger trair
when they arrive at apparently the same
time, but in case the freight is notlceably
in advance the passenger waits.
The joint investigation was held by
Superintendent Hartman of the Santa Fs
and Superintendent Harding of the Mis-
souri, Pacific in the Office Of the latter yes
terday. The Santa Fe engineer and fire
man testified that they had stopped theil
4 1aI l,nS hary h.,L mr.
other train and had then started to cross
To start they had to back the engine ir
order to get the slack.
That is they could not pull all the TWEEN.
ty-five cars Of the train while the couplings
were all taut but had to back the cars sc
they could start one at a time. They
further stated that they did this twice and
made much noiss because of the engine
putting and the cars humping, and that
they neither had heard the whistle of the
Missouri Pacific.
They still further stated that when the
Missouri Pacific came into sight their
freight train had started and that then
it was too late to avoid collision,
but in hopes that something might be
done the engineer blew the whistle. re-
versed the lever and jumped as the two
trains clashed together.
The brakeman on the freight, who ran
ahead to switch the train onto the side
track, stated the same regarding the
trains stopping. and that he had crossed
the track before lie saw the passenger
train coming.
The Missouri Pacific engineer and fire
man We're also questioned. and they
both stated that their train
stopped and whisted; that neither
of them heard the Santa Fe's irst whistle
nor saw the freight till they where within
so feet OF the crossing The fireman stated
that he had the north windows of the en-
gne cab open and was looking out, but
neither saw nor heard the other train.
Superintendent Hartman was seen last
night aud interviewed as TO the outcome
of the investigation. He stated that he
did know yet what 1t would be. The tes-
timony given would be written by the
stenographer and then they could very
well argue it and come to decision.
How long will that bef"
''In few days"
Will any of you men be discharged"
'No They Will not be disciplined
in any manner as there is no doubt
in my mind about the circumstances, and
that they are in no way guilty of any
neglect and that they did all in their
power to prevent the wreck"
where was the train made up?"
AT Newton" said Mr.. Hartman, "and
the passenger coach was attached"
''Do those two trains often pass at the
crossing?"
Not that l know of, but the freight
WAS few minutes slow"
1.-Two trains ha We never come near col
liding at that point before thenY
mo. not that know Of"
1t will be several days before the matter
will be fully settled. but the way things
now stand it looks as if the accident hap
pened through carelessness or inaJtention.
There are buildings near the crossing
which might have hidden these trains,
and also some box cars were standing on
the sidetrack, but if a sharp lookout had
been kept either train could have been
seen from the other, 200 feet from The
crossing. If the airbrakes had been put
on and the engine levers reversed, the col
the fact that both roads have down grades
to the crossing.
Both roads admit that each train
stopped and whistled. The engineer
of the Santa Fe could not SC
well be expected to hear the other
whistle, AS the wind was from
the north and his engine was making u
great noise. The engineer of the Missouri
Pacific being on passenger train which
WAS easily and quickly stopped and started
may not have reached his stopping point
before the Santa Fe whistled and SO not
heard the whistle. besides he was OF the
south side of the boiler which was between
him and the other train. However, the
wind was from the north, no effort was
made TO stop his train when the freight
WAS finally seen and the fireman was look
ing out of the window. To which ever
line the blame is laid tue costs OF repairiu.
Will be assigned. Taey will be a little
under 81, 900
BIRTHDAY PARTY
Henry kassel, son of Mr.. and Mrs. Viii
liam kassel, celebrated his birthday yes
teroay which was the occasion for pleas