New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-17
rpyING TO FIX THE BLAME.
.,,,,errc ALTON OF THE COLLISION AT
THE HACKENsACK BRIDGE BEGUN.
copoHER's JURY OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
e,o.N PLACES THE RESPONSIBILITY FOX
THE WRECK or THE ENGINEER
OF TIE SECOND TEAlN

Volk Of IlOboken, selected d Jug i'' ca ~
Quest. and took preliminary survey vi 'he
Ground. and Samuel Sloan the president Oh 'he
rorroad company. began an inquiry III the conn
nany's office, in Hoboken. II was evident that
49, ,u,o Investigations. ostensibly having in view
..o Same end-the fixing OF the responsibility
~ tho frehtful loss Of life and the injury of
.oary norsons on the Hackensack meadows
,.o,,Id nroceed on widely different lines. While
~. railroad officials will conduct their inquiry
oro,lv and NAV seek to collect or suppress
;dorce as the interests OF the company re-
,;-e the official inquiry by the coroner will be
r,,huc and Mr.. Volk said yesterday that 1t
would be searching.
rho EVOLVE men who were selected by the
coroner as iurymen arc +. w Bender. ]. Heath.
I p Virgins Henry 1iirtler. a I. HeXameT,
A Iankirng j. Bruning. Nj. V. McDcrmott,
II Iohman jr.: II. II. Albert, Frederick Eichner
end NJ Daab, jr. The Coroner and jury went
~ the place of the wreck yesterday morning in
q special car provided by the railroad COM
many. and T. r. Griffith, the assistant superin-
tendent OF the company accompanied them on
the trip
At THE PLACE OF THE WRECK.
When they arrived at the place west OF the
uackensack bridge wnere the South Orange
local train crashed into the Dover express in the
fog on Monday morning, they could see little
10 suggest a railroad horror. The splintered re-
mains Of wrecked cars which had been flung
into the marsh on the north side or the raliroad
embankment had been burned. There were ieft
only heaps of ashes where bonfires had blazed
On Monday night and it was said that the bon
fires had been lighted by employees of the rail-
road company. on the south side or the en-
bankment still lay the smokestack and other
parts of the wrecked locomotive of the South
Orange train Mr.. Griffith took the Coroner and
1urymen on to the companys repair shops at
Kincsland where the locomotive and several
cars OF both trains were laid up for repairs.
There the jurymen spent some time inspecting
the broken cars. in some of which were blood
stains and other evidence of the disaster. Afte:
they had returned TO Hoboken, Mr.. Nolk an
nounced that the taking of testimony at the in
quest probably would begin on "Wednesday OF
next week. as by that time he expected that
some important witnesses, now in the hospital,
would be able to appear.
CONDITION or THE ENGINEER.
President Sloan went to the offices Of the
company in Hoboken early in the forenoon, but
did not remain there long Mr.. Griffith said in
the afternoon that Mr. Sloan had expected to
continue an investigation during the day. but
had changed his mind because David Hoffman,
the engineer Of the South Orange local train,
who was believed to have been chiefly at fault,
was not in a condition to be examined. Two of
The subordinate officials of the railroad company
went to St. Mary's Hospital in Hoboken yester-
day. and asked permission TO talk with Hoffman.
but the physicians there said II was necessary
that the engineer should have absolute quiet
The rear brakeman Of the Dover express train,
who started back to flag the South Orange local
train on Monday morning. but suddenly lost his
wits and returned to advise the passengers on
lis train to jump for their lives. was suspended
from duty yesterday. The railroad officials said
bis name was Wheaton. but they declared they
did not know his Christian name, and could not
tell where he might be found. To show that
Wheaton had neglected his plain duty in failing
to 60 back sooner and further in an effort to
stop the South Orange local train, Mr.. Griffith
pointed to Rule No Sc. printed on the back
Of the official timetable OF the railroad:
g. When 1t becomes necessary from any cause.
between stations. or TO stand a station longer
than the usual time. or 70 proceed only at slow
rate of speed the rear brakeman must go back
Instantly with danger signals Gcd flag and tor
pedoes by day. red lamp and torpedoes by night
1T least half mile. twenty telegraph poles to
stop any following train engine; he must display
the danger signal in a conspicuous manner ana
remain there until called in by the conductor. rs
en- additional precaution, he must imInedlatey
faster a torpedo TO each rail- which must not be
removed and when called in he must fasten another
torpedo % the rail, ten telegraph poles from the
rear Of the train.
NOT COMPELLED TO MAKE SCHEDULE TIME.
Mr. Griffith contradicted report that Hoff-
man. the engineer. compelled TO make
schedule time through the fog on Monday morn
ing or risk being laid off, and he cited the fol-
lowing rules 10 show that the engineer had
failed 10 use required caution:
r. All engines and trains must approach the
not exceeding five miles per hour: and this rate OF
speed must not he exceeded until the entire tram
has crossed the bridges.
65 Engineers Will run their trains nearly TO
card time possible; neither too soon nor too late
a, d station. 1t is not necessary that passenger
trains should stop more than three minutes for
water ut any station: when the train Is behind
time. the stop should be short possible: boti
conluc,ors and engineers must have due regard
for the safety of passengers and property upon
for the purpose of making up time between stations
or arriving at terminal stations upon time: IN
case OF fogGy or stormy weather the greatest care
must ne exercised. speed reduced around curves
passing stations approaching bridges, ana APP
preaching and passing through the different yards
Fault will not be found for being behind time when
caution and prudence dictate that as the safe
course.
Before he went TO I1oboken yesterday morn
ing. President Sloan said in reference to the
wrecl; on Monday: According 10 a rule OF
the company. which is that in foggy or stormy
weather the greatest care must Do eAeIC'Se"'
speed reduced around curves, passing stations,
approaching bridges and passing through the
different Yards l can find no one to blame
but The engineer OF the second train. His
train should nave been running slowly and
under control when he came up to the draw
bridge From the facts 50 far presented 10 me
l can place the blame on the engineer alone.
] am going to HOboken 10 superintend the in
vcs:igaticn which may develop circumstances
that may place the blame elsewhere
WHY THE BLOCK SYSTEM WAS NOT USED.
As 10 the reports that our trains race with
trains on the Pennsylvania road. do not think
II Is So l have been on trains that people
have said Were racing, but know they were
running on schedule time. We are charged
with crime In not having bock-signal system
We have not used the block system because we
have not deemed Il necessary. We consider
man superior TO machines"
William Sloan. the third vice-president OF the
nd il,1,a ia,at