New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-09
AN UNSOLVABLE MYSTERY
SUPERINTENDENT MARTIN UNABLE TO
FIND A CAUSE FOR THE RECENT
BRIDGE ACCIDENT.

A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION THROWS NO LIGHT
UPON IT-No REPORT YET MApE-THE TOTAL
DAMAGE MERE TRIFLE-wHAr MIGHT
HAVE HAPPENED IF THE CAR HAD
BEEN CROWDED INSTEAD OF ALMOST
EMrTY-AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE.
Bridge Superintendent, c. c. Martin absent
from Brooklyn when the accident happened to one
OF the Bridge cars near the Brooklyn station on
Saturday afternoon August T. and his first infor-
nation regarding il way derived from reading The
Tribune at Lake George where he spent par' OF
his vacation. To say that he was surprised at what
had taken place Is to put the matter mildly. lie
thundersirucl The possibility of such thing
had never occurred to him. and his astonishment
has scarcely diminished since. on his return 10
Brooklyn he made thorough an investigation as
possible of all the circumstances relating TO the
accident examining the engineer and fireman or
the switch engine. the in charge OF the switch
tower every Bridge employe, in fact who knew any
thing about the matter and even the passengers
in the unlucky
On the afternoon of the day in question. shortly
before o'clock. just after train had been pushed
by engine out of the Brooklyn station and as the
cars were taking the cable the rear truck of the
rear left the track for some mysterious reason.
causing the car TO turn over in the roadway. where
It rested on its side until the evening Of the fol-
lowing day. The forward truck did not leave the
track. but the bolt fastening 1t to the was
broken; still the forward end OF the car did not
fall into the roadway. There were only five persons
in the at the time. and of them
seriously hurt. 1t was supposed by some of the
Bridge attaches just after the mishap tina: some
part of the ironwork the truck broke.
thus causing it TO leap the rails
superintendent Martin has made report 70 the
Bridge Trustees in reference 10 the accident. He
has not been called do If he is called he
will only be able to report that he has beer wholly
unable to reach any positive conclusion. He has
haused the available sources of information, but
has not succeeded in getting any satisfactory light
the subject. In short, the OF the mishap is
a mystery, and bids fair to remain such. When
spoken 10 about the matter Mr.. Martin said day
or ago:
1--WE had reason whatever TO anticipate such
accident, and there is TO suppose that
another like it will occur in the future The Bridge
railroad has been in operation for twelve years. and
have carried millions Of passengers. but nothing
OF the kind happened before Ii is true that |
trucks have jumped the track at the switches in the
stations. sometimes for no apparent reason. but |
nothing OF this nature has occurred the regular |
tracks. And despite the most careful inquiries
which I have been able TO make have entirely |
failed TO discover anything that throws light upon
the cause of the accident Certainly there was
nothing wrong with the tracks, for after short
delay, only about twenty minutes. the regular
ming or trains was resumed over them without oc-
casoning the least trouble. Nor l find that
there anything at fault with the truck which
left the track. or that any part Of the frame
broken. In fact. no explanation OF the cause OF
the accident can be given.
zone of the passengers in the says that be-
fore the switching engine released the train ii
gave the car three bumps, and he thinks that 1t was
the engine which pushed the car from the track |
But cannot accept his theory or his testimony
The engineer, the fireman and the switch towerman
al affirm that the engine was at least twenty feet |
distant when I the aG S and they were
forward end OF the car. You have. doubt. noticed
acquire a little faster speed than the cable and as
me grips tighten, there Is something In the nature
which the passenger heard, and attributed TO the
''If the trucks had lef, the trace or, the Bridge
proper instead of the approach. OF course, the car
T T n9 have been been bSs hut would the
NO. answered superintendent Martin. II think
haSs in any O ihfFe
leaped the rails, The chances Of ovegsetting car
It came against the truss the car ah he than a' the
Bridge. would suffer. At the point where the ac-
beam The latter begins little farther QUIZ and
] believe that it because the wheels OF the
turned over. 1t was mistake to say that the car
was turned i bottom side upward in the ROADWAY;
end did not come down in the roadway at all"
c eide happened at g. time when there We're SO
few people In the carr,
|
likely. in my judgment, that a crowded car would |
be overturned in this way than practically
empty. The weight is important factor In the |
problem. OF course, an empty car ought aot TO |
jump the track but loaded would not do so
30 easily. Nevertheless. as you suggest IL |
crowded car had gone over this did IL would |
have been pretty serious matter. A good many |
Of the passengers would have been badly hurt and
here would have been bad panic among them.
thing could take place and little damage be
lone. If any one had told that a truck | ,
could cross the tracks at that point and cause then
no injury, should have said IL imposs, |
)ility. But the tracks not hurt at all, for
vent right using them If nothing had hap
oened and none of the cable sheaves were damaged
n the least Then the car was only hurt 70 a
rifng extent and the passengers suffered only
Insignificant injuries. | suppose $50 would covert ,
III the damage done
1T Is really extraordinary case said the g,
superintendent, In conclusion. 1.-THE cause OF IL Is
mystery and l do not how it ever be 6
leared up. / do not any reason to suppose T..
hat anything of the kind will ever happen again. |
hough II I knew the l should be able TO
peak more positively on this point have not |
,een asked to make a report regarding the mat
er. II asked shall only be able to report |
What have already told YOU