New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-03
NO SIGNALS EXCEPT FLAGS.
THE ROAD SHORT on SWITCHES Mso-wHAT
OFFICIALS HAVE TO SAY.

THE ROAD SHORT OF SWITCHES AIso-wHAT
OFFICIALS HAVE TO SAY.
p,chara 4 Larke superintendent Of the railroad
vas seen by Tribune reporter at the Cohey
leland station last night and sad of the accident
Engine No 3 left the Bay Ridge station at Sjl
o.c,ock this afternoon with long train of cars,
=, which the rear cars were not overcrowded Al
,rh,-I-ave the train was joined by Engine No ..
which came up in the rear and helped 10 push II
% Manhattan Bridge Then No. left the Taih
ard hacked down the Bay Ridge yard There
4, colided with engine just going out. Ehs"eer
Jensen on No g. had reversed his lever ana 'ie
shocL Of the collision broke the cab SO that II
oa,.d on the lever and prevented the engineer
from getting at It. Then Engine 10. started run
ming toward Coney Island The engineer iri sa
hara 70 get at the lever, but could not, ana "e
n,mned off when the train passed the Ihrd-aVe'
L~Ids. The fireman had been thrown off BEFORE.
.rhore e down grade TO Bath Junction ana
.h The Grade is level. | went to the scene or the
wrock as soon as possible and have been busy ever
since" ~
The secretary and treasurer OF the roan' - l.
Nelson said to a Tribune reporter:
mo human means could have prevented this acct
dent Results out of anybody's control after
the wild engine started. am thankful 1t was no
worse. We have never had serious acciueh' u"
mir Nelson" said the reporter. have you any
block system Of signals on the road or any mean ah
Way-stations in case of danger on the line
SIGNALS BY FLAGS
.We" said Mr.. Nelson. 1.-THE road Is only SIX
miles long and have only a system OF docking
nv signalling with flags. There are sixteen nag
signal men between Bay Ridge and Woodawn
think But then what could they do toward nag
gIng an engine that had nobody aboard AS 10
Switches il would not be feasible to nave any OF
them They would be more of a danger 10 trains
than a pr. sentive OF such accidents Peopie ,"ouId
omen them and trains would be in continual danger
Of running into open switches. We depend on the
flag system.
no MEANS OF COMMUNICATIONS.
Mr. Nelson admitted that there was no means OF
communicating with Woodlawn and other way sta
lions Immediately in OF danger He admitted
that there was no way of sending the threatened
train at Woodlawn out Of danger yesterday IL
had just started from Woodawn when the snocN
came" he said 1T the duty OF the naginah
on the rear car to watch for danger In the rear
''Where was he?" asked the reporter.
ION the rear seat" the answer, "Dut OF
course he couldn't flag wild engine. 80 -,
The loss to the road Will be about slow TOT tne
three cars burnel and about $4,000 for the broken
locomotive The cab OF the wild engine, thlmh
was burning when ii tearing down the roal. Inc
cloth curtains the ears afterwaTd fcd the name
I'VE have several physicians retained by the road
and az soon "a | heard OF the accident sent OUT
for hem We had Doctors Ward. Hill and Lewis
Ia ~ evening A gang of wreckcrs was busy clear
ing the wreckage from the bent rails II Is SAID the
road has no regular wreckine train.