The Portland daily press., 1895-04-13
BARRY% FORGETFULNESS.l
1t Seems Established that This Caused
s. the NJ. C. r. r.. Collision.

IL seems Established That This Caused
the NJ. C. r. r. Collision.
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Train Dispatcher Crossman and Assistant
Supt. L. A. Hall on the Stand-The
Rules and Practices of Train Despatch-
ing.
AT the directors room in the Maine
Central9 General Office in this city,
yesterday forenoon, the inc uiry was con.
Tuned into the causes of the recent fatal
accident on the Maine Central near Ban
gor. 1t will be remem bered that this
accident occurred early in the morning,
just after Train Dispatcher William A.
Barry had been relieved by Arthur B.
Crossman. Train No. "a, moving
toward Bangor, had to pass three other
trains, Nos 81, SO and lis, which were
moving from Bangor Exchange street
depot) eastward. All the crossings had
to be made between OIdtown and Ban
gor.
In the first examination at Bangor.
Barry admitted that after he had ordered
blue flag.hung out at Orono to stop No.
"a, in order to arrange for it's crossing
with No. SO, he forgot to tell Crossman
about what he had done and also about
the posi- ion of No. 81. So Crossman or
dered the blue flag in. This allowed "a.
to proceed on it's fatal way.
Barry in his testimony admitted having
forgotten. but claimed that Crossman
shared the responsibility, because the
orders were recorded in book, which it
was CHEESEMAN'S duty to inspect
Yesterdays hearing was largely for the
purpose Of clearing up this question of
responsibility. The three commissioners,
Messrs. Mortland, Chad bourne. and Dan
forth were present with Colonel Earring
ton, the secretary, and stenographer.
The first witness was Train Depatcher
Arthur B. Crossman. He said that his
occupation was that of train dispatcher,
giving orders for the crossing of trains
and the running of them. When doing
this they are acting on their own respon-
sibility. Witness had been engaged in
despatching nearly five years. In that
time the same rules had been observed
in despatching.
There are seven despatchers, five work
ing during the day and two night de-
spatchers. One right dispatcher works
all night one week and part of the night
and morning the next week.
While on duty the dispatcher gives the
trains the necessary orders, doing the
To Oh, s.
corded when it is repeated back, the en-
gineer and conductor having signed it.
When dispatcher comes on at night
and in the morning, what is his duty?
was asked
Witness replied that there was no fixed
rule. Sometimes there was business to
turn over and sometimes not.
Witness then said that the man who
goes off duty tells the man who comes
on the state of things. 1t is also custom
airy, when signals are out. for the man
coming on duty to look over the book
where orders are recorded to see that be
does not forget anything that the man
going off duty tells him.
But it has been the custom to depend
upon the statement of the man going off
duty for knowledge as to the condition
of the trains. 80
Witness said that on the morning Of
the accident he came ON duty relieving
William A. Barry about seven o'clock.
Very soon the operator at Orono asked
him If he had orders Tor No. Ga. Wit
ness then asked Barry what flag was out
for "a. Barry replied that signals were
out for No. lis at Exchange street, Ban
gor, and for No. 81 at Basin Mills.
just then lis arrived at Exchange
street and the Basin Mills operator
broke in that No. 81 was clear. So the
witness sent word to Orono to take flag
in.
The operator at Orono asked again for
"a before taking flag in, and was an
swered 20. K"
Did you look in the book? was asked.
Crossman replied that it would have
done no good, as there ould have seen
nothing in the book in regard to "a.
The orders put In the book are only such
as the conductors and engineer have
back.
When trains are. to cross at given
point is it rule to notify both trains?
Whom it is practicable orders are sent
to both trains simultaneously. At other
ii mes single orders are given. Orders to
both are practica BILE when both can be
reached readily. Sometime, to save
time, when necessary, single rather
than a double order is given. 1t is not
always the custom to give tie orders to
both trains the flag being put out some
times where trains are to cross, and the
train arriving first takes the flag in.
Commissioner Mortland then asked,
W hat was to hinder sending orders
simultaneously to GA at Oldtown and So
at Bangor, that they were to cross.
Il was not there when the order was
given and I cannot sayn WAS Crossman's
reply.
Mr.. Mortland.then read the rule that
the order should always be sent first to
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