The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-08-17


Ocean View Railroad aud rendered O
verdict that the accident was unavoid-
able.
The inquiry was held yesterday as
on the previous day at the Hunters
vile schoolhouse.
The attendance was not quite SO
large as on the previous day, as many
oi the witnesses had been excused. The
testimony taken was IN the main,
of expert character. The first witness
called was Capt. Colona, OF the Ocean
View railroad.
CAPTAIN CoLoNA.
He testified that he had been in the
employ of the Ocean View road about
seven years; that the roadbed has been
recently thoroughly oyerhauled aud
made new, and the gauge had been
wldened TO the standard, the weight of
the rails being changed from thirty TO
seventy pounds to the yard; that from
banding the motor car he thought it
would weigh about fifteen or eighteen
tons and the trailers about seven or
eight tons each; that the weight of the
old steam engine and the motor car
WAS about the same, while the weight
Of the trailers and the passenger coaches
Formerly used was also about the same.
AAo Woo WIN tuG bG6u6 OIL IQ6
accident; that it was very easy curve
and he did not consider it nc cessary TO
slow up In rounding II.
Captain Marshall asked if, slnce the
accident, his trains ran around the
curve at the rate of forty miles an
hour, to which he replied that he did
not know as he had not been on o
passenger train since that time. He
wns asked If spike had been laid
ionRitudinally on the high rail of IL
curve would not the sppfoach of IL
iouded train, running at twenty-five
or thirty miles an hour jar the spike of
the track and he replied that it would
not in all cnses; that in his experience
as an engineer he never knew of
epike throwing q train eH the track.
ahe spikes found we're three quarters
OF an inch square, and il lying longi-
Eudinally on tho track would deraiI
car.
In reply 10 question said: l never
felt like taking any chances and yet l
have come from Ocean View to the
Princess Anne road, distance of seven
and half mlies, III thirteen minutes.
did not feel any danger on account of
chat speed.
Continuing. the witness eaid that he
had visited the scene since the exami-
nation, but made lie examination of the
track. To Capt. Marshall said he
would not apply air brakes if he were
running an engine ut the rate of thirty
three miles nn hour around that curve,
and II the brakos were applied sud
denly it would be apt to throw the cars
oil the tracks, but the same would apply
III the same as running on straight
track.
Capt. Colona thought that at the
fate OF thirty miles Rn hour. the front
part OF Che motor car would be the first
portion Of the train to leave the track,
III any. He did not think that if tho
motor car had the proper brakes and
thsre were moro on the trsilers, that
Che sudden application OF these brakes
would throw the motor car oil the
track and leave the trailers on unless
shere WAS an obstruction on the track.
Al the air brakes were used on the
motor car alone, it would have d ten.
dency to cause the trailer to run up
ander and raise the rear part of the
motor ear.
The witness said that there were two
gangs OF trackmen employed on the
road under his supervision, and since
the accident there have been three,
possibly more. patrolmen employed.
uht tnere were no patrolmen engaged
before tho accident. He said that he,
While englneer, had trouble with peo.
pie on the track and had several times
20 stop his train to prevent killing
them. He always kept sharp lookout
ahead, and under the old management.
Instructions wore found on tho track
frequently.
The schedule time between Norfolk
and Ocean View was thirty n,iuutes
under both the old and the new system.
bnt Is safe now owing to being wide
gauge.
Question-"What is your theory as
to the cause of the accideut?"
Answer-"J Judging from the appear.
Rnce OF things, the accident was caused
ny an obstruction being placed on the
track.
Capt. Colona said he did not rcmem
Der any body's being killed on account
oi distractions on the track under the
old management, aud but two under
She new management. referring to
Soung Gatewood aud young MurdHngh.
10 juror Snid ho considered forty
miles al hour safe speed around the
curve where !he accident occurred In.
answer to another question the witness
paid hat If spike had been laid on
she track, and the train had been run.