The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-16
TO INVESTIGATE THE WRECK.
OFFICIALS OF THE f. c. AND p.
HERE FOR THAT PURPOSE.

Engineer Petit of Train No. 30 Ac-
knOwIedges That Ii Mns His Error
That Caused the Collision \
Strange Mistake for Careful En-
gineer-The Remains of Lines
Thomas and Elmer Identified by
Their Kcys-OnIy n Few Chnrred
Bones Left to Tell the Tale.
The Florida Central and Peninsular rail-
road wreck, near Swansea, win be inVes-
tigated to-day by the officials of the com
many. President Duval and General Man
ager Maxwell Of Jacksonville are here for
that purpose. The investigation will be
held in the office Of Trainmaster Williams
at the Central railroad passenger station.
As stated in yesterdays Morning News,
the mistake of one word by Engineer Petit
of train No. IS caused the wreck, and
was responsible for the subsequent dam
age and loss of life. The engineer ac-
knowledges his mistake, and at the inves-
tigation to-day will probably assume the
whole blame Trainmaster Williams said
that he was never more surprised in his
life than when he found that the terrible
wreck was due to a mistake on the part
of Petit. Above all the other engineers
on his division, he said, he considered him
the least liable to make mistake. He is
a man who never takes a drink, nor even
uses tobacco. He was known as an intel
ligent, careful and reliable man, and
would have been the man selected in any
case for a difficult run. How he could
have made such a mistake is mystery.
urbic -
ter was this:
NO. S6, engine TO- will wait a Swansea
until 3:15 a. IN. for No. 3d. engine SO. No.
Sc will not wait variation
The latter sentence meant that the
usual allowance of five minutes for varia-
ton in time of watches would not be
made. The order was given from the Sa-
vannah office by Dispatcher Ford. 1t
was received at Columbia by Engineer
Petit and Conductor Taylor, of No. 80. 1t
meant, of course, that If No. IS arrived
first at Swansea, it would await the ar
rival of No. Sc, the latter train having the
right of way. The rules require trainmen
when receiving orders to read the order, |
after il is handed them, to the operator
who received it, in order that there may
be no misunderstanding Engineer Petit
says that in reading his or
der to the operator, he read
ii Sweden instead of Swansea. The opera
ductor Taylor says that he understood |
his order for Swansea and so read it,
When the train passed Swansea without /
stopping, Conductor Taylor noticed the !
mistake at once. He pulled his signal |
cord for the engineer to stop, and finding |
that this was not noticed, he pulled his /
danger cord. The danger cord also throws |
on the air brakes. Petit told Trainmas- /
ter Williams that his signal whistle did |
not sound, and that if the air brakes
We're thrown on, he d,d not feel them. |
He had no idea of the danger until he |
saw the headlight Of No 36. Then he /
reversed his engine, threw on the air /
brakes and jumped for his life. The two |
trains were running at the rate Of about |
forty miles an hour, and the reversing |
of the engines and throwing on of the |
air brakes by the engineers, had but lit |
tie effect.
Had Engineer Petit been drinking
man, there would have been some explana-
ton of his mistake in reading the order,
and 1t might have been supposed that his
signal whistle sounded without his hear
ing It. The wreck was cleared away
Wednesday night and trains were run
ming on schedule as usual yesterday.
Three little piles OF charred bones were
gathered from the wreck, all that re- /
manned Of the three men who persisted. /
There was but one means of identifying /
the remains and that was by the punches /
of keys carried by each man. Search was /
made for these and bunch of keys was /
found near each pile Of bones. The KEYS 1
were identified as belonging to Mail Clerk |
J. L. Thomas, Express Messenger w. ,. |
Lines and Flagman w. F.. Elmer. The /
finding of the third lot of bones and of /
the keys belonging to Elmer, established /
the fact that he had persisted in the wreck, /
which was in some doubt no one knowing |
his Whereabouts at the time of the col |
Ision Conductor Taylor stated that on |
approaching Swansea he had instructed /
Elmer to go forward to turn the switch /
a that station. To do this he probably /
went forward to the baggage car and was 4
caught there with the other two men who |
were killed
II was at first arranged to bury what |
remained Of the three men at Swansea /
but the relatives of Lines decided yester-
day to have his remains removed to Jack |
sonville for interment, and they will be |
brought through here this morning hv /
train No. IS. Unless contrary instructions |
are received from the relatives Of Thomas |
and Elmer their remains will be Inferred |
at Swansea.
The other trainmen and expressmen |
who were injured in the wreck are only |
snghty hurt. Engineer Bel is suffering |
homeWhat from the wrench given his back |
IN jumping from his engine, but expects |
to@De present al the Investigation to-day |
IL is singular fact that the two men who |
came so near meeting death on their OBJ |
posing engines Wednesday morning are |
prothers-ln-law and reside in the same |
house on Liberty street.
WILL BE ANOTHER uEAprNc