The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-08-04
FIXING THE BLAME
For the Terrible Meadow Massa-
Gre Near Atlantic City,
STATEMENT OF T0WERMAN LONG.

Tho Pennsylvania Train Had the Right OF
Way. bulHe Thinks 1t should lave Been
Given to the Reading Express-0Inny
Hours Work for Little Wages.
ATLANTIC CITY, Aug. 4-Coroner Nc
Laughlin yesterday began his inqucsti into
the terrible railroad collision on tho
meadows last Thursday evening, and be
fore he finishes he hopes to fix the blame
for the forty-four deaths which resulted.
Coroner Mclaughlin has the assistance
of Prosecutor of the Pleas Perry in con-
Quoting the case, and Captain Perry ex-
amined the witnesses Both the Reading
and West Jersey railroads are represented
by counsel, and have stenographers pres
emit taking the testimony in full. The
Reading railroad is represented by Judge
Joseph Thompson, Of this city, and Law
yer G. A. Hart, Of Philadelphia. Judge
Gaskill and an assistant are defending the
Pennsylvania railroad case.
Most of the testimony taken was unim-
portant and was only introduced to es-
tablish the fact of the collision and the
deaths resulting. Superintendent Dray-
ton, of the West Jersey railroad, confined
himself to an explanation Of the operation
vi JllO DiDth NlSltl ~ NUSllls AtNplNlhB w
Mr.. Drayton, the block system is the near
est approach to u perfect safeguard against
collision that human ingenuity has yet in
vented, but the superintendent was forced
TO admit that its perfect operation depends
upon the perfect obedience of orders by
railroad employees
A. 7. Dice, superintendent Of the At
lantic City (Reading) railroad, said he was
at the scene of the accident about 10o'clOck
on the night it occurred. Upon reaching
the scene witness found hecaution signal
on the distant and danger on the home
signal Upon reaching a C~autionary sig
nal, said Mr.. Dice, and finding it in "A
horizontal position the train must be pre-
pared to stop at the home signal unless
the right of way is given by the tower
man This system of signals applies
equally to both roads, and are given in
the same manner. Any danger signal can
be put in position at any time, but it is
not possible to give clear" signals on all
tracks at the same time. When clear
signals are shown on one track the signals
on the other track must necessarily be
locked ut danger. The tower operators
are paid $40 u month for twelve hours
work a day.
Nicholas Long, the tower operator, the
best witness of the day, has held that
place about eight years. He was IN duty
on Thursday last, from $40 in the morn
ing until 6:3S Mt night. He left the tower
about $40, being relieved by George F.
Hauser, who got there on the Reading
freight train about 6:3S. Before Hauser
reported TO the witness all signals Were set
ut danger. He was positive of this. He did
not remember anybody being around the
tower that day, and knew nothing Of "A
boy from Wilmington, Del, who was said
to have been seen in the vicinity.
As soon as the freight passed witness
threw the signal back, put the time on
the sheet, reported to the main Office at
Camden, and after exchanging a word or
two with Hauserleft the tower and locked
the basement door. He started to walk
home. The signal tower and its appliances
were working properly that day. When
he gave the clear way to the freight nee
~essarily the danger signals went up against
every other track. Then he returned them
all to the normal danger signals.
Witness had gone about 800 feet away
from the tower when he saw the West
Jersey approaching. He looked at the
home signal and saw that the West Jer-
sey had a clear track. Then he heard the
whistle of the inbound Reading express.
When he heard the Reading whistle the
train was about a half mile off. He paused
and watched her approach, expecting to
see her stop. The West Jersey was going
very slowly. As soon as he saw the posi-
ton of the trains he felt satisfied that the
Reading should have had the right of way,
as was customary. The tower man who
relieved him, however, had given the West
Jersey the right of way, and the Reading
train should have come to n stop. The
tower man has the right to stop an ex-
press to let "a freight train passif he sees fit.
Then came the crash Witness hurried
TO the tower and found Hauser there
alone. Together they reported the accident
TO the railroad companies by wire.
In answer to further questions Long
said that if a train rang the track bell he
would not give 1t the right Of way until
he had looked over the other tracks. If he
had been in the tower at the time he GER
tainly would have given the Reading the
right of way, because she had the prior
right, according to the agreement, and
would have crossed before the West Jersey
got there. Witness has not stopped an eX-
press train on the Reading for three
years,
tits expected that Night Operator Hauser
and Fireman Hallihan, of the Reading
train, will be on the stand this afternoon.