New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-21
MR.. JOHNSON ON MOTORMEN.
TO THEIR CARELESSNESS HE ATTRI-
BJTTES MOST OF THE TROLLEY
CAR ACCIDENTS.
THE ONE WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUNDAY
NIGHTS ACCIDENT WAS DISCHARGED BY
Y


NIGHTS ACCIDENT WAS DISCHARGED BY
JUDGE rrGHE YESTERDAY MORNING.
A motorman named Maloney. who Is held re-
sponsible for the trolley accident at Tenth-ave ana
Thirty -nnth-st Sunday night. In which seven peo-
PIE were injured. and who was arrested on COM
rlaint OF Edwin Tobn. OF No. 1923 Prospect-ave. an
inspector OF the Nassau company was brought DE-
fore Judge Tighe yesterday morning. The inspector
was not there press the charge and. in spite or
the efforts OF another representative OF the COM
pany Judge Tighe discharged Maloney Before this
took place the motorman explained 10 Judge 11ghe
that he did all he could TO stop the car. but that
the brakes would not work
The car dashed the ties and cobblestones
for over seventyhve feet the representative OF the
road said
What does that sgnify?' Judge Tghe asked the
man. who would not tell who he was
1T means that the speed great. and In excess
OF the law and the companys rules and that this
should be held"
We'll. ! cannot hold man on wind unless you
saw the accident and Will make the complaint"
Maloney said later In the day that Sunday was
his first experience with trolley-car. The com
pany's Instructor took him over the route twice.
and then placed him In Full charge on the busiest
day of the week. and with little knowledge OF the
road. Maloney. according to his own statement.
was working in a marble yard up 10 few days
ago and his knowledge OF electricity was limited.
II did my best" sad Maloney. "and think II
hard that the company should prosecute me. when
they knew was not experienced motorman."
President Ar Johnson o, the Nassau road.
characterized the accident an outrageous pece
Of carelessness.
"Our orders to the men plain" said he The
rule is that every motorman shall stop at this curve
and 50 ahead until the conductor has -ung two
bc.is. This man Maloney must have known about
the curve. for he had gone IL four times thai
day.
"A Broadway Ferry and Coney ISLAND car had pre-
coded him. and turning into Church Lane from
the West End tracks had left the switch open. II
Maoney's business 10 stop his car. change his
switch an 20 on down Thirty -nnth-st. Evel II ne
had forgotten 10 turn the switch and ai taken the
Curve the proper speed. nothing would nave hap
pered ne would simply have found himself en- the
wrong track. But ne was going. am Informed. az
the rate Of fifteen miles an hour and. Of course the
jumped the rails and bumped over the ties. We
have discharged about forty men for racing around
that curve Motormen in Brooklyn seem 10 do as
they please IL is the hardest thing 10 get them 10
obey rules: ! vii. fire a every time IL
catch him breaking a rule regulation OF the COM
pany. Since took hold. In Alril have had
400 accidents. some OF them costing nothing
others a deal. OF la;e the percentage OF acct
dents has decreased This Is easy road TO get
a.ong with all We ask OF employees Is that they
do they told And you will find. with most OF
these accidents. that motormen have done just the
contrary TO what they were told