The evening times., 1896-08-03
Inquest Begun Upon Atlantic
City Railway Horror.
SIGNIFICANCE OF SIGNALS
Arrangement of Tower and Mechan-
ism Connected With 1t Explained to
Represented by Counsel. and Public
Prosecutor Assisting the Coroner.

sdnatofium !,aSSeu comfortable night and
hopes are entertained that all may now
recover. Interest in the case today GEN.
ters In the inquest which was begun this
morning by Coroner William Mclaughlin.
The inquest is being held in Old Fellows'
Han, as 1T was anticipated big crowd
would be present. This anticipation was
not altogether fulfilled, as when the first
witness was called the hall was only com
fortably filled.
Inc JURY composed of representative
business men OF the city, and Is made up as
follows: oreInan, Charles Evans; pres,deHt
of the Atiantic City National Bank: ex-
County Clerk Lewis Evans, ex- Postmaster
Levi Albertson, C. Z. Adams, grocer; Tboin-
as J. Dickerson. merchant, and City Hall
Commissioner John B. Champion.
LEGAL COUNSEL PRESENT.
The Reading Railroad is represented by
Judge Joseph H. Thompson. OF this city. and
the ePennsylyan:aby Judge Gaskiil OF Mount
Holly.
While the corpor is not entitled. by law,
TO counsel Prosecutor of Pleas Perry was
present and helped him with his advice upon
the legal points which arose. The railroad
companies have prepared drawings of the
spot where the accident occurred and the
tracks leading up to the spot and those
maps were tackled upon the wall and were
frequently referred to.
When the Inquest opened Judge GaskiIl
asked If he might be permitted to assist
the coroner and Jury with his advice, as
he was in possession of facts that might as.
sst them in reaching verdict.
When Judge Gaskill concluded, Judge
Thompson stated that the Reading company
had brought its employees to the inquest,
and that the road wished for the fullest
investigation, but that he thought 1t would
be better, and that the public would be bet
terpleased if counsel for neither road assisted
at the inquest. Judge Gaskiu acceded to
this, and further suggested that he and
Judge Thompson consult with Prosecutor
Perry as 10 II mode TO be followed.
Prosecutor Perry, in reply said that he
was only present by request OF Coroner Nc
Laughlin. and that his sole duty in the case
consisted in learning who was criminally
responsible for the accident but that he
was willing to do anything the coroner
wished.
Tie suggestions OF the two counsel met
with the coroner's approval and the TWO
lawyers held short consultation with Mr.
Perry.
WITNESSES ON THE STAND
The first witness called was Thomas
W. Trenchard, city solicitor OF Bridgeton
and nephew OF Mrs. Richard Trcnchard,
who met death in the accide Mr..
Perry Questioned the witness, aud Mr..
bodies OF Charles p. McGeer, his uncle
and aunt, j. Dewey johnson. aud num-
Der of Bridgeton people in the temporary
morgue on Mississippi avenue. Mr.. Treuch-
are was not on the fatal train and had
no other testimony 10 give.
The next witness was Mayor Applegate.
OF Bridgeton, vino also testified TO coming
here and Identifying number of the
dead
DR.. Lewis Souder, county physician OF
this county, was called, and related how
he was called TO the sanatorium on the
night OF the disaster and gave assistance
to the wounded. He described to the Jury
briefly the nature of the injuries among
the dead at the morsue.
NJ. r. Thompson, civil engineer. living
at Eincland and employed by the West Jc.-
Sc Railroad. was called. He testified that
tie had made the maps of the locality OF the
disaster which were on the walls, from
drawings on the spot. For convenience
sake the maps were numbered Nos. / and =
Under Mr.. Perry's direction, Mr.. Thompson.
pointed out 10 the jury the positions on the
map OF the sigma, tower and the signal poles.
EXPLAINING THE SIGNALS.
On each read approaching from 10th di-
rections toward the tower, tie distance
signal, as il is krowD, is atout ,0O0 feet.
The home" signal approaching the tower
toward Atlantic City On the Reading road is
| 100 feet distant fIGni the crossing, and IN
the OF her direction 1877 feet. He showed the
| point on the map where as n engine pa sses
| it rings a bell in the tower. This point is
| about a mile from the tower On both lines.
G. H. Hitchcock, Il civil engineer enl-
| ployed by the Reading. described the points
| on map he made of the Pleasant Valley
| turnpike and its relative distance from
| the railroad. Judge Gaskill read the agree
ment between the two railroads, by which
| the Reading Company permits the West
Jersey to cross its tracks at tue point of he
| accident in consider alton OF the latter
| company laying the crossing and main
| tuning il; that the mode of siensiiing at
| the. crossing and the control of the opera
4 tor should lie agreed to by the general
| managers of the two roads.
subsequently it was agreed that the West
| Jersey should pay the tower operator, and
the Reading coneroi and hire him; that all
| trains should pass tile crossing at slow
| rate OF speed and ready to be stopped at a
distance OF $50 feet, unless a signal of a
| clear track was given. The Reading trains
| were given the priority OF crossing.
The distance signal when the sen aphore
| was at a horizontal position in the day in
| dicated danger and a red light at night the
| same A train should then come to a full
| stop. When the Sen aphorc hangs down
the pole clear track is Indicated by day
and white light gives the same signal
at night This was practically the agree
emnt in brief reached by the two roads.
WORKINGS OF THE TOWER
A. O. Dayton. superinten lent of the West
Jersey here, was called. He explained
tothe jury the workings of tiie signal tower
He said that the agreement just read COW
cred the main workings of the tower, but
| that he frequently supplemented them with
| orders OF his own.
| Mr.. Dayton said that semapbore sig
nal can be distinctly seen a mile dis
| tant. 1t Is operated from a tower, and
! through the interiocking system the OPP
orator cannot give the same signal in
both directions, but in one way 1t must
! he danger and the other clear"
The semap phore is normally set at dapger.
The opera tor II he wishes TO change his
signals after he has once set them must
first change the home signal or one
nearest to the tower, and the distance signal
next, SO that there is always q danger
signal set on one side OF the crossing and
close to it. The tower here operates eight
signals in all on three tracks.
i Mr.. Dayton admitted that an operator
might change signal after train lad
passed the distance, but contended that an
engineer would still have to pass a 6sHgeI
signal ttEe home signaD ard would slow
up. In the event of an engineer Gisre-
gardipg or not noticing the danger home"
signal he would in all probability Pass in
safety over the crossing Before tie other
train reached it, and the latter must have
come to full step tefore the distant signal
and could net Fave gathered enough speed
tohave reached he crossing at the same time
as the fast moving train.
Mr. Layton staled that his argument was
being made generally in defense of the
signal system operated as the safest known,
| a III & taEpn tpI Inv al ran /.