The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-08-04
FIXING THE BLAME
For the Terrible Meadow Massa-
GRE Near Atlantic City.
-
STATEMENT OF TOWERMAN LONG.
Tho Pennsylvania Train Had the Right of
Way, but Ho Thinks 1t Should Have Been
Given to the Reuding Express-Many
Hours Work for Little Wages.


Hours Work for Little Wages.
EATLANTIC CITY, Aug. 4.-Coroner Nc
dAughlin yesterday began hisinquest into
khe terrible railroad collision on the
meadows ,ss5 Thursdoy s,sz:ss. and go
FORE he finishes he hopes to fix tho blanc
tor 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
ent 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-
6ablish the fact of the collision and the
deaths resulting. Superintendent Dray-
ton, Of the West Jersey railroad, confined
himself to an explanation Of tho operation
pf tho block signal system. According to
Mr.. Drayton, the block system Is the near
est approach to perfect safeguard against
collision that human ingenuity has yet in
vented, but the superintendent was forced
10 admit that its perfect operation depends
upon the perfect obedience Of orders by
railroAthSmplsyes. .
81 A. T. Dice, superintendent of the At
kntic City (Reading) railroad, said he was
Vt tho scene IL the accident about 10o'clock
On tho night 1t occurred. Upon reaching
IT, ,,ona ,uit nay, f,upl Tho finn Sipnol
on the distant and danger on the home
signal Upon reaching cautionary sig
nal, gaid Mr.. Dice, and finding it In a
horizontal position the train must bo pre-
pared to stop at tho home signal unless
the right Of way is given by tho 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 1t 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 at danger. The tower operators
are paid $40 month for twelve hours
work u day.
| Nicholas Long, the tower operator, tho
best witness Of the day, has held that
place about eight years. He was on duty
on Thursday last from q AS in the morn
lag until :3S at night. He left the tower
about $40, being relieved by George f.
Hauser, who got there on the Reading
freight train about 6:38. Before Hauser
reported to the witness all signals were set
ct danger. He was positive Of this. He did
not remember any body being around the
tower that day, and knew nothing of
boy from Wilmington, Del, who was said
b have been seen in the vicinity.
As soon as the freight passed witness
threw the signal back, put tho time on
the sheet, reported to the main Office at
Camden, and after exchanging n word or
two with Hauser left the tower and locked
the basement door He started to walk
home. The signal tower and its appliances
were working properly that day When
b. gave the clear way to the freight nee
essarily the danger signals went up against
srery other track Then he returned them
all to the normal danger signals.
Witness had gone about 500 feetaway
from tho tower when he saw the West
Jersey approaching. He looked at the
home signal and saw that the West Jer-
Soy had a clear track Then he heard the
whistle of the inbound Reading express.
When he heard the Reading whistle the
train was about half mile off Hcpaused
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 tho right of way,
as was customary. The tower man who
relieved him, however. had given the West