The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-23
THE WRECK AT GARR[SON'S
STATE 1<ILRoAD COMMISSION BE-
GINS AN INQUIRY.


r,,.r,-tepa,rt Tsucoy Thinks the Accident
we. Caused by the pernilnsent er the nn-
zine ana Vet By = washout or the Readbed.
Albany. Nov. GAN inquiry to determine
tho onuse OF the recent accident below Garri-
uon'a on the New York Central and Hudson
River Railroad was begun to-day By the State
Railroad Commission. The only new develop
ment was the statement of Mr.. John M. Toucey,
the General Manager Of the road, that the acct.
dent was caused by the derailment OF tho on
zine and not by n landslido, and the sworn
opinion of Charles d. Van Schaick. the inspec-
tor of motive power, that an examination of
tho engine after the wreck failed to disclose
eny broken parts'that would have caused its de-
railmont.
The commission took tho testimony Of seven
witnesses this afternoon. They wero all em.
ployees of tho road. Col. Ashley w. Cole, the
President of tho commission, conducted the OK.
animation Of the witnesses. Frank Loomis,
general counsel Of the road; his assistant, d.
W. Tears. and General Superintendent Edwin
Van Etten were present. o.
General Manager John Nj. Toucey was the
frst witness. He described tho nature Of
the construction Of the roadbed as originally
built, and the necessity and uses for q sea wall
along that section Of tho roadbed where the 40.
cident occurred. That portion of the road had
never been reported as dangerous. He felt
sure tho suction of the water had not weakened
the sea wall and undermined tho roadbed at
the point where the accident occurred. He
concluded his testimony with this statement,
out o ao ngt asrf I tSinR the a aesiHdds tn Was ocean
stoned by the dcrailment Of the engine, that
but there ia no doubt but that was the primary
cause, the d%erailment of the engine. Imme-
diately after the accident 1t was observed that
the engine had nlOuRbed n deem furrOw along
the roadbed. for over a hundred feet between
the sea wall and the outer end Of the ties. I
have no doubt the momentum and weight Of the
engine and cars caused the roadbed to topple
over into the river,
was also of the opinion that the engine was do
rallied and occasioned tho wreck. He asserted
that the. portion OF the road along section 6 re-
CURED less attention than many other sec
tions. 1t had never been reported as dan
gerous.
Abram R. Sparrow. Division Road. Master:
J. S. Caldwell. Assistant General Road Master
for the Hudson River division; Oscar Bought
on the foreman Of the gang Of men at at the scene
man in charge Of section 8, on which the acct
dent occurred. which is about four miles in
denied the statement that the rails had been
relaid at the point where the accident occurred
in order to straighten the line. Mr.. Caldwell
Mr.. Fitzpatrick said he had made a careful in
spection OF section 8 about twelve hours before
The most important testimony of the day.
viewed In the light OF enabling tho commission
to arrive at the cause of the wreck. was that of
Mr.. Charles ID. Van Schaick, the inspector of
engines. He made an examination OF the en-
CINE Immediately after 1t was raised from the
bed OF the river. 1t was evident to him. he said.
that the throttle was open when the engine left
tho track. The engineer had no forewarning
OF the fate in store for the train. While the
throttle was closed when the engine was taken
from sthc river, there was no doubt Ia his mind
that 1t had been shut by some heavy object
falling against it. That the throttle was not
closed by tho engineer or by his body being
forced against il was evident, Mr.. Van Schaick
said, by the fact that the throttle handle was
that the engine was not in first.class running
condition before it left the track. He was
satisfied that the tender entered the river first
and that the engine went in rear end forward.
He said the engine was 80 little damaged hat
it was repaired and turned out Of the shop a
Wednesday. last. He had no suggestion to
offer as to the cause of the wreck, except that it
was not due to any defect OF the engine.
Mr.. Loomis asked the witness If he had seen a
would indicate that the cause Of the accident
was the engine leaving the track instead of the
that he had moi.
Mr.. Leomis then said that Superintendent of
No Motive wh Power Buchanan nan had q plaster cast of
viii be asked to testify.
No other witnesses being present the COM
mission adjourned the Investigation until
Dec. g; Then the engineers and experts will
aogart. formerly State Engineer; Prof. william
Il. Burr Of Columbia College. George s. Cat.
chell. the present inspector of tho commission;
A. Spencer: thesformer inspector, and F. C.
Leutze. tho First Assistant Engineer in the
State Engineers Department.