Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-09-13
SOMETHING ABOUT CAUSES
And the True and Untrue Reports d the Etna
Accident.

various reports have been afloat about
the cause of the accident on the Maine
Central at Etna. Sunday. Some of them
would never have been given out had
.neir authors possessed the slightest idea
action of automatic air brakes, the man.
ner In which cars are coupled. or divers
other details.
An eminent 90 waterville authority
who writes from knowledge born of GEN
ius. and wisdom that comes from being
40 or 50 miles from the scene of the wreck
springs the following upon the ,lns,Ispect-
ing reading public. calling 1t n correct
version 1T was due to the breaking of
a flange upon one of the car trucks and
the sagging of the car broke the connec-
ton. Quick as a flash the automatic
brakes were set and with a jump given
from the broken trunk threw the car
completely over onto it's top, trucks up
in ditch not over eight feet to the south
side and three feet below the road
grade
IT is quite evident that the writer of this
entertaining squib did not examine the
damaged car wheel closely. Had he done
so he would have no doubt discovered
that the bolts holding the retaining ring.
were broken, permitting the tire of the
Wneci ana mango to become loosened, re-
sulting in the wheel leaving the iron and
causing the truck frame to swivel on the
rocker bolt
nat the wrecked car Immediately
broke connection with the one to which
1t was coupled when the damaged wheel
left the1 rail is absolutely false II did
nothing of the kind. ANY one who has
examined the marks found on the ties
knows better. The car did not break its
connection with the car ahead until II no
gan to turn bottom up, and this did not
take place until the car had gone 200 feet
from where the damaged wheel left the
iron. Had not the ditch been more than
or average depth. say two or three feet
raD m IN, haI; -
ear would not have tipped over would
not nave broken its connection with the
one aheaa, and that the train would have
been stopped without the passengers be-
ing injured beyond Il severe shaking IN
Where the car tipped over the ditch is
more than six feet deep figuring from the
top of the rail. When the ear tipped il
did SO as quick as flash. and until it be-
gan the forward wheels remained on the
iron. This fact is clearly shown by the
utter absence of any marks on the ties
made by the forward set of trucks
After it turned it slid along in the wet
ana mucky soil perhaps its length. not
more. 1t is doubtful If the brakes on the
damaged ear or the ones forward worked
before the car took the flop. 1t is decid-
edly doubtful if the connection of the air
between the two cars was severed until
the wrecked ear had Travelled 2o0 feet
from the point where the damaged wheel
left the rail. Any one who INSPECTED the
conditions after the wreck is well aware
that the rear end of the car went towards
the ditch very gradually. The rear set of
trucks ploughed for several rods through
a lot of bailasting beside the track that
extended into the ditch several feet and
nearly on level with the ties. AS the
ditch became deeper the shoulder mar
rowed to the accustomed width aid at
this point the car was overturned.
The train stopped as quickly as the air
brakes could stop ii at the rate of speed
mat the engineer could have stopped
the train sooner. as has been said. is an
unwarranted assertion. Possibly had his
eye noted the ear when il first swung ont
OF line and he had reversed the engine
ne might have saved running few feet
Had he been watching the rear end of the
train at the time he most certainly would
nave been neglecting his duty in APP
preaching a crossing
Inc average speed of Conductor Owens
train between Newport and Bangor fig
uring stops, must be at least IS miles per
hour. That the train was running this
speed or above 30 miles an hour is untrue
as anyone who is accustomed to travelling
on the railroad and was aboard the spec
ial at the time of the accident must
know. This is quite well demonstrated
also by Carol McCrilis of Dexter. rail-
road employe who stood on the platform
OF the wrecked ear when il began iolting
ana who Jumped running number of
steps before he fell. He was uninjured
but much frightened as he would no
doubt tell.
AS before stated in the Commercial the
wrecked car was practically new recently
taken out of the repair shops at Water
vile. had as good wheels under il as any
passenger car on the road had been run
regularly on Conductor Owens train
since 49, and was regarded by the train
hands as one of the most substantial of
any in the train.