Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-11-26
sPR1NoF1DLD RAILROAD HEARING
To Determine the Cause Of the Accident
ia which MOtOrmsn Long Received
Fatal InJuries---Mrs. Long Threatens

To Determine the Cause of the Accident
ia which MOtOrmsn Long Received
Fatal InJuries---BIrs.L Long Threatens
20 Sue the Railroad Company.
A hearing was held in Charlestown, N.
H., before the New Hampshire railroad
commissioners Tuesday relative to an ac-
cident which happened Sept. 9 on the
Springfield electric railroad, Of which e. G..
Crosby is one of the principal owners, re-
sulting in the death of Simeon Long, a
motorman Of Springfield. 1t appeared In
the evidence that there was a regular
schedule for the running Of passenger cars
between the Charlestown and Springfield
stations and that freight trains were run
between Springfield and Springfield station
on the line of the Boston & Maine railroad
between the time scheduled for the running
of the passenger cars. In other words the
freight trains ran wild with instructions
TO keep out of the way Of passenger cars,
the latter having the right of way. On
this occasion a special passenger car started
from the Charlestown station with the Of
ficers Of the road and some of the Boston
& Maine officials aboard to go TO Spring
field. After the car had passed the juuc.
ton or connection which led from the
main track TO Springfield station those on
board saw freight car approaching from
400 TO 500 feet away. The freight car was
brought TO standstill by the motorman in
running from 60 to 100 feet. The passen-
ger car was also brought to a standstill at
once but 1t soon started, the motorman not
being able to control it, with the result that
the two cars came into collision while 20
ing at a very moderate rate of speed,
breaking in the vestibule of the passenger
car where Mr.. Long stood.
In the collision both Of Mr.. Longs legs
were broken between the knee and ankle.
He was removed soon after to Springfield
and three physicians administered ethel
while his wounds were dressed and the
broken bones set. Mr.. Long died a short
time after the doctors left. 1t appeared in
the medical testimony before the board
that the cause of death was the shock tc
the nervous system, and that he was not a
robust man. Mr. Long began work fol
the railroad company as an inexperienced
hand as soon as the road was completed
and for two weeks he was instructed by
Motorman Wright and NJ. A. Coolidge how
to control the car, but at this time he seem.
ed utterly confused and did not know what
to do. He applied the electric brake and
stopped the car. To have held the car, II
being on the down grade, he should have
applied the hand brake to the wheels Of
have used the reverse power, all of which
he had been thoroughly instructed in, but
he allowed the car to move on without at
tempting TO use either of the two methods
Lawyer Flynn of Springfield appeared
before the board for the state and Col. hit
tredge Haskins of the firm of Haskins d
Schwenk Of Brattleboro and Lawyer Davi:
of Springfield for the railroad company
The widow of Mr.. Long has threatened tC
sue the company for damages and unles:
the company arranges a satisfactory private
settlement 1t is probable that suit may be
brought.