The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-02-08
ESPECIAL TO THE PREss.1

| Orono, February 7.-The investigation
as to the cause of the wreck at this place
week ago last Saturday was begun to-
day in the town hall by the railroad COM
missioners. G. E. Woodard appeared for
the railroad as counsel and county at
toruey Smith conducted the case for the
state. There was large attendancesat
the hearing 1t will probably take two
days to examine all of the witnesses.
Charles Il. Kenniston, master car
builder of the Maine Central railroad,
was the first witness. "I arrived at the
scsne of the wreck on the working train
Sunday morning. I examined the cars
during the forenoon and could not find
any defects in the running gear other
wise than what one would expect from
the cars going over the bank. There
was nothing about that car which l could
find would cause the accident. The cars
are now in Waterville. The expert of the
Westinghouse company has been here and
examined the cars and be told me thai
he found them in first class shape"
George Z. Cutting of Bangor, car in
spector, testified: 81 arrived at the scene
of the accident Saturday afternoon.
The wheels on the mail car were in good
| condition. On the Pullman car on one
truck frame, there were two housings
broken. The wheels were all sound.
There were three housings broken on the
passenger car. There was one housing
broken on the second GLASS car. There
| were two brake shoes broken on the
baggage car. I think these were broken
| when the car went over the banks"
George w. Clapham, car inspector at
| Bangor, testified: ~ inspected the right
hand side of the train, on the upper end
I examined the head end of the mail car
and found it was in good condition.
also examined the mall car and part OF
the Pullman. All parts of tine brakes
were in perfect condition as were the
wheels"
J. A. Adams, George W. Chapman and
Thomas F. Gerald, car inspectors testified
finding them in good condition.
Volney II. Foss, roadmaster, testified
to examining the track after the wreck.
The rails were whole. They were laid
nine years ago. Saw nothing about the
track that would Indicate the cause OF
the wreck. The curve where the acci-
dent occurred was four-degree curve.
examined the wreck. He had no well
defined theory of the cause of the acci-
dent.
David A. Caldwell, section foreman,
Webster, testified: II vent down to
the west end of the wreck where found
the rails had moved out of place. There
was one rail out altogether. Car No. 555,
was west of the rail that was out. No
body had touched the track when got
there. The rail that was out entirely
was bent. The straps on the western end
of his rail were broken, on the eastern
end they were bent"
W. Fl. Herrick, section foreman, Orono,
testified: Was at the accident about half
an hour after it took place. At noon that
Gay l went over the part of the track
where the train went off. Two trains
went over the truck after I examined it.
At that time the track was in perfect
condition. do rot think that the spread
ing of the rails caused the train to leave
the iron.
Superintendent A. A. White said that
he had a list of 80 persons hurt. He could
throw no light upon the cause of the ac'
oident.
One OF the most important witnesses
was Engineer Frederick A. Little OF the
locomotive on the wrecked train.
Little said he left Bangor at 3.42, two
minutes late, AMI made up one minute
between the western and Exchange street
stations in town. He passed through
Veazie at 8. so and Basin Mills at 90. al