The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-25
PART OF THE CREW ASLEEP.
FAItURE TO SEE OR HEAR SIGNALS
CAUSED BURROUGHS COLLISION.

ton and Did Not Recognize the
signals on the section of the Mil
ttary Train which Preceded That
which was observation-disclosures
So Far Heard by the Coroner's
Jury.
All of the evidence taken In the coro-
ner's investigation of the collision on the
Florida Central and Peninsular Railroad
Monday morning, near Burroughs IN
which Private Barbee of Company !,
North Carolina Volunteers, was killed, and
Private Colclough was seriously injured
tends to place the responsibility entirely
on the engineer and conductor Of the ex-
ira freight train No 1916, which ran into
the fourth section Of passenger train No.
81. conveying the battalion to which
Company 1 belonged
Conductor Nundy of the freight train
acknowledged that he was asleep in the
caboose when the third section of the
train passed the siding at Ways, on
which the extra freight was waiting. He
awoke TOO late 10 see whether the en-
CINE Of section three which was the sec
ond military section, carried signals or
not, and he was evidently too confused
to know whether a signal had been blown
by the engineer. The nagman and brake
men were asleep. Engineer Nix denied
that he was asleep and maintained that
the engine of section three displayed no
signals and gave no blasts from its whis-
tie 10 indicate that there was another sec
ton of train No. 81 coming. The bridge
- q Tf,f mi We
heard the signal blown by the engineer
of the third section as il passed the sid
ing and to show that Engineer Nix him
self was not absolutely certain In his own
mind as to whether signals were shown or
blown by the train that had just passed,
he practically stopped his freight train at
THE bridge and sent his fireman to ask the
bridge man whether 1t had signals on the
engine or not.
The extra freight train, drawn by engine
13i5, had been out over fourteen hours
when the accident occurred. 1t consisted
of twenty-five cars, and two cabooses,
and carried engineer, conductor. fireman.
two brakemen and hagman. The train
drew out of Jacksonville at 500 Sunday
afternoon. When Ways station was reach
tagged out. At Ways il was hoped that
orders could be got to come on to Savan-
nah before the second section of No. 81
which they they had been notified at Ev-
erett would run eight hours late. Conduc-
tor Mundy tried to get the day operator
out to wire for orders. He was III and
refused to come. The train was then run
on the siding to await the coming of the
military sections.
All agree that the first military section
had signals displayed showing that an
other section was coming entitled to right
Of way. When this next section came
Conductor T. c. Mundy was doing in the
caboose.
Il was about half asleep" said he in
giving his testimony to the coroners jury
last night when l heard the
train coming some distance away.
My hagman was asleep on a bench be
tween the doors aud across the caboose
This interfered with my moving quickly
As / got 10 the door of the caboose near
est the main track the tank on the engine
of the third section of train No. 81 was
just passing. l did not see the head end
and could not tell whether the engineer
had signals set or not. l heard no sig
nails blown.
Il called my middle brakeman. Oaks,
and told him TO go up and tell Engineer
Nix that l had not seen the front of
engine and did not know whether there
were any signals or not. and to ask the
engineer whether he knew anything
about it.
Engineer Nix sent me back word that
he had seen the engine and there were no
signals. l then told him to go ahead, back
out on the main track and start for Sa-
vannah. 1 didn't see that there was any
chance of a risk in doing this, as the in
formation sent me by the engineer was so
positive"
After taking water at a tank near Ways
the freight proceeded to the drawbridge
over the Ogeechee river. Here the train
slowed down to almost a standstLll. Engl-
neer Nix had been thinking over the eX
ira sections of train 81. In Jacksonville
the yardmaster had told him there would
be several extra sections after the regular
passenger 81. Only three sections in all
had passed him.
Il had no doubt in my mind" said the
engineer. that there were no signals on
the third section, but I had been wonder
ing why only three sections had passed
so when we slowed up l told my
negro fireman 10 ask the bridge Waterman
whether he saw any signals The fireman
came back and told me that the Waterman
replied that there We're no signals
After the collision, as Engineer Nix and
Conductor Mundy walked over to the sta
ton on the Savannah, Florida and West
ern 10 see if kilograms could be sent in to
Savannah, Mundy asked Nix why he had
slowed up at the bridge. and Nix told him
he had asked the bridge Waterman about
the signals on the third section. The tes-
timony of the conductor and engineer on
this point differed but little from that of
the bridge Waterman. ]. +. Flowers.
II told the negro train hand" Flowers
said that l did not see any signals. 1t
was then between daybreak and sunrise
] had been up all night and was not look
ing for signals They might have been
there or they might not have been"
AS the negro left Flowers, the bridge
Waterman said the fireman called to some
one In the cab OF the engine or elsewhere
81 told you so; l was looking out ant
didn't see any"
Il don't know who he was talking to,
said Flowers to the jury. but / knew hC
must have had some doubts 10 stop tn,
train to ask such a question. and 1 calle(
out: If you have any doubts, you'd better
look OUT l got no reply"
did the third section Of train No g
blow a signal when il passed the sidins
at Ways?" was asked Of the bridge watch
man.
yes. IL did. 1t gave one long and tw,
short blasts. ! heard this signal ! neve
heard. or at least I noticed no reply Tn,