Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-08-10
POWER FAILED.
Coroner's Inquiry Into STRAIT
ford, Ct., Trolley Accident.
Motorman Hamilton Says the Power
Failed While On the Trestle.
Otherwise He Could Have Stopped Car and
Prevented Disaster.

Bridgeport, Conn, Aug. 9.-The cor
oncr's inquiry in the trolley catastro-
phe at Stratford. Sunday, was con-
tinucd today. The first witness was
William Kelley Of bridgeport. lie sald
that he was aboard the car on the IA
tai trip ana occupied the second seat
from the front. As the car ran down
the incline approaching the bridge It's
speed was not unusual. He was posi-
tive the motorman had the brake half
on"
As the care was about to run onto
the trestle he left his seat. ana crawl
| ing under the protecting rail stepped
onto the running board. in order 70 eX-
anime the under work Of the bridge as
he crossed His position IN the run
ming board was at a point not five feet
distant from the mOtOrman, he said,
50 that he was able to know what the
motorman was doing.
When the car left the track he saw
the motorman applying "full brakes. :"
He knew that the brakes were on, not
only from the position Of the brake
crank in the hands Of the motorman,
straight out i'm front. but having rid
den often on the cars he was able to
detect the sound Of the brakes on the
wheels.
The motorman grasped the brake
crank with both hands and leaned to
ono side Then the ear swung to the
right and he fell Of and down into the
mud iu the pond bed Kelley was I'M
able 10 say whether the current was
ton" or of
- Il
president If the Milford Street Rail-
Way Co.. On whose extension the acci-
dent occurred He testified that the
wrec ked car was owned by the Bridge
port Traction 90. ana leased by the
Milford GO. and that it was in good
shape. This car. like an others Of the
company. had been Inspected as usual.
When this road was opened. Presi-
dent Radel went to Supt. Butler If the
Bridgeport Traction 20. and told him
nv wanted number of the best ana
most experienced men available to put
on the extension until new men could
~ broken III. on Sunday. the cars
We're all manned by experienced men.
Thg usual trip time from Hridgepor; ty
Shelton and returu htd been ~ hours,
Butt sunday he hai ordered mat ;He TIM.
~ extended so us tp max. the trips Ill
3-hJurs schedules. Extra inspectors were
4ls1 pa dl,y aa Sunday.
on Friday, he went over the road with
Engineer Starr. looking for spots which
needed Improvement. on th4~ trip guard
rails IN TINS tr.s'l, were discussed. and
while M Was thought tha- the bridge W.
perfectly sltr. lt was decided 10 order
iron guard rails ,o b- placed ON The bridge
S.'fe tht wooden guard rais. Accord
lNgiy. Friday afternoon, thv Berlin HON
bridge CO.. was ordered by telephone -
place SUCH guard rails in position.
praSii nt RaHrl hli known Mutormal
Hamilton for tpur years ANA Cll~idtrc |
nim safe man. Wien asked ilr his
opinion Is -o thg caEs- lf tAe catas,ropn. /
President RIdcl sdid. II cannot say; I
don't know what tr think.
George ~ Hamilton. thr mOtoIman who |
was .n charge w tine car which went oIT |
the bridge. testified that he had been ia |
th" employ OF thr company iur the pas /
four years ~ conductor ANA mDtprmal /
Ques,inned a. u whether or not he hai |
been allowed sufficient time for dinner b. |
fore sarting on thr Hast trip. sunday. wit /
ness replied that he had not. Had break. |
fast AT ID that morning. He said that
ne had expected Mp hc relieved at The en- I
of the second relief trip, but when HI
reached the car house the starter in
formed him that The man who was to re-
licve MIN also had returned late on the
return trip and had not yet reported back
for further duty. 1T therefore became |
necessary for him 70 continue, making
Hamilton said that lie had been eau
toned. on the Friday evening previous 10
the accident. to run his ear slowly on a /, |
curves and bridges. on the day in ques
ton ne stopped his car at the turnout
about Cuo feet from the end Of the hridga |
on starting up he turned the handle regu-
lating the power around to three notches
Just sufficiently far to allow Of enough
current 10 carry the car over the frog at
the switch. lie allowed the handle to re-
main in this position until the car ncarci
the incline Inc power was then turned
OF and the brake partly set. Going down
the incline the car did not travel anv
faster than ii did on trips made FRIDAY
and Saturday, or on the previous trips
that day.
The car did not run Is feet Oh the (
bridge before jumping the track. He i'm .
mediately reversed the power but found !,
he had no contact, the motor refusing tu | |
reverse. When he found that the power 3
was Of no use. witness said he immedi- ,
ately grasped the brake handle ana dil | ;,
ms utmost to stop the progress Of the I
ear. lie had almost succeeded in bring q
nS If 70 full stop when it began to top !
pie lie then dove of the front and over
the dasher. striking on his head on the l
bridge. lie knew nothing more until ne |
came 70 himself lying in a hammock
tlafnlltOn said he was confident thar
nad me power worked all right he could
ldNe brought the car to full stop in halt
Us length by reversing the motor :
Inc different members of the iurv
seemed 70 take more than ordinary inter
st i'll the fact that the men often did not
nave sufhcient time TO get their meas
nroGghout the day. and the witness was
'igsely questioned regarding the point
liahlilon testimony apparently threw
10 new light on the question as to the =,
esponsloility Tor the disaster. Adjourned !
until tomorrow. V