Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-01
INSPECTORS REPORT
Georgetown and Tenleytown Rail-
way Accident Investigated.
COMPANY AND FRAINMEN CENSURED
Condition of Affairs Declared to Be
Deserving of Condemnation.
ATTORNEYS OPINIONWANTED


Mr.. L. P. Bradshaw, an inspector in the
District engineer department, has submit
ted to Mr. c. B. Hunt, the computing en-
gineer. an interesting report on the acct
dent last Saturday on the Georgetown and
Tenleytown railway Mr.. Bradshaw says
he ascertained that car No. 9. a double
truck motor of sixty seating capacity. after
delay of some thirty minutes. owing to a
tie-up of the road left the terminus, 32d
and NJ streets, few minutes after $50
o'clock. crowded with the company's coal
car attached, loaded with the daily coal
supply. about four tons of bituminous coal,
to be delivered en- route at the Glen Echo
power house. On encountering the heavy
grade just north of the power house, on
32d street. the motors capacity having
been found to be unequal to its double load.
it was decided to detach the coal car and
run it back by gravity to the switch at the
power house, there to await a more favor
able time for hauling 1t over the road when
passenger traffic, heavy because of the tie
up, should become normal and the motors
less taxed Accordingly with this purpose
in view. the motors brakes were applied
and the brakeman in charge of the coal
car, in obedience to instructions from the
simultaneously with uncouplng the cars
by either the motorman or conductor-the
brakeman does not know which-hearing
the conductor express some misgiving as
to whether the brake of the coal car was
on sufficiently hard to hold it. having given
the brake another turn and locked it to
make sure, he heard something snap and
the brake-wheel suddenly whirled from his
grasp. Looking down. he saw that the
brake-chain had parted and the portion
fastened to the brake-shaft was dragging
the ground, whereupon, having no other
means OF controlling the car. he jumped
me wheels now free to turn. with no means
OF checking them at hand. and the switch
at the power house closed the car was al
most Immediately under full Roadway down
the grade, with the consequence that at a
point midway between Dumbarton avenue
and street it collided with motor car No.
II, bound north. drawing the company's
freight car, which, also crowded with pas
sengers. had stopped to permit of taking on
small freight. But for this fortunate circum-
stance the collision would have happened
in transit and undoubtedly resulted in Sc
rlous loss of life. AS it happened, however
the passengers had sufficient warning of
the descending car to alight and escape
unhurt.
Trainmen Censured
THE effect of the impact" says Mr.
Bradshaw, las the total demolition of
the cars in direct collision, and wheth-
er the cause of the car getting away
was due to breaking of the brake chain,
as alleged by trainmen, or not, the
evidence was lost in the swreck 1t GER
tainly seems as though, in view of the ap-
parent recognition by them all of the
serious consequences attending the un-
coupling of the heavily loaded car and the
possible failure of it's brake, the train
men acted with little judgment, and are
censurable for separating it from the mo-
tor at all. and not in the first instance
c tn Ia,
f1tness of this car for the heavy service it
was engaged in, and the comparative safe
ty of its brake appliances, it is described as
originally an old Brill motor single truck
fitted with a body for carrying heavy
freight, having single instead of double
brake chains, and but one brake shaft of
the ordinary freight car type, with brake
wheel on the rear platform, as coupled.
It's gear in general is alleged to have been
examined as often as every other day. and
on the morning in question the brake chain
was said to have been creased and noted
In good order as also the brake shoes. AS
regards the brakeman's competency, he in
ferns me he is twenty-three years of age,
has been in the employ of the company
since June 1, 1890, and never before this
date was engaged in or had experience in
railroadng.
Allowing a car as poorly equipped as
this for heavy freighting to be operated
over heavy grades through a thickly popu-
lated section unquestionably charges the
railway company with gross oversight.
Now as to the chance of accident from
similar cause happening to any of the pas
senger cars now in service on the line.
There seems to be a disposition to alarm
on the part of some because of two pre-
vious accidents to older types of cars al
legged as chargeable to failure of brakes,
the latter of which, l would briefly state, l
personally investigated and found to be I'M
avoidable, so far as braking. however eff
ficient, could have prevented it. l would
state that the motor and brake equipments,
nd
Westinghouse motors and double brake
chains operating with four shoes on single
and eight shoes on double truck cars iden-
teal to the brake equipment on the Metro
politan line, with skill and care on the
part of trainmen and proper surveillance
and attention to these mechanisms. 1t is
believed, make the danger small. But if
this heavy hauling is to be continued I
would recommend that it be done after the
hours of passenger traffic; that cars used
for the purpose be provided with double
brake chains. with brake shafts and
wheels on both platforms. and that under
no circumstances shall they be uncoupled
from the motor while standing on the
main tracks"
The RecOmme ndatfOn.
The report Of Inspector Bradshaw was
forwarded to the acting Engineer Commits
sioner, Capt. Craighill, with this indorse-
ment: THE condition Of affairs presented
in this report would appear to be deserving
Of severest condemnation 1t is recon-
r,ended that the attorney for the district
be requested to advise whether, under the
charter of this road. any authority exists
for the hauling of freight and coal over
their tracks, as they have made a practice
of doing; and. should it appear that they
have this right, 1t is recommended that the
conditions named in this report as to the
conduct of such hauling be communicated
tc the company and their enforcement ex-
acted"
Capt Craighill also recommended the
submission of the question to the attorney
for the District, and such reference, it is
understood, will be made by the Commits
SionerS.