Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-04-07
SEEKING THE CAUSE,
Investigation Of Locomotive
Explosion at WestbroOk.
One Witness Says There Was Plenty
Of Water in the Boiler.
The Road Officials Claim the Engine was
in fifstciass Condition.

Westbrook. Me, April 6.-The rail-
road commissioners. who have taken in
hand the wreck of the Portland N
Rochester passenger engine at West
brook from the care of Coroner Perry
and County Attorney Libby, held an IN
quest at the municipal court room IN
Westbrook, Thursday forenoon, Hon.
j. u. Peaks. presiding.
Those examined were Frank H.
Cleaves, conductor of the train; Brake
man Twombly: Baggagemaster beah
Robert H. Smith, a fireman VINO talked
with the engineer and fireman before IL
left the Portland yards: Edwin f. II.
Thomson. master mechanic; DR.. I.
p. smith, who attended Engineer Bick-
ford: Samuel F. Tufts; Charles T.
Ames. who was 100 feet from the en-
gine and heard both the engineer ana
fireman cry out in agony; George W
Barbour. who saw the explosion; and
Deputy Sheriff Chute, who had charge
Of the remains.
The commissioners ordered that the
wrecked engine be taken to Portland
CO.'S works for a thorough examina-
W. Estelle Of the company. and anoth-
er to be selected by the county attor-
ney.
Mr.. Ames. from the testimony
brought out, was the only one who saw
the whole affair. He said that he first
saw fire, coal and cinders coming from
the fire box and spreading both ways.
He got back of a tree. just in time to
escape huge piece of grating. He
heard three explosions. one in the rear,
the other in front. The former lifted
the engine nearly a foot from the
tracks.
The commissioners will be at the
West End Hotel, Portland, next Mon
day at p. NJ, to hear the written re-
port of the two experts on the condition
of the engine.
Nothing developed at the hearing to
explain the cause of the explosion
Conductor Frank H. CleaVes. Baggage
master Edwin f. Bean and Brakeman
Fred 5. Twombly of the ill-fated train,
testified in detail regarding the acci-
dent The first intimation sofa the
trouble was a heavy rumbing. which
sounded like underground blasting.
Then came a loud report and the air
was filled with steam and cfriders.
Fireman John #. Eldridge was found
dead on the foot board of the cab while
Engineer James A. Bickford was in a
diving condition on top Of the coal
tender.
Robert II. Smith, fireman Of the Cor
ham train. proved one Of the most I'M
portant Witnesses. He said while the
locomotive Presumpscot was standing
in the Portland station, just before the
time for the train to start. ne cnmpeu
into the cab. chatted with Engineer
Bickford and saw the engineer try the
water and noticed that there were three
fun gauges While he was there the
safety valve began to blow off and he
noticed that the steam gauge reglstereu
13S He saw the engineer try the in
jectors, ana they worked all right. He
asked Bickford how he liked that kind
of an injector. and the engineer re-
piled, First rate"
Edwin II. &. Thompson, master me-
chanic of the p. & r.. was given long
technical examination by Commission
cr Chadbourne regarding the working
and condition of the locomotive. Wit
ness testified that he considered the
Presumscot in thoroughly good order
and he had never heard a word of com
plaint from the engineer or fireman
about her After the Lebanon accident,
year ago, the PresumScOt was re-
paired at the Portland Cos. shops. and
was given thorough overhauling. and
received many new fittings. When
asked his opinion as TO Engineer Bick-
ford's ability. the witness replied, He
was the best I ever knew. not only as
an engineer, but as general me-
chanic"
DR.. Thomas p. Smith testified re-
garding his treatment of the dying en-
gineer. His eyes were filled with hot
cinders and his flesh exposed in places,
hung in Shreds. He was evidently in
ternally injured, as he complained of
severe pains in the region of his stom-
ach and abdomen. He allowed the
doctor to brush the cinders from his
eyeballs and did not give the least
sign of fiinching. His scalds also would
have been a sufficient cause for death
lie died in the ambulance on the way
to Portland. Several times he queS-
toned the doctor regarding the pros
poets of his living. Powerful opiates
We're administered.
Samuel F. Larrabee, George w. Bar
bour. of Westbrook, eye witnesses of
the explosion. testified that there were
two distinct explosions, the first one
seeming to take effect in the fire box.
Deputy Sheriff Chute testified regard
ing the care of the bodies.
All the Portland & Rochester engines