New-York tribune., 1902-01-14
r. r. BOARD TO PROBE ALONE.
IT'S SEPARATE INQUIRY WILL BEGIN on
MONDAY-LOW TAKES A HAND.

Letters received Dy offlcialS or the NeW-1 ofk
Central and New-Haven Railroad companies
yesterday announced that the State Board OF
Railroad Commissioners had decided to hold
formal investigation of the tunnel accident. The
investigation will begin in Parlor DIR OF the
Fifth Avenue Hotel at 10 a. m. next Monday.
The letter which was sent to W. F. Merrill. first
vice president of the NewHaven road, said,
after announcing the investigation:
Please have the crew OF your train which was
struck present at that place and time Please IL. N
form the board by return mail If they viii be
present. You may also have present such otner
persons az you desire.
In the letter to P. S. Blodgett. general super
intendent OF the New-York Central, there was
the request TO have the members or the
crew OF the Harlem train present as witnesses
and the same offer to allow the company 10
send other witnesses If desired. The letter also
said:
towermen in the tunnel who were on duty on the
Sf Of he question
also the person having direct fo2 S%n
the board by return mall If they will be present.
Both letters were signed by John S. Kenyon.
the secretary of the commission.
MAYOR LOWS LETTER.
Msvor Low Yesterday asked for the advice of
Corporation Counsel Rives regarding the power
of the city to compel a change of motive power
in the Park-ave tunnel. He said that If he
found he had power to act he probably would
send to the Board of Aldermen tomorrow
message advising action by the board to COM
pei change. His letter to Mr.. Rives contained
the following:
The distressing and disastrous accident which oc-
Cured IN tng nd Harlem Rsroad Company
makes il incumbent upon the city authorltles, 70
agreement entered into between the city ana the
lowing provision. a. Section 3:
That the right of regulating the description OF
along said railways and the speed of the same.
well as all other power reserved to the SAID Mayor,
poration OF the said company. any part thereof;
be- and the same is hereby expressly retained and
During the long interval of time which has
status here outlined may have been modified, either
b by 1T or BY esss9n sts R9 R9 tn tn
examine into this question to the end that the re-
tirey clear. If the city has been deprived of the
powers originaMX M reserved by tie agreement above above
and how this control was lost II the rights origi
en he er the 10 tS Sy S ~ h c T To
consider what action it ought TO take.
MEMBERS OF CREW TESTIFY.
- Railroad officials had private investigation
Of the disaster which occurred in the Park-ave.
tunnel. at Fifty -sixth-st., last Wednesday morn
ing. It was held in the office Of Miles Bronson,
superintendent Of the Harlem division Of the
New-York Central. at the Grand Central Station.
1t said to be investigation 70 discover II
any employees Of the railroad company should
be punished for purposes of discipline. on
count of the accident. All the members CT the
ccrew Of the White Plains local that ran into the
New-Haven train in the tunnel under
orders to appear at Mr.. Bronson's office yes
terday morning. and they all responded with
the exception of John NJ. Wisker. the engineer
of the train, who was released from the Tombs
in $4,000 bail on Saturday. Mr.. Bronson said
he expected Wisker to report later and 10 go
TO work in the railroad yard.
Edward G. Fyler. who fireman on the
Harlem train and put under bonds to ap-
pear at the coroner's inquest this week. was
among the members OF the crew who were ques-
toned in Mr.. Bronson's office The conductor
and brakemen on the train were other wit
nesses. There also train dispatchers, mas
ter mechanics and signalmen in the employ of
the railroad company. At the end OF the inquiry
Mr. Bronson went to White Plain, saying he
would not make any report Of the investiga-
tion public. He will make his report to the
general manager of the railroad.
President Newman OF the New-York Central
and Senator Depew were in their Offices at the
Grand Central Station yesterday. but they held
no conference with other high officials OF the
New-York Central regarding the disaster OF
Wednesday. Mr.. Newman said he expected to
be able to make a statement for the public by
the middle of the week, and in the mean time
he would say nothing to representatives of the
press about the accident. Senator Depew had
little TO say beyond expressing his grief over
the accident. The company had been willing to
spend millions TO improve the conditions in the
tunnel, and had consulted many experts he
added but no electric motor had been found
equal to the task of handling trains properly,
and there opposition to making the tunnel
open cut.
JEROME'S EVIDENCE NEARLY READY.
District Attorney Jerome said that he was
nearly ready to present evidence before the
coroner at the inquest in the case of persons
killed in the Park-ave. tunnel accident. Several
experts are to be examined to-day at the Dis
trict Attorneys office by Mr.. Garvan. They are
experts employed by the State Railroad Com
mission, and Mr.. Jerome may not think it is
necessary to call other experts.
Coroner Scholer said that he had selected the
jury for the inquest. They were all prominent
business men. he said. except one. who
physician. They will meet at the coroner's
Office tomorrow morning and will be sworn in.
Then they will go to the scene Of the accident In
the tunnel and will make careful examina-
tion Of the signals The inquest will begin on
Thursday morning. President Newman and sew
eral other officials Of the New-York Central have
called witnesses. John NJ. Wisker the
gineer OF the Harlem train. will be at the in
quest, but probably will not be a witness He
will be represented by counsel.
On Sunday Coroner Scholer visited the hospi-
tails of the city and talked with persons who
were injured in the collision He said yesterday
the inquest, but he would not say what success
he had had He sent ten subpoenas for New