The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-08
ON The STAND.
Responsibility For Union Pacific
Wreck is Being PrObed.
Engineer and Firemen Tell
Stories on Stand.
STATEMENTS AGREE.
Say They Did Not See Lights Of
Train in Time.
Conductor Ford of the Wrecked
Train is Blamed.
AGREE.

Engineer H. ". Zimmerman of Arm
strong and Fireman J. J. Marshall who
We're in charge of the engine of the
special Union Pacific freight train that
collided with eastbound freight No. Il,
which was standing in the yards at To-
peka Wednesday morning. were put Oh
the stand and testified as to what they
knew concerning the wreck, at the in
quest held at the undertaking rooms Of
DeMoss & Penwen this morning to de-
termine the cause of the death Of Al
McCandless of Natoma, Kan, and John
Parks of Manhattan, Kan.
The stories of both the fireman and
engineer are essentially the same.
The testimony of the train crew OF
the special freight was not considered
sufficient by the members of the eoro-
ner's jury. and another session viii be
held tomorrow morning at which time
the trainmen in charge of the regular
freight train that was standing on the
main line, viii be put on the stand.
Two witnesses viii also be brought here
from HOlton. The burden of the tesfi-
mony will probably be put upon Con-
ductOr Frank Ford who was in charge
of freight No. IA. He will undoubtedly
be asked to explain why his train was
standing on the main line without pre-
cautions being taken to prevent a dis
aster such as occurred.
Engineer H. W. Zimmerman was the
first to take the stand today. He said:
Freight train No. II was standing on
the main line just west Of the Rock Is
land railroad crossing. It was standing
about the distance required that trains
should stop from a railway crossing.
The train believe consisted OF about
35 cars
THE first that I saw of the train was
when I distinguished the tail lights of
No. IA about five or six car lengths
away. (About $50 feet)- We were run
ming, at the time I first saw the train
IN front OF me, at about the rate of eight
miles an hour. The service air was on
the train. I Immediately put the emer-
gency air to the brakes and pulled the
reverse lever to reverse the motion of
the engine I also put sand to the track
the fog. When we struck the caboOse
of No. Il I judge we were running at
about six miles per hour.
II left Junction City that night at 1875.
NO IA was ahead of me overlook No IA
at Manhattan No IA left Manhattan
about Is minutes after we arrived there
and on account of switching work which
we had to do, No. "A was out of Manhattan
about an hour and hfty-five minutes be-
7 had "A loads and we were running
about twenty-five or thirty miles per hour.
1 made no stops before reaching Topeka
At the mile post west of Topeka shut of
the steam from the engine and at the 2009
was for the purpose of putting on the
brakes and to gradually stop the train.
4
own momentum. The distance was suffi-
Gent to enable me to have come to a full
stop 200 feet from the railroad crossing.
The Jog was so thick however, that 1 dlo
not distinguish the tail lights Of the train
of IS cars that was standing in front of
the crossing until we were aDoQt nVe or
six car lengths away. I then did ali in
my power to avert the accident.
Fireman Marshall was next put on the
stand He substantiated the story Of En-
gineer Zimmerman. He said that he was
standing before the front window of the
engine cab and saw the switch lights at
about the same time a did Engineer Zir1-
norman He said he realized the danger
they were in but that no words were ez-
changed between himself and Zimmerman.
He said he thought they We're running so
slow that the force of the collision would
not be sufficient to do much damage and
braced himself to prevent being thrown to
the floor Neither he nor Engineer Zin1-
norman made any effort to leave the en-
CINE before the collision.