Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-06
! STATE HOUSE.
Railroad Commissioners Rem
der Important Decisions.
Somerset County Towns Asking 70,
Good Roads Stipsnds.
Five New Companies File Articles Of
incorporation.

The board of Railroad Commission
ers. Hon. Joseph B. Peaks, Hon. Parker
Spofford and Hon. B. F..Chadbourne,
held two sessions, yesterday, and
transacted considerable routine BUSH
ness. One of the most important mat
tiers acted upon was the decision Of the
board upon an accident which occurred
on the marginal way in Portland, last
June. The report of the commission
ers. signed by all of them, Is as fol-
lows: .... +4 -.
On the twenty first day Of June. A.
ID. 1902. a serious accident occurred on
the railroad known as the Marginal
Way which extends from the Grand
Trunk junction in the city of Portland
by way Of Preble street station on the
Worcester, Nashua & Portland division
of the Boston & Maine railroad to the
yard connected with the Union Station
In said Portland; said Marginal Way
being operated by the said Boston &
Maine railroad.
On the above named day the testi-
mony Of all witnesses is to the fact
that an employee Of said Boston &
Maine railroad, named Bassett, en-
PAoy Su do d uOStlCI DIT Sttiu fTGDle street
station yard and round house, whose
duty 1t was to take locomotives as j.:
left it's train on arrival and attend to
cOaling. filling its tank with water,
turning such locomotive If required
and properly housing the same, took a
heavy. ten-wheeled type locomotive Of
said railroad, numbered 1874 from it's
freight train on arrival in Portland, as
it was his duty to do, and at about 1886
o'clock Of the afternoon of said 21st
day of June. started from said Preble
street station yard, ran the lOcomo-
tive over the said Marginal Way from
said station to the Union Station yard
through the latter yard over the track
of said Boston & Maine railroad to the
round house of said Boston & Maine
railroad, located in said Portland near
the crossing of said railroad by the
| Maine Central railroad main line and
Mountain division. 1t was necessary
| to do this because the turn table at the
Preble street round house Is not long
enough to allow locomotives of this
type of engine, No. 1874 to be turned.
Said Bracket had run the locomotive
334 over to the round house near the
| crossing afOrenamed, it had been
| turned and Bracket had run the loco
motive backward on it's return trip to
| and through the Union Station yard
and had entered upon the aforesaid
| Marginal Way to complete the return
run to Preble street station.
/ A train known as "Scoot'' train
L numbered 2G2 and scheduled on the
| time card of the Worcester, Nashua
| In nd Nsxyic ~ he
| and Maine Railroad, had left Preble
i Street Station on it's time as shown in
the Time card. to wit: at four O'Clock
II and twenty-five minutes in the after
\ noon. on its regular run to said Union
Station and at about the same minute
that said Crockett had run said en-.
CINE 334 from Union Station Yard onto
and upon said Marginal Way. said
Marginal Way being used us a single
track road. Said train No. 262 hat
been running OIL the time scheduled a:
aforesaid for some years. At or neal
the Grove Street crossing on sale
Marginal Way. on a curve, the said
engine No. 1874 collided with said trair
4 numbered, 262, said train being made uI
Of engine SIS. an eight wheel type
locomotive OF comparatively light
| weight. a baggage and passenger
car. The engineer Of engine No. 58S
Mr.. Joseph Worden, Mr.. Geo. Berry the
conductor of train No. 262, Mr.. Clarence
Davis, baggage master were seriously
hurt and the fireman Of engine No
5SS and lineman employed by the
Western Union Telegraph Company
considerably injured. No one was IA
tally injured.
Engine No. SIS was partially destroyed
Mr. Bracket had been employed
at this place or upon the Worcester,
Nashua and Portland Division but a
few days, having been brought from
III another Division of the Boston and
| Maine system. He testified that he had
| no Time Card of the Worcester. Nashua
and Portland Division, and that he had
| been instructed % to the manner and
j conditions, circumstances pertaining to
| his duties as aforesaid hOstler by an
III other employee who was conversant
III Herewith for few days prior to the
| date Of the accident.
The Board find upon all the evidence.
none Of which was contradictory. that
the accident aforesaid was caused by
II the negligence of the aforesaid Brack-
III EFT. in running engine No. 1874 over
Ii said Marginal Way from Union sta
II ton Yard to Preble Street Station upon
| the schedule time Of train 262 to run In
/ the opposite direction.