The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-01-12
A TRIP OF INSPECTION
Jerome and Other Officials go Through
the Tunnel.
TORPEDO ON TRACK FAILS TO EXPLODE
Heavy Frgne Passes Over il Again and Again.
The Railroad Company Preparing to
Substitute Electricity For
Steam.
(Bv The Associated Press. J

New York, Jan. 10.-District ATTORNEY
Baker. Assistant District Attorney Gar
van and Superintendent Franklin, of the
railroad, today made trip of inspection
through the tunnel in which the recent
disaster occurred. The party left the
Grand Central Station on locomotive
with no car attached. A thorough ex-
animation OF the tunnel was made, includ-
ing the workings of the block signal
system. Tests were made also of the
distance at which lights could be seen
through smoke and steam in the tunnel
The signals in ali their workings be-
tween 59th street and Seth street where
the accident occurred, were gone over
and closely examined ard tested
At the end of the District Attorney S
trip through the tunnel, one of those who
had accompanied him, said they had
found the atmosphere fairly clear most OF
the way. but at Goth street they were
enveloped in a cloud of smoke and steam
so dense that nothing could be seen. On
the return trip the tunnel was clear. At
63rd street the green light showed plain
ly that being the cautionary signal before
entering the block below, and the obser-
walton engine slowed up until the red
danger light was seen at 59th street.
The bell rang. but the torpedo did not
explode. The engine was stopped and
the railroad officials explained that the
little mogul, or observation engine, was
not heavy enough, nor it's wheels large
enough tc explode the torpedo as big
passenger locomotive would do.
According to the Evening Post the tor
pedo went into position alongside the
rail automatically the moment the red
light was shown by the block system
and should have been cut and exploded
by the fange on the wheels of the en-
CINE After q consultation it was deci-
ded to bring up a heavier switch engine
of the same size as the passenger en-
gines. The engine came up, the little OBJ
yersation engine was run out of the way
and the larger engine was brought
through the block. Again the torpedo
failed to explode. Four more times the
Zig locomotive was run through the block
and noc once did the torpedo explode.
The railroad officials explained this by
saving that the mechanism throwing the
torpedo into place had been pressed out
OF order so that the flange of the wheels
did not touch the torpedo.
After the inspection of the tunnel,
District Attorney Jerome announced that
he would not oppose an application for
the release of Engineer Wischer on $l0,-
600 bail This action, he said, was the
result OF the investigation which showed
the authorities that charge of murder
in the first degree could not be made
against the engineer. The charge that
could be made. he explained, was man
slaughter in the second degree.
The Herald tomorrow will say:
ssThe New York Central railroad will
change it's motive power in the PARK
Avenue tunnel within a year
Electricity will be substituted for
steam on all local trans and as soon as
possible trunk line trains will be hauled
into and out of the Grand Central Station
by less dangerous methods.
can extra force of experts has been
added to the large force of electricians
and these have been at work within the
tunnel since Wednesdays accident try
ing to devise satisfactory plans for a
speedy change"