New-York tribune., 1903-02-04
HE CHANGED ENGINES.
so D4VIS DECLARED.
Testimony Of Escaping Steam, Too,
at Westfeld Inquest.
rnr TELEGRAPH To rrIE rR1RuNr.l

Plainfield. N J. Feb 3.-Two statements
made by Engineer Davis Of the Philadelphia
Express the night before he died were the most
important evidence to-day at the opening ses-
sion Of the coroner's inquest which is looking
Into the responsibility for the Westfeld disaster
on the Jersey Central Railroad. Thirteen wit
nesses We're examined by County Prosecutor
English and then the inquest was adjourned
until Thursday afternoon
Most Of the witnesses were called TO fX the
identity of John Currid, of Dunellep, over whose
body the inquest held, and TO ascertain the
condition Of the engine After II had been
rroved that the body was that Of Currid, and
that it had been taken out Of the wreck, three
5olainfield commuters related their experiences
Frank s Martin engineer and surveyor, OF
No $50 Hillside ave. with office at No. ~
feaver-st New-York. on the rear END of
The Easton local He shouted TO the occupants
of the last car and jumped for his life He did
hot notice the signals. Ex-Assemblyman Roger
r. Murray. a Produce Exchange broker, living
et No aa1 AIadison-ave.. was in the fourth car
NJ the Easton train. He described the wreck
and expressed the opinion that the fire did rot
start from the locomotive frebox. Charles C
surnet a s4ationer OF No. $50 Madson-ave,
with Offices at No. 6S Pine-st-, New-York, was
restless and moved out Of the rear car on the
azeston local He declared that the last three
ne-s had old fashioned stoves in them John
e. Day, conductor Of the Easton local, told OF
receiving orders at Elizabeth to keep the main
krsck that night The train stopped just west
IF westfieid, ne declared. on account Of heated
sourual on the tender. He said the engineer was
justified in stopping his train Tor that reason
and that SO far he could see the rear brake
man had performed his duty by going back.
County Physician r. W. Westcott read a state
t1aenf made 10 him by Engineer Davis the night
ke<o he died follows:
ct started from Jersey City going west at 6:lo
b. m with leaking steam chest which had
been cracked for a month or so; steam in large
quantities WAS escaping and il was necessary
sor me 10 shut down to see the tower signal I
said 10 the fireman. We must go carefully IN
prter to see signals We arrived at Ehzaneth
spo minutes late Between Crawford and West
field the front injector broke. and jumping up 10
sut it back I missed my signal after passing
r--anford 7 saw the Westfeld station and the
-,aeesneer train when within sixty feet Of It.
applied the emergency brakes, and knew no
more until found myself in the back of the cab
with car seat upon me and fire all around
me am thirty-four years old and have been
an engineer for twelve years
It was sworn and subscribed to on Janu-
kry 2s-
Justice Fred ]. Fluff read the statement made
nv Engineer Davis TO Kelley and himself, over
(which there has been 50 much talk. 1T was as
Follows
James Davis being duly sworn, according to
law on his oath deposes and says: That he lives
at No. 15sa Seltzer-st.. Philadelphia, Penn, and
that he was the engineer Of the express train
Engine No. %. Of the Philadelphia and Reading
Railroad Company. leaving Jersey City at o:1o
p'clock.
I'VE left Philadelphia with Engine NO. go
nut cut off at Trenton. account of being hot;
that is a hot box They gave Engine No "a
there ] took her to Jersey City. The engine
had crack in the steam chest on the left side'
the valve steam packing blowing very bao,
which prevented me from seeing signals at every
function or crossing. / had 10 shut the engine
of 10 see the signals. The signals at Roselle
and Crawford were all right. / shut the engine
of and Jet her drift to get view Of signals.
and they were both white. 1t became necessary
for me TO get the injector. and came UP to one
signal and could not see what it was and passed
fl The first knew Of the accident was when
i saw the train ahead OF me about sixty feet
and / put the emergency brake on, and then
the crash came. I stayed right in my cab 1
felt something burning my leg. and thought L
would burn. ! asked the fireman the way to
West Eighth-st,. If he could see anything wrong.
and ] told him that would have TO lose time
at every station 10 see signals This engine
has been leaking for a month The local train
Is run on Track No 4, but last night they ran it
on Track No. -
This was also sworn and subscribed 70 on
January 2S-r
There had been such leak in the left steam
chest OF Engine No. q, the locomotive that drew
the Philadelphia Express, that Daniel H
Deeter. Of Philadelphia, the master mechanic,
had ordered it 10 the shop on January z. It
was ar the shop from the 9th TO the 10th.
crack in the steam chest had been repaired as
well as possible. He had not examined 1t since
shat time but supposed that il was all right, as
ihere had been no complaint entered against it.
The records showed only some minor repairs
needed that would not affect the steam chest.
Thomas A Foersch. of Phila delphia. the road
Foreman gave substantially the same testimony.
Charles B. Dampman, Bernard F Loughery
End Hiram Meek. all Pennsylvania and Read
sng engine men, told that the engine had been in
good condition
Regarding the evidence OF these men. Prose
cutor English said that he had been told that
they would reveal the iniouty of the road in
iheir testimony. but he. had not heard anything
sensational yet.
There many more witnesses to be
Hrnined, and il will require several more ses-
ejons 10 complete the work of the inquest.