Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-10-14

| SWITCHES. :. ,,.
Commissioner Peakes-"Is it any
are Closed?"
No
"A divided duty
Yes. Every man who opens d
switch is supposed to see that II IS
closed before he leaves it.
do YOU know whose duty it was to
close that SWITCH"
crockett and Buck came back and
left breckenridge at the switch
Then it was his duty to have closed
it9''
Yes
George D. Hagerty of Waterville.
telegraph operator, testified to being
in the telegraph office at the time OF
the wreck Crockett. Buck and Tarr
were with him. breckenridge was in
the caboose on the siding above the
crossing.
why were the men in the Office?
waiting for the late freight. They
usually wait in the telegraph office
when a train is late to hear where the
delayed train is
When did you first know about the
wreck"
Il heard Mr.. Tarr say something
about the wreck heard the crash and
saw the pile-up. Immediately after
tried to get Portland and notify them
Of the accident. Couldn't do it as the
wires were broken. l called up the hos
pitals on the phone and notified Port
| land. Then I visited the wreck.
Witness described what he saw.
Edward I. Lowe of Portland. conductor
| on the train, said he was in the next
| to the last car when the accident oc-
Cured He felt jar. 1t did not throw
him off his feet. When the train was
stopped he told the people it was all over
| and they could get out He advised them
| not to hurry There was plenty CT time.
| He stepped onto the platform, opened tft
| door to the next car and gave the same
| instructions to the people there.
After doing this for his passengers Con-
| ductor Lowe went ahead and assisted III
removing the dead He saw people com
| ing from the cars.
u. r. Kmball, w. S. Chapman. Joseph
F. Cook. John r. Chase and Almon Hodg
don have died as the result of the acct
dent
Flow fast was your train running when
il reached the fair grounds?
Forty miles.
IF the air brake had been set how soon
would you have. stopped?'
Two h h dred feet possibly, 800 feet
surely. We can stop train very soon
after the air is applied
When did you test the air.?
AT Leeds Junction. We stopped at
| Greene"
When did you first feel the air?'
| when the crash came.
Witness thought the air came on while
the train was on the cross-over track.
| James COnlogue, brakeman on the
| wrecked train testified the same as Con-
ductor Lowe to the air and stops at
| Greene and Leeds Junction. He helped
| the passengers off the cars.
Geo F. kersey. fireman on the shifting
engine, testified to changing cars Al tn.
| fair grounds. He was not on the main
line after the semiphore was set indicat-
| ing clear track, so his engine did not
| pass through the split switch.
Fred NJ. Crockett. head brakeman on a
freight train, was foreman of the yalo
| at the fair grounds on the day CT the
| wreck.
Working with him We're Lester z. Buck
and Thomas l. Breckenridge. Rounds was
| over him. 1t was a part of his duty to
| move cars about the yard
Cars were placed on the east side and
the track. He. Crockett. closed the
What did you do tnen?" inquired At
| torney Carter.
we kicked four cars onto the west
| side track.
who threw the split switch"
| ''Breckenridge.'
who pulled the pin?''
| BUCK
Where were you?'
| 'On the crossing.
| What did you do neXt?'
"Euck and went up to the stock yards
on tn, engine Before the semiphOre was
thrown looked at the switch from a dis
lance up the track and was satisfied the
switch was closed. | couldn't see clearly
| owing to people passing on the crossing
| Later | went into the telegraph Office,
where | was when the accident occur ed. -
} County Attorney SHELTON: How long
| have you known breckenridge?
For some time.
Did you receive any express orders
from Rounds?"
He asked me who would be n good
man to attend the double track switch
told him breckenridge;
Did you have any talk with Brecken-
. ridge about the switch, ,,
all right before the semiphore was open
! ed He said it was"
; why did you ask him that?'
| 1T is customary
did YOU think the switch was closed?
Yes"
How do you account for the switch
being open after the accident!
II don't account for it,
| Lester +. Puck of Watervlle. one OF
the brakemen at work in the yard, teSti-
fed to switching the cars:
who opened the switch for the west
sidng?''
breckenridge"
Ibid you see him."
| YES
Where did you go after the cars were
hunted INTO the siding
| Down to the stock yards.
Where did you leave Breckenridge?
? ION the cars setting the cars.
, Whose duty did you understand 1t wa!
to close the SWITCH
breckenridge
Why"
Because he opened it,
o Gould he see that you and Crockett
went back on the engine?'
IF he had looked he could see that W.
were not there
- County Attorney SHELTON: "Who tolt
you breckenridge could close the SWITCH
No one.
k You and Crockett just jumped into tn
engine and got a ride down to the othe
end of the yard?''
e Yes
And you didn't stop to see whether tn,
switch was thrown or not. or think VIII
would close it?''
q No"
Witness thought he closed the switcl
| on the east side of the track. He did no
open il. BuCk was questioned by tn
t commissioner about why he closed on
switch when he didn't open ii and ddn'
= close another under the same circum
stances He said he didn't close the las
switch because he had work up the trac
and so left the work for Breckenridg
n to do.
He also said while it was the man
duty to close the switch who opened il
another person could do it.
q Thomas l. Breckenridge of Waterville: