Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-02

Their investigation Of the railroad ac-
e'oent at the State Fair grounds a,
lewiston. Sept. %. 1904 as follows
Stlt" of Maine. in Board of Railroad
commissioners.
TN the 10Th day of September A d
l'o4' an ACCIDENT occurred on the Main.
tehtrhl Railroad near Maine State
f"lr GROUNDS in Lewiston. in which
passenger train No. "a from Farming
10 TO Portland was wrecked, and five
persons lost their lives.
The train left Leeds Junction at Iii
=. NJ, Il minutes late. and reached
Lewiston Fair grounds. so called. at
ABOUT 40 p. NJ. At this point there is
station used only during the week of
the Maine State Fair. which had COM
menced on the day of the accident.
The Maine Central Railroad crosses
Main street in Lewiston at this point
about 100 feet south of the main en-
trance to the fair grounds. The street
IS about g. feet wide. but the tracks
cross Main street at an angle. leaving
about $50 feet in length Of the tracks
within the limits of the street.
Crossing the street at this point there
is the main line track of the railroad
and long siding on the west which
extends about 100 feet north. and
south to Lewiston station.
Near the SOutherly side Of Main
street is a split switch which carries
cars onto a siding on the east side of
the main line, extending toward Lew
iStOn.
About 100 feet southerly of Main
street is another split switch from the
main line to ''crOSS-over track" on
which cars are switched over the Main
line onto the long or west siding. This
"crosS-OEer track is about 100 feet in
length and is connected with the long
siding by stub switch 325 feet south
from Main street. North Of the station,
on the east, are 1--WE stock-yard sidings.
At go P. NJ. passenger train No. Is,
passed the station going north. toward
Watcrville. This was the last regular
train over the road before train No. "a
was wrecked.
Another freight train, No 40. was due
from Watervil:e. going south. but it
WAS late ard had not arrived when the
accident took place.
At about 3.15 p. NJ. Mr.. Fred NJ
Crockett. the acting assistant yard
master. with Mr.. Lester f. Buck. and
Mr.. Thomas L. breckenridge, as brake
men. with shifting engine took six
cars Odt of the stockyard siding. north
of the station, for the purpose of put
ting them upon the two sidings south
of the station, which have been de-
scribed.
The engine with the six empty cars
was backed south through the yard
and Mr.. Breckenridge. the rear brake
man, threw the east switch and two
cars We're kicked" off from the rear
end and went upon the east siding. Mr..
breckenridge then went to the west
switch aud opened that for the remain
ing four cars to be kicked" onto the
.cross-over track" The east switch
was then closed. but by whom is I'M
certain and is in controversy. Mr..
Buck the brakeman. is certain that he
closed it, While Mr.. Crockett is equal
~ sure that he performed the duty.
However. it was closed by some one.
because the other four cars were
backed down over it, and were
kicked" onto the 'cross-over track"
and from this onto the west long siding
over the stub switch.
The stub switch must have been at
,his time set for the long siding. be-
cause breckenridge testifies that when
the four cars were kicked onto the
"cross-over track he jumped onto the
cars and rode on them until they
stopped some $50 feet south of the stub
switch.
We have been thus particular in stat
ing the conditions existing at the time,
because they bear 50 largely upon the
conclusion which we have reached.
AS soon as the four cars had been
kicked onto the west siding Mr.
Crockett. the assistant yardmaster
with Mr.. Buck. the head brakeman
according to their testimony. got onto
the engine and went up through the
yard and bao ked in onto the stock-yard
siding.
AS soon az they We're in the stock
yard siding the semaphore was set by
the yardma.;ter. Mr.. Robert A. Rounds.
for a clear track through the yard.
When Mr. Crockett and Mr. Buck got
bItb Inc tiiR!ne aitcI tHe cars naQ Dt'i
kicked" onto the west siding. they left
the split switch on the "cross-over
track to the main line open. expect
ing as they both testified that Breck-
enridge would close it after he had
stopped the cars on the siding.
Mr.. breckenridge. the rear brake
man. testifies that after the four cars
weer on the siding he got off and
walked up the track and closed the
split switch onto the main line and
locked it. Then ne went to the east
split switch and examined that to see
if it was closed
He says he then went up into the
fair grounds and across where Mr..
Crockett was with the engine. and that
Mr.. Crockett asked him if everything
was all right below and he replied it
was. meaning. as he says, that all the
switches were closed.
He testifies positively that he closed
fNaAHt~~s>A