New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-11
TWO M0TORMEN URGED.
PROBING THE IL" CRASH.
HedLey Uncertain about Green
FLag-CareIessness the Theory.

While the State Railroad Commissions investiga-
ton Yesterday of Mondays elevated railroad acci-
dent, when q ThisI-ave. City Hall train crashed
Into the rear Of 4 South Ferry train midway be-
tween Fifty-seventh and Fifty-sixth SITS Yves iar
from being final the examination of officials ana
ernDlovcs apparentIv disposed OF the theory that
william d Cornell. the dead motorman OF the CITY
Han train, died from heart disease before tho col
lsion and further theory OF faulty controIler
or imperfect brakes babe fair to disappear also.
Too short headway between the two trains. in
sufficient allowances for contingencies, negligence
on the part of those responsible for signalling the
rear train and carelessness on the part Of the
dead motorn2an in running At too high speed as
well as apparent hardness oversight in applying
his brakes were theories that seemed to be cred
ited by :he commissioners It was generally
agreed however. that the Investigation UP to date
was at best tentative. and that several further
hearings must be held sbefore the heart of the case
would he reached.
IF. as you assert. testimony given this afternoon
points to too short tway and excessive speed"
Charles S Barnes the electrical expert attached to
the commission. told Tribune reporter afterward.
you must bear in mind that the general public
and the commission partly responsible for this,
in demanding extra trains' 70 cope with the rush
hours
Barnes at the hearing TO James s. Doyle. the
master mechanic of the Manhattan division of the
marlborough company. considered indicative
of Of the theories resulting from Mr.. Barnes's
personal investigation of the accident.
'If the distance from the centre of the Fifty
ninth-st. platform" asked Mr.. Barnes, lis. has
been stated about $50 feet the point OF collision.
and the second train had gained full speed-you
have said about twenty miles hour would have
been possible within about $50 feet the down
grade there-coud it have been stopped before 1t
struck the first train?'
Il do not think So" was Mr.. Doyle's reply. The
speed could have been materially reduced how
ever
T,TS[-E E-T1JT HEART DISEASE THEORY
IN his talk with the reporter, Mr.. Barnes let it
be inferred that he placed no credence in the re
port that if the controller had buckled the brakes
would not automatically have been set.
This intimanion Endorsed by Mr.. Doyle, who
declared the reporter that the Sprague system in
vogue was so mechanically perfect that it i'm
possible for controller to become out OF order or
for a motorman TO release the handle for an in
slant without the brakes setting automatically and
remaining set. That Cornell stricken with
apoplexy or heart disease and unable TO release the
controller apparently dIscredted by an eye
witness Of the collision. who asserted that he saw
Cornell Juggling at his levers his train bore
down on the one in front.
Coroner Scholer advocates placing two men in
the motormans box, declaring that had there been
two in the motorman's box Monday night
the accident would not have occurred
The hearing OF the Railroad Commission began
at 2 p. n. in the Whitehall Building. Charles A.
Gardiner. counsel for the marlborough company
present.
Frank Hedley, general superintendent Of the In
terborough Company the first witness exam
ined THE motorman" he said. lis not supposed
closer than $50 feet TO preceding train, ex-
cept at q slow rate of speed, and when his trair
IS under absolute control. IF trains stop on a
tangent, and the atmosphere is not such as to
obstruct speed signals not required In
the OF smoke or fog. the rear man goes back
80 feet to flag onconling trains. Crews are pro-
vided with red flags, which carried in the
pocket and used in daylight. Rear red lights are
used at night.
William Cornell who was killed had been in the
employ of the company since 1882 He
of the companys locomotive engineers. His record
was exceptionally good. He may have made two or
three trips before the one III which the accident
occurred. l do not know that he had been III. He
had been examined physically within two years.
TRAIN RUNNING TWENTY MILES AN HOUR.
Between Fifty-nirth and Fifty-thrd SITS trains
run about thirty miles hour. When the acct
dent occurred 1 estimate Cornell running his
train twenty miles hour.
The first train stopped because it tagged
by a section gang. The train stationary about
a minute All southbound trains have been subject
stopping there for several weeks. No
special bulletins had been posted about the WORK,
but green caution flags were used Fifty-sixth-
st. is always the where repair work is in
progress. think the second train passed the green
flag.
The interval between trains at Fifty-sixth-st is
about one and one-haIf minutes at the hour wher
first train Monday. Il hand nag. its only
purpose Is to protect track wOrkmen and signal
the oncomng motorman. 1t had nothing to 10
with the second train. The work Fifty-sixth-st
has extended over many spans for several weeks.
! cannot say positively that q green flag was be
hind the first train. II was displayed. l know but
/ cannot say where
George II. Pegran. chief engineer of the Nanhat-
tan division Of the Jnterborough company. was the
next witness. lie said that the red and green sig
nal flags were displayed on the outer or west side
OF the track.
Did you ever know motorman to become dis
abled 10 run past station red signal from
disability, OF from am ether cause over which he
had physical coutroI?" asked Mr.. Dckey.
No sir. the reply.
Police Captain Jantry appeared in the Yorkville
police court yesterday. and told Magistrate Pool
that Coroner Scholer lad requested that Augustus
StilTnan. conductor. and Edward Gibbs, motor
man. re transferred to the custody Of the coroner
who would conduct investigation the collision
Coroner Schoier' said the magistrate. has no
right make this Investigation. His duty simply
s. TO ascertain the Of the death the motor
man. Magistrates are the only who have the
proper judicial power TO make Investigation.
shah conduct the hearing in this ase myself
The magistrate held the men in 81 go bail
each setting the cXarnina ton for tomorrow morn
ing
A lawyer retained yesterday by Leo Kirk
eighteen years old. employed a stock clerk I'm a
Wall Street house. to bring SUIT in the Supreme
Court for $1,000 damages against tho Interborough
Railway Company. for alleged damages in the
cldeut.
BOYS YELL STARTS THEATRE PANIC