Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-10-14
Commissioners Investi-
eating Lewiston Wreck.
Pertinent Questions to Which
All Testimony Pointed.
Evidence as Submitted at the lmpor.
tant Hearing.

says, tonight:
After Il long wait for Col Peaks, the
chain man of :he Maine railroad com.
miSsionerS. the session Of that bod v
opened at Lewiston at l1.3O O'Clock
Thursday, in the common council
rooms of the Lewiston city building.
The session is one OF the most i'm
portant in the recent experience of tho
commissioners. as it sits to determine
the cause Of Tie disastrous railroad
| accident al Lewi:lo,i. Sept a6, ut tho
Maine State Fair grounds in Lewiston
by which the Farmii "tOn train to Low
iSton took an open switch and plunged
into the ditch. killing five persons and
injuling others.
The hearing vas appointed at 10
O'Clock on Thursday, ana Messrs Chad
bourne. Spofford and others Of the off,
Gals Of the beard and RAILROAD We're on
hand, brt Col. Peaks was DELAYED until
the arrival of the noon Train from B:it-
COR which was his earliest connection
For the State, County Attorney Skel-
ton of Lewiston was in attendance
while Hon. Seth NJ. Garter of Auburn
represented the Maine Central as at
torneN. Chief Engineer I'unn Az |
Supt. Mcdonald of Portland We're H.
attehdtpce while Conductor Lowe ot
the train and several of the employees
who were on duty ut the State Fair
yard on the fatal day. w rre in the room
during the hearing. with Witnesses
constantly comirg and going.
Who left the switch open and why
was it open?
These were tie pertinent questions
TO which all testimony pointed.
From the first ii vas established that
4 split switch leading to the west sid
ing had been left open through some
fatal mistake aud that tire train ran
upon the sidin" 1t a speed (Which is
VlriOUsly stated at from 40 to 90 mil As
IN hour) as FIR as a second o. stub
switch. when it left the rails anc
PILED up.
The most important testimony is
that of one of the witnesses who states
that the duty to have closed the switch
was that Of one OF the yard men.
Thomas |. breckenridge Of Watervillc,
the last man TO throw over the switch,
and he was the ma" who should have
seen to it that it was closed.
Col. fed KS presided IT the hearing.
The testimony was rs follows:
1t was 11.20 \. NJ. when the hearing
was sailed to order by Commissioner
Chad bOEr:ie.
Hon. Seth NJ. Carter stated that Two
witnesses. Mr. Eamstall foreman or
the Naterville shops, ana Mr.. Towle
Of the Portland shops. who wore to 'es-
thy 30 the condition Of the wreck. han
not arrived. Witnesses We're called
and sworn.
The plans OF the Lewiston fair
grounds yard We're offered
Commissioner Peaks arrived and
presided the rest of the meeting
VIM. y. Tarr OF Lewiston. road mas
ter OF the Lewiston division of the
NJ. c. L. r.. was the first witness called.
He has charge OF repairing the tracks.
Under his direction the tracks at the
Maine State Fair grounds We're pn,
INTO shape for the fair The number
Of the tracks and kind OF switches were
given. A double track ran past the
crossing toward Lewiston. SOuth or
the crossing were two switches; one
was % Il siding OF the east side of the
track and the othe.' To q cross-over
track connecting the double track. \
split switch was located at the latter
point. The cross-over track Was con-
nected with the main line Ivy a stub
switch.
Had you examined the switches be-
fore the accident? ." inquired Attorney
Carter
Yes"
How long before"
Two or three days"
In what condition We're they"
Good
Where were you at the time of the
acciGent?" |
In the telegraph Office
What did you do
Il telephOned and then went to the
scene" 7
"In what condition did you find the
two switches south of the crossings
lone was open and the ether closed"
was there any trouble with the
crOss-over track. other than the switch
being OPEN"
NO.
'.In what condition vas the side track
beyond the split SWITCH"
After tpdSSIIiS the StuD SWITCH the
track was ripped up for 23O feet. The
ties and both of the stub switches
showed they had been run over by an
engine or cars"
WAS the main line track all right?
Yes.
From what you could see. the train
was over the cross-over track before |
the accident occurred?"
Eyes. But something was off the
track before it reached the stub-switch.
There were fresh cuts. on the sleepers,
They might have been made by car
AFTER the engine left the rails"
Cross-examination:
"How many freight cars were there
on the siding
-Four
what would yon think hit the first
one?"
1.-THE engine" .,..s. 1asH
Continued on page 81 a"