New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-12
WILL BLAME M0T0RMAN.
REPORT ON WRECK TO-DAY
apparatus in GOOD Order-G Guard
Sac Cornell WorhiRg FranticaI!y

rnissioners through its several members, posi-
fively declined 10 express any opinion as 10
to-day's reoorr on Mondays Third-ave. Gle
waited railroad accident The Tribune car as
ser that The report VIII find mat william D.
Cornell. the n7otor-a@p Of The City Hall train.
who was killed WIS chiefly responsible for the
accident hy apparently nlisjudging the dis
tance to the train in front; shat the master
controller was seemingly IN perfect order. that
the current was turned Of after leaving Fifty
uinth-st and that the train "skidded" down
the grade and that there was no evidence 10
Show tina, Cornell had set the brakes.
Rumor to the contrary, The report Will not
recommend an additional man III the motor
mans box. Meanwhile. how Cornell came to
ignore green flag why the brakes were not
Eet and what Cornell was doing when, according
10 the testimony OF ". J. Smith. the rear guard
OF the first train. he seemed to he trying frant-
cally to stop his train. remain virtually
answered questions.
Many persons were asking yesterday whether
one Of the lessons Of the accident was not that
D iagnan should he sent back from a stalled
brain in the day as IN the night
Charles E. Barnes, the electrical expert Of the
Railroad Commission. yesterday made q thor
pugh inspection Of the wrecked cars and the APP
p1iances Of the first car Of the second train. He
seported in part follows:
I examined the master controller ard found
X II perfect WORKING order, except Tor the Tugs
and the base, which had been broken by the
Grer-en, presume, il tearing it loose from its
Sastenings. The controller handle, cylinders, re-
verse lever and mechanical interloCkng system
found to be in perfect order. So far the
motor was concerned, found nothing that
would prevent its operation in connection with
che other motors of the train. The appliances
pr the telescoped cars were twisted and
broken as to prevent a determination their
condition when the collision occurred.
believe that the speed of the second train
HVas not less than from fifteen TO twenty miles
e VIII IA iS
known Pullman anti-telescoping plates The
srucks remained on the rails, because the king
bolts broke and released the bodies of the cars.
rhe cars. while not solid those 20 be used
In the subway, show marked improvement in
Gsed.
If the controller has not been touched the
position Of the reverse lever shows it was not
Ssed Immediately preceding the collision. The
handle and other mechanism plainly indicate
that the current was turned off when the COLI
saw no evidence Of burning in the body or
structural work of the two cars. The testimony
of company officials that the cars were equipped
with fireproof flooring was correct 1 found the
nTire cables we'll insulated even in the wrecked
ears.
{ When the board met, at . o'clock, Mr.. Gardiner
appeared for the company. and had his
sociate John F. Mcintyre. Chairman Dunn pre-
sided. Mr.. Gardiner submitted the record of
Cornell.
E. Glib, the motorman Of the first train, was
The first witness. He declared that in an emer-
sency, and when running at fifteen miles
hour, he could under favorable conditions stop
IA train in a cars length by using the reversing
lever He said it was not customary to send
back a f1agman from a stalled train in the day
time or when the atmosphere was clear. He
never knew of instance on elevated train
when the brakes refused to work He said that
releasing the hand from the automatic knob on
the controller handle shut off the current, but
did not act on the brakes. It would not be wise
10 use the reverse with the controller on full,
because there would be danger of blowing out
the fuses.
The testimony of W. J. Smith the rear guard
OF the first train, in part follows
saw Cornell. the motorman, IN his box as his
train approached. Both CornelTs hands were In
One Of his hands Was on the ever G S When ems iagt
faw Cornell his train was thirty feet away. He
frying TO stop. His hands were in constant motion.
Cross examined by Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Nc
Sntyre. Smith qualified his testimony by saying
that he saw Cornell from the time the latter's
train left Fifty-ninth-st but that he was not
sure that Cornell trying to stop the train
.until he within thirty feet of the first
ltrain Further examined by Commissioner
Baker. he said he did not have distinct view
OF Cornell until just before the smash when
iRhe motorman seemed to be working frantically
at the controller and brakes. Cornell then was
about thirty feet away.
: He stated that rear guards We're not required
10 flag trains behind them in the day or at
might in a clear atmosphere or on a straight
track.
! A. Tillnlan, conductor Of the second train said
Ete noticed nothing wrong in the stop at Fifty
nintl-st- He did not feel any application Of
the brake. The current was turned off after
5eaving Fifty ninth-st. and the train "coasted"
Gown the grade toward Fifty-sixth-st
81 have known Cornell ever since have been
Jon the road. He the kind of man I would
lhave trusted with my life said Tfllman. Cor
fore it left the yards. He did not report any
Ching wrong with It,
/ John Mahoney, the ironworker who tagged
abe first train. told OF the position of the green
flag about one block north of where he stood.
t1Ie said the latter flag was fastened about
eight feet above and the west side OF the
track. He though it possible for Cornell 10
khave had clear view of it.
General Superintendent HedIey was asked ~
st would not be safer to have two motor1nen
for each train He was opposed to it, because
1t was essential that the man in charge Of the
{ train should have his vision directed forward
and to this end there was now a rigid COMPANY
rule that the motormen should not converse
even with employees, except under exceptional
circumstances. GLIB expressed the same views
and declared he would not care to have the
responsibility of a train with another person
I'm the box.