The sun., 1905-09-14
The STORY OF The SIGNALS.
SWITCHES SET FOR SIXTH AVE.
NINTH AVE. DISKS on TRAIN.

state RAilro1I Gem mlssIenotV Dcs"
quiry Into Elevated Dlsaster--intor'
bersush Omcers Tell Of Precautions
--Jacksen Refuses to Give Testimony
Onioials and employees Of the Inter.
borough Railway Company were examined
yesterday touching the catastrophe on the
elevated railroad at Ninth avenue ana
Fifty-third street early on Monday morning
before the State Railroad Commission at
the offices Of the commission in the White-
hall Building. Col. George W. Dunn.
chairman Of the commission, presided ana
present with him were Commissioners
Frank Baker, Joseph M. Dickey and George
w. Aldridge.
To hold the examination the commission
ers had to adjourn six hearings on Long
Island. When they get through the mena-
bers hope to have learned whether or not
the responsibility rests on the towerman'
jackson; the motorman Of the train, Kelly
or on both. The commission also wants TO
know II the system is being operated In the
best possible way to safeguard the lives OF
passengers. In their efforts to get at the
cause Of the disaster, the commissioners
received bad setback at the afternoon
session. This was when Cornelius A. Jack
son, the towerman, who threw the switches
wrong, was called.
jackson was told that 1t was not neces-
sary for him to answer questions, as he Is
held under bail by the Coroner, unless he
30 desir ed. jackson said he would answer
no questions. jackson wears heavy spec
tscles. In reply to question put by Com
missioner Diokey he said that accounts OF
interviews with him printed In certain
newspapers were false.
The investigation began at 1880 o'clock
in the morning. The work Of examining
witnesses for tho investigators was done
by Charles E. Barnes, an electrical expert.
Just few minutes before the hearing be-
gan group Of Interborough officials en-
tered tho room. They were Vice-Presi-
dent E. P. Bryan, General Manager Frank
Hedley, Superintendent of the Manhat-
tan Division s. d. Smith and Superintend-
ent Of Motive Power J. F. Doyle. This
party was augment cd by De Lancey Nicoll
OF counsel aud Charles A. Gardiner, gen.
eral attorney.
Commissioner Baker opened the ses-
sion with the following statement:
The Board of Railroad Commissioners
Is here for the purpose Of investigating
the accident on the elevated railroad at
Fifty-third street and Ninth avenue"
MIR. Bryan asked for an adjournment
until the company's own investigation was
completed, but the commission decided
to 60 ahead, and General Manager Hedley
was the first witness called. After ques-
tioning Mr. Hedley regarding rules and
obeyed, Mr.. barnes asked him II he had
personally visited The scene OF the wreck.
mir. heuiey replied
Il did, about forty minutes after It had
occurred"
what had happened there9'
s1hree trucks had apparently left the
structure
"How many cars were there in the train2"
Six, four motor Cars and two traliers.
The second, q trailer car, had left the track
and its north end went into the street first.
made to topple the car over in order to
clear the track. Shortly after / arrived
this was done. The first truck Of the third
car also went into the street
did you. examine the signals displayed
Yes, sir.
1.-TWO white disks on the top Of the car
and tin plate on the platform Of the car,
which ds are the proper signals for Ninth
what was the lettering on the sien7'
South Ferry, Ninth avenue.
did you examine the switch signals at !
til: e osry:'' Sid,:
What did you indr-
s1he pot signal at the switch was set |
yellow, which Is a precautionary signal to
warn motor1nen that the switch is set for |
Sixth avenue. The home signal, about
forty feet to the north, showed green, which
indicates to motornen that the track is
clear for train
"1he yellow or precautionary signal
would tell Sixth avenue motorman that
it .ys was ,dli,d all right to go ahead''
Further examination Of the witness
brou ght out the fact that the company
we have no real xrecking. trains said
Mr.. Hedley. .but we have picked wrecking
crews at each point OF intersection"
'How long was it after the accident when
the wreoking crew got thereS' \ l
IT was scarcely any time. They were
what Is the speed Of the Ninth and Sixth
avenue express trains?'
In some places forty miles an hour
What u the speed Of the Ainth and Sixth
'1hirty- Ave miles an hour, sometimes,
between the long stations
What speed Is allowed to Ninth avenue |
trains at the junction Of Ninth avenue and |
Fifty third street,
"1here is q precautionary signal q few |
yards north Of the switch. n,a ximum
speed Of twenty Ave miles an hour is allowed |
TO those trains
sWhst Is the maximum Of Sixth avenue
trains taking the curve2'
Eight miles an hour
The next witness was Supt. Smith Of the |
Maphattan division. He told how each train
hand and trackman was examined a. to
his mental and physical fitness and how
.hey &ere coached ss to the rules.
Supt Smith told Of a towerman's duties.
to the witness the towermen
work on eight hour shifts. He said that
, towerman could not leave his post unless
relieved by tho dispatcher who was In .
room below him Of by q traclnan who
thoroughly understood the system Of Gig
pals. He said that during the morning
rush hours the ma, inum numberof tr1 ins
sassing over the junction at FiItv-third
,treet and Ninth avenue ives but fifty per
hour, while In the evening r,lsh the maxi
mum at the same point was one hundred
ind two. Tho witness stated that the
wrecked train left tho northern terminal
It Gas, on time, and that II did not lose
minute during the trip south. Mr.. Smith
,aid that jackson, the towerman, had a
good record had been In the employ OF
he company for nearly eight years and
,ad never been disciplined.
what time did jackson 20 to work on
L.