Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-12-01
FIXING THE BLAME.

collision occurred AT LH"yctoj '@''
Thanksgiving morning, when samuel
Spencer, president OF the Southern Rail-
wsy, and n party of his friends met a
shocking death 1t ia said that he wss
absent when train No. 80 passed the
block on IFS way south, and that a
student operator whom he had left in
charge reported the track clear and sent
train No 81 into The block ahead.
The story, as reciied, is that when
the fIagman ran back from Spencer 8
train to protect it from harm, according
to regulations, he met train No 81 less
than 300 yards away, approaching at a
high rate OF speed. On approaching the
dispatcher's Office it is said he saw
Nattosx leaving campers car some dis
tance away. and that he had boxir 9
gloves on bis hands. As soon as Mattoax
learned Of the wreck he disappeared,
and his not been seen since, although
officers have been after him.
An inspection OF the telegraph sheets
shows that Mattoax. or someone signing
for him, gave train Nc. S3 clear block,
and that be did not notify the operator
at Lawyers that the train was on the
block and entitled to it.
Assistant General -upt E. A. Coap-
man, of the Southern Railway Company
yesterday, gave ont the following state
ment, which explains fully the cause Of
the trouble:
Investigation so far made Of the ac-
cident developed the fact that Operator
Mattoax, at Rsngoon, let train No. 80
into the block and, disregardiDg the rules
failed 10 notify the operator at Lawyers
Depot of this fact. When the first sec
ton of train No 81, the Washington
and Southwestern yestibuled limited, ap-
prosched RangOon Operator Mattoax
asked the operator at Lawyers for the
block on No. 81. This was given by the
operator at Lawyers, who did not know
that No. 33 had gone in upon the block.
"No. SO broke down at the south end
of curve and as soon as the train stop
ped the fagman ran back to protect his
train. AS tar as We can learn the dag-
man had proceeded about 300 yards
when No. 81 was in view on the curve.
Engineer Mckinney saw the signal and
applied the emergency brake, but he did
not have time to leave his seat before the
collision took place.
san inspection of the telegraph sheets
in each OF the block stations substantiates
this belize. The sheet at Rangoon
shows that No. SO was given the block
by Operator Mattcax, and the sheet at
LAWYERS shows that Msttoax had not
notified the operator there that No. 3S
was on The block and entitled to it.
"a fuller investigation will be made
ss speedily as possible, but we do not
expect to develop additional facts. The
company has q number of men securing
the country, in the hope of locating OPP
orator Mattosx, but we have been able
to ascertain absolutely nothing as to his
whereabouts.
An official of the Southern Railway
stated that the company is desirous of
apprehending Mattoax in order to secure
a statement from him that might throw
some light on the causes that led him to
allow two trains in the same block at
the same time.
An examination of the telegraph sheets
kept at the Rangoon and Lawyers block
Offices shows that Mattosx lowed train
No. 3S, the Jacksonville express, upon
the block, the train passing his station
getting a clear track from him at COG
o'clock. The operator at Lawyers, the
next station ahead, claimed that Mattosx
did not ask him for ''clear track" for
No. 80, and he, therefore, did not know
this train had passed RangooD.
The block sheet at Lawyers bears out
this claim. The sheets at both Offices
show that the operator at Raugoon asked
Lawyers for clear track Tor No. 81
the Washington aud Southwestern vesti-
buled limited-and the Lawyers ope-
rstor, not knowing No. SS was in the
block, gave No. 81 the right of way at
6:l4 o'clock, and No. 81 passed Ran
KOOU NJ ludt ilulCs II nah
ported train No. 80 on the block TO Law
yers there would have been no accident,
because the operator at Lawyers would
have held the Southwestern limited at
RsngoOn until the Jacksonville train had
cleared the block at Lawyers.
Superintendent w. $. Andrews, OF
the Dsnyille Division, yesterday ex-
planned that the report that the engine
Of the forward train had gone some dis
tsnce ahead of its train when l. became
detached and backed to pick up cars was
erroneous, and the fact is that the en-
CINE did not leave the train more than
20 feet, the sir brakes, applying imme-
diately on the engine SIS we'll as the train.
The trouble was the breaking Of
knuckle of the drswhead on the front
end OF the forward car The trainmen
we're repairing this when the collision
occurred.