The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-06-22

or the Moore's Corners fatahty was h'la
to-day at East Providence.
Two Important witnesses were examined.
Miss Gcrtie Hardaker. the girl VINO sdt
on the front seat Of the car ana WIN
Walter Henry notified the rear car OF the
Miss Hardaker was he first witness and
testified follnAS--.l-.l444- Il NeAEA-nL
age and reside az p Thornton avenue
Thornton and work in the Pocasset MN
] was a passenger on the car whlch was
overturned al Moore's Corners and SAT on
the front seat OF the first car, on the lelt
end. | saw the motorman on his way
up from the park; hc did not talk Win
the passengers on the way up and seemed
20 be attending 10 his duties. ! had been
over that road before that night. but dld
not notice that MoOres Corners lay al
the foot Of a hill. / noticed that we were
goirg down hill few minutes before ne
acident; thought the car went down the
hin al about the same speed which II
preserved all the way.
When the car began 10 go down the
hl before reaching Moore's Corners did
not notice any electric light. nor did see
any corner; did not notice the corner until
after the accident. / heard the motorman
say something before the accident and
he then turned those things on the front
OF the car. / never noticed whether he
turned the handle 10 shut off the powr or
20 put on the brake. j did not remain at
the place Of the accident. but with walter
Henley went back 20 stop the other car.
IL was about three minutes before the
other car was stopped l should say. II
took little time 10 get out OF the car.
got out over the rail, which must have
been closed. The fog just before the acct
dent was very thick / hard nothing
about stone having been found on rail
until after. The passengers on the front
seat just previous 70 the accident were
laughing and talking The car left the
park about 1906 a. m; hear somebody ask
the time from Walter Henley but don't
know what time the car was overturned.
The overturned car did not go far around
the curve when Il was overturned. and
it was not going so very fast when IL
was Uvurturngd' Hbout as fasu as IT had
been going all the way up.
Motorman Leuchner was the next and
last witness heard today and testified as
follows:
my name is William j. Leuchner. and
my age is 27 years: reside in Olneyville.
and by occupation a motorman for the
Rhode Island company.
II was running the car which over
turned at Moore's corners on the morn
ing Of June 3. / first began 20 serve as
motorman Dec g. 1903. but did not serve
continuously; from Dec g. 1908. worked
for the Rhode Islam dcompany until July
). 1904. and then went 10 work for the
N. ", ~ II. & II. r. II. Company
while: ! was a third mate on the New
Bedford line; then was transferred, and
became second mate on the Bridgeport
line, this being until the end OF the sea-
son. Then ment to the Fail River line
and was there laid off for a week and a
half, when they sent for me again
was then told 10 take a boat TO New
York; there was no work for me for a
while.
This was about the first week I'm Mo-
vember. 1904. Then l found employment
in the Pocasset Market company and
stayed there until the 9th Of May. 1905
on May s, 1905. went TO work for the
Rhode Island company again as motor
man. In which position l continued until
the accident. ! received from the Con-
solidated company a recommendation
Witness then produced the written
paper and handed II 10 the coroner
MY experience as a motorman has last
ed about year and nine months: during
that time have run cars in division No.
2
Previous TO the date OF the trolley
party had run car over the Crescent
Park route once, Aug. 3. 1906. / did not
notice pole some 500 feet from the COR
hers the bottom of which is painted red
and the top white and never noticed any
such poles in any OF the lines OF diyision
No. 2; II had seen these poles / should
have asked there significance / know
now but ! did not at the time Of the ac,
cident
nave read The regulations furnished
by the r. l. company: this book to my
knowledge does not say anything about
the meaning OF these poles. l have read
the book. II IL was there ] should have
seen II. | have never seen IL and never
have had any notice from the company
about the significance OF such poles. /
never have heard any OF the employees or
officers OF the company talk about the
significance OF the poles.
1.-The book does prescribe the rate OF
speed at which cars should pass curves;
think IL is size miles or less and II also
prescribes how one should run a car In
darkness and fog az a moderate OF speed
1t prescribes that the car shall be
stopped within the limit OF vision; that
means In ordinary circumstances 300 feet
We left the park on the return trip at
p:oS a. m. but could not say at what
time the accident occurred, but Il was
between 1880 and 12:45 a. m
The night was dark and foggy: u was
very dark; the rails were wet and slip
perry and hard 10 stop a car on. When
was coming along / felt the incline:
when I felt the car descending / nut on
the brakes The car was running about
10 miles an hour az the top OF this in
cline. and the brakes as reduced speed 10
about seven miles
II tried 10 stop when I first saw tho
curve and the FIRST thing I old was 20
pun the reverse handle but couldn't feel
the motors back. Then turned tho other
IN emergency position as the front trucks
entered the curve. / released my brake
70 give II chance 60 roll around at itas
own free will because by applying the
brakes and holding them when curve
" struck the car Is more apt 10 Jump
When i pulled the reverse handle the
power was on. Going down the hin
nan no power on and had my brakes on
! shut OF the power Mt the ton Of tho
hin first saw the curve when / was
about the length of the car from n
Lfuchner. was shOwi a diagram OF thu
corners and Identified the place whore the
curve begins and showed the place where
the car left the curve The overturned
Ear Isid even with the tree, almost paral.
The electric Hight was not burning
as we went down the hill and Al was
entirely dark al the corner. I could
see when we started down the hifi
ebout 100 feet ahead OF me and couli
have stopped my car within 100 feet
i "A