The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-12-20

, he Mattox, could not communicate fur
Their with him.
Under these circumstances the follow
ing from Rule 1874 applies:
IF from the failure of a telegraph
line or other cause, a signalman is unable
| TO communicate with the next block sta
ton in advance (Which in this case was
Lawyers, he must stop every train ap
preaching in that direction and obtain
permission from the train dispatcher be-
fore allowing it to proceed"
MattoX's plain duty was, therefore, to
stop first 81 at Rangoon and not let 1t
enter the block. HI admits taht this
was his duty and that he did not per-
form it. If he had, the accident could
not have happened.
In addition to the foregoing, Rule 116
provides
ITO admit train to a block the signal
man must examine the block record
and if the block is clear will give b. W.
Block wanted) for--' to the next
block station in advance.
The signalman receiving this signal,
if the block is clear. must display the
stop signal to opposing trains and reply
s. D. Signal displayed, for........'; if
the block is not clear he must reply
Block is not clear for...a..
"A train must not be admitted to
block unless it is clear, except as pro-
vided by Rule 129 or 1874, or by special
ORDER"
There is no contention that the opera
tor was entitled to admit either train by
virtue of Rule 129 or 1874 or by special
order.
From Rule 116. above referred to, it
| will be seen that Operator Mattox had
no right even to ask for the block for
train first 81. until he had looked at his
own block sheet and seen from it that
train No 80 had passed out of the block
His block sheet did not show this es-
sential fact.
He admits that it did not, and that,
before he asked for the block for first
81 he had not gotten. as required by
Rule lis, the information necessary to
make his block sheet show the facts and
to complete it,
1t was, under these circumstances, his
cleat duty under rule 116 to stop train
! first 81 and not admit it to the block.
! lie admits this and that If he had obeyed
the rule the accident could not have hap
| pened.
1t will thus be seen that from evidence
! that it is not disputed, the human factor
! failed at the decisive moment and caused
! this great catastrophe.
| MattoX himself is Vrginan by birth,
| having been born and reared in Franklin
| county, the adjoining county to the one
! in which the accident occurred. He had
| been employed in pursuance of the policy
| of the company to recruit to it's ranks
| from among the people along it's lines,
| whose antecedents and environments are
| known
! He was % years old, had been in the
| employment of the company as an opera
/ tor for about two years, was educated rs
| an operator and before being permitted
| to undertake his duties of an operator,
was duly examined on block rules, train
orders and other matters pertaining to the
! telegraph service, by w. ]. Coapman,
! chief dispatcher.
| He had, at the time of the accident
bean operator at Rangoon about twenty
| months.
| There is some conflict in the testimony
| as to the conduct of Jacobs, the operator
| at Lawyers. The above conclusions how
| ever, have been reached without con-
| sdering any controverted testimony.