The semi-weekly messenger., 1906-07-27
WILMINGTON. n G.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE HAM
LET WRECK.

The responsibility for the fearful
loss of life in the railway wreck at
Hamlet Sunday night seems to- be yet
unsettled. The report of the railway
officials and of the corporation COM
mission have not yet been made public.
AS announced in The Messenger yes
terday, the corporation commission
has made an investigation, but has not
at this time given TO the public its con-
clusions or findings.
Elsewhere we publish articles from
the afternoon papers OF Charlotte.
From them it would seem that the re-
spOnsibiity for the accident lay be-
tween the train dispatcher in Raleigh
and the operator in Rockingham. The
latter gave train No. A, the passenger
train coming north, a clear track,
while the freight running as first sec
ton OF No 80 had been ordered to
move south from Hamlet, the usual
meeting point OF those two trains, and
meet No. SO at Rockingham, six miles
away. There was right here conflict
of orders. Who made the mistake?
We understand that the operator at
Rockingham says he got orders to hold
and then got another order annulling
the first one, thus giving No. IA a clear
track to Hamlet. He says lie has the
telegraphic order 10 that effect. If he
has. that clears him and puts the re-
SDOnSibility on the train dispatcher at
Raleigh, but we do not undertake to
say at this writing who is the respOn-
siblo person. When the facts as to
what orders were given to the opera
tors at Rockingham and Hamlet are
known, then the responsibility can be
placed with absolute certainty-and
fearful responsibility it will be. Who
ever committed that blunder was the
cause of the death of two white men
and more than a score of negroes, 1t
was a wholesale slaughter which could
easily nave Deeu dNOlueu Hdu dill Iue
men in charge Of the running of those
trains-we do not mean conductors
and engineers-attended to their duties
and the man who committed this
crime-for crime it was to be negli-
gent OF duty in such a case-shOuld
he severely punished.
Since the above was prepared for our
paper it has come to our knowledge
that the contention OF the operator at
Rockingham is correct and that the re-
sponsibii1ty for the accident has been
placed on the train dispatcher in Ra-
leigh. We understand that he ordered
Nc. A to wait at Rockingham for No.
So, and ordered No. SO to proceed TO
that point. Shortly afterward he an
nulled the order tC the operator at
Rockingham. but failed to rescind in
StructiOns TO the operator at Hamlet
to- send that train on. Thus it appears
that Captain Bowen had, by the rules
OF the road. which give nOrthbOund
trains the right OF way unless express
L. ordered TO wait. and by the display
OF clear track" signal at Rocking
ham. the right of way from Rocking
ham tC Hamlet. We als2 understand
that the train dispatcher in Raleigh
has been taken tc the hospital since
this fearful affair and that he is in a
precarious condition, due 10 mental
strain and worry over the awful re-
suits OF this mistake-a mistake which
very probably was caused by over
strain OF mental faculties in the dis
charge of the arduous duties of his po-
sition Of train dispatcher on Ions line
Of railroad.