The Washington herald., 1907-11-28
District Commissioners Take
Up Tunnel Collision.
NOBODY KNOWS THE CAUSE
superintendent Martin TestifIes to
Efficient Working of Electric Sig
nails, and Trainmen Did Not Know
They Were on Wrong Track-Mr.
MacfarIand Issues Statement.

/ connection with the wreck at the en-
trance OF the new terminal station tunnel
were brought out yesterday afternoon at
the first session held by the District Com
missioners.
or the eleven persons who answered the
summons issued by the Commissioners.
only four testified. In opening the inves-
| tigation, Commissioner Macfarland said
Purpose of Inquiry.
This proceeding is for the purpose of
ascertaining the cause of the accident.
and fixing the responsibility for it IL pos
sible. The Commissioners propose 10
elicit the facts on behalf Of the COM
munity which they represent. Fortu-
nately, the accident did not result in the
death of any one, although a number
were seriously injured and therefore.
there can be no coroners inquest.
Hence. for the first time the Com
missioners are making an inquiry Of
this sort under the powers which the law
has conferred upon them. 1t is our hope
that as a result Of this inquest We shall
know who is responsible, and that such
measures may be taken rs will prevent
a recurrence of such a deplorable Incl
dent, which might have been a terrible
disaster"
G. W. Martin. superintendent Of the
Washington terminal was the first wit
! ness sworn. At the request OF Commits
sioner Macfarland, Mr. Martin told in de-
] tail what he knew of the wreck He said
the accident was due to the northern
end Of the slip switch in the tunnel hay
ing been set for the north-bound instead
Of the sOuth-bOund track. The signals on
these switches, he said. had not been
completed. in that they had not been
connected with the tower system.
Arrangements had been made FOR their
use. however, by means Of "spiking. 90
which continued from November Il until
just before the time of the accident. He
explained that 10 spike a switch was 10
drive an iron or steel piece between the
flange and rail for the purpose Of keep
ing it more steady.
"On account of the delays of business
moving to the South he said. Il thought
II necessary 10 open up one Of the tracks
/ in the tunnel"
Placed In Condition.
Continuing. he said he ordered Mr..
McCaully, the superintendent of the
Switch and Signal Company that was
constructing the switches and signals in
the terminal TO place them in condition
for use. He said he was informed the
assistant foreman Of the company. l. NJ
Herrel. placed the switches in proper con-
dition. Herrel. he said. repaired the air
valves Of the switch which was respon-
sible for train 215. south-bound. running
on the north-bound track.
Il went into the tunnel al O'Clock. %
Mr. Martin continued. and found HerrcI
working on the switch. and 7 cautioned
him to leave il set for the proper track
Train 2Q9, which left the station Just
prior 10 2lJ, passed the switch. and was
properly run on the south-bound track.
In less than ten minutes the train which
was wrecked followed and was switched
to the north-bOund track"
Martin said the terminal company had
not put switchman at that particular
switch because il was not thought neces-
sary To move II. lie said all the switches
which had not been completed were still
under the supervision OF the constructing
company.
Twenty minutes after the accident 7
passed through the tunnel" said Mr.. Mar
tin, and found the switch properly set for
the southbound track. / am unable to ac-
count for how it happened TO be in this
position"
Examined the Switches.
L. NJ. Herrel. an employe OF the In
ion Switch and Signal Company. stated
that upon receiving instructions from
the superintendent of his company. he
proceeded TO examine and place the
switches inside the terminal tunnel in
proper working order. He said the SIM
switch, which was set for the north
bound track, and which caused the
wreck. had been placed in condition by
him. He said he had removed the spike
and found the switch to work i'm good
order with exception OF a small leak in
the air valve
This he repaired with the help Of an
assistant named Kirk. after going TO the
shop. which was half a mile away. and
obtaining the necessary tools
He said while they We're working one
train passed them, but he was unable
To say what train it was, but that II
was not the train that was wrecked He
also was unable to state whether the
train passed before OF after they had
visited the shops.
before leaving the switch" he said
Il made certain il was properly set. as
my instructions had been to leave the
switch in the same position as when l
found it. He said that he did not spike
the switch because he presumed IT was
to be used.
On request of the Commissioners. he
explained the switch was worked by an
- nrf ri
turn II.
Robert Nelson Burgess, conductor of
train 2l5, testified he was in the middle
coach at the time of the wreck and did
not know his train was on the wrong
track until he walked to the entrance of
the tunnel and saw the two locomotives
together. He said I'm his opinion il would
have been impossible for the engineer
TO know he was on the wrong track.
owing To the fact that the tunnel was
filled with smoke from several trains that
had passed through a few moments be-
fore 2l5.
The Switch Lights.
The lights az the switch might have
enabled him to discern the mistake under
ordinary conditions" he said. but 7 do
not think that in this case he could have
done so"
Patrick Casey, switchman at the north
end of the tunnel. said he had given
train 2l5 a clear signal and knew nothing
else about the wreck
Those who appeared at the hearing
were: G. w Martin. superintendent of the
Washington Terminal; &. W Turner. flag
man Of train 2l5; c. J. Green. baggage
man OF train 2l0; r. F. Pitzer. conductor
of train 2l0, J. Z. Payne fiagmaD of train
30: w d. Miller, fireman of train 91o.