Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-30
TERMINAL TUNNEL WRECK
RESUMPTION OF INQUIRY BY
THE COMMISSIONERS.
Three Witnesses Examined This
Morning-Evidence Tending to
Show Condition Of Switch.

The Commissioners resumed their OFF,
cal inquiry into the recent wreck at the
terminal tunnel at the District build
ing this morning. Additional informa-
ton was furnished to the effect that U.
M~Herrell and Edward Kirk. employees
of the Union Switch and Signal Company,
said to have caused the accident a few
from it's proper course and plowed into
the incoming train.
Only three witnesses were examined
this morning. The first one called was
Thomas H. Matthews. an employe of the
Crawford Paving Company. Matthews
said he saw Herrell and Kirk working on
the switch "lmbering it up" as he ex-
pressed 1t. Matthews said he was in the
tunnel at the time of the accident, and
ne inspected the switch afterward and
found that it had been placed in its
proper position.
1t is this condition to which several wit
nasses have testified which the Commits
sioners have thus far been unable to solve.
They are anxious to determine how the
switch, which they say was without a
doubt set wrong when the outgoing train
went over it, was put in it's proper posi-
ton after the accident.
The other two witnesses were ]. P
STulCHGtl, tlIuShetpSI LOT the
company. and George W. Eckloff, a ca :
penter in the Crawford employ. Neither
of them could throw any light upon the
wreck and its probable causes.
Testimony Heard Yesterday After
At the afternoon session of the inquiry
yesterday. Thomas S. Bassford an en-
ploye of the Cranfo-d Paving Company,
who was in the tunnel at the time of the
accident, testified under oath that he
saw U. NJ. Herrell and Edward Kirk.
employees of the Union Switch and Signal
Company. working on the switch over
which the outgoing train ran on to the
wrong track. which resulted in the acct
dent. He said he saw them at the switch
just few moments before the train
passed, but that they were not in sight
after the train had gone by.
Merton B adley. assistant foreman of
the Union Switch and Signal Company
corroborated the opinion as previously
expressed by j. c. McCaulley, foreman
of the switch company. in the morning,
that the Washington Terminal Company
was responsible for the supervision of tn
switches. and should have had a watch
man at the switch which is said to have
caused the accident. He went further
than McCaulley by saying that he was
told by one Of the officials of the terminal
to the switch as soon as 1t had been 'lin-
bered up and otherwise put in working
orde" by the switch company workmen
1t was on account of this understanding
that Bradley did not go to inspect thu
switch after it had been 'linlbered up by
Herrell and Kirk. He said he thought the
terminal company would send man to
the switch. and that the latter would de-
tect anything wrong.
Train Directors Statement.
William ]. Wilson, train director at
the Broad street station, Philadelphia,
for the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany, who has been in|this city assist
Ing in the work Of systemati;ing the
running of the trains. said he did not
think it was necessary for the Wash
ington Terminal Company to send any
one to the switch to inspect 1t after 1t
had been '1imbered up by the en-
ployes of the Union Switch and Signal
Company. He said he went through
the tunnel a short time before the ac-
cident. and he found the switch set
properly, but that it was unsptked. He
said he had received no instructions
from any one to place a Waterman or
Switchman at the switch.
The last witness examined by the
Commissioners yesterday afternoon was
George H. Lange. a foreman f con-
struction for the Crawford Paving Com
pany. He told the Commissioners that
he heard Assistant Foreman Bradley
of the switch company call to Foreman
McCaulley of the same company and
ask him whether he should spike the
said: No. there will be somebody else
to watch them