Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-12-05
FISHER TELLS STORY
Never Qualified" as Engineer
 Between Here and AnSonia.

"
 of the train which was carrying Gov ernor Woodruff and staff and the New Haven Grays to New Haven. Three men were killed in that accident, Fishers fireman, E. G. Erickson, ana the engine crew of the other tralh' Carpenter and Norton. Preceding Fishers story, John J. Kelley, car inspector testified that he inspected Fishers train before it started on the return trip from Waterbury and ne found it all right. Matthew kenny yard foreman, testified in a similar strain and then Fisher was recalled to the stand.
 He testified that during the year preceding the date of the collision ne made about fifty trips to and rom Waterbury and New Haven, mostly as an engineer of freight trains. Then he stated that he had never quallhed as engineer to travel between An sonia and Waterbury. Qualified meant accustomed to the landmarks along the way. To qualify, he said, an en- gineer rides with another engineer, who shows him the landmarks and switches and everything that he IS supposed to know about the road. lie was never given orders to qualify TO travel between Ansonia and Water bury.
 It was about 4 o'clock on the after noon of March 1 that he got orders about bringing the Grays back to New Haven. He reported for duty at ' o'clock and he was given his engine, and he immediately ascertained if IL was all right for the trip. He. found ! everything in good shape and at 9:3o o'clock he started off with his crew and reached Waterbury at 1O:2o o'clock. Before starting from New Haven he timed his watch with the clock in the dispatcher's office. He found the tracks in the Waterbury yard full of freight and they were slippery and icy. for it was driZzling and it froZe as it fell. The time he passed in Waterbury waiting for his train to take the Grays and Governor Woodruff back. he occupied around his engine and in the telegraph op- erator's office. His orders were to leave here at 12:30, but he did not start until 242, as the Grays were not ready.
 Before leaving here he read the orders about the return trip to his fireman. who was new man making his first trip that night. Erickson heard and evidently understood every word of the orders. Fisher consider ed Erickson too zealous in his worR and he helped him make his fires.
 As the train was passing through the yard Fisher saw a switch open and though the signalman, Fitzsim mons. whose duty it was to see thai the switches were all right, was or the cab with him. he was about to ge on the cab to close the switch wher Fitzsimmons jumped off and closed it. There was no light on the car save the light that shines on tht steam gage. Passing the Holmes Booth and Haydens shop the trail was travelling at fifteen miles al hour. Fisher said he was looking fol switches all the way out, leading tC what he called Hong branch tech nical name for a part of the track Another part is known as "Coney IS land" and both are below the Wash ington avenue crossing. Fisher dic not see the bridge near the factory but he felt it and recognized he wa! passing over it because of the sounC underneath. Further on in his testl mony Fisher stated that qualifying for a road meant to become acqualnt ed with the sounds that are heard or 1t. such as come from wooden cross ings, steep grades, rough and smooti parts. and that in fact on dark night such as March and was. trains ar' engineered as much by sound coming from the rOadbed as by the sight ant ] sense of the engineer.
 Resuming his testimony Fisher sal! there was no natural light in the six! that night and he could not see tn landmarks along the track. Tn, [ headlight on the engine was poor \ owing to the rain freezing on it as fell. In fact the purpose of the head
 light is not to assist in running tn train. but for the protection of Tiff on running over grade crossings in tn
 night time.
 After passing the shops of tn
 Holmes. Booth and Hayden firm
 Fisher put LID steam till he came t'
 the Washington avenue crossing
 Then he was going at twenty miles al hour. He saw a switch light OH In
 right. His head was ont on the sid
 window and all his attention was di
 rpcted toward locating Hills siding D, The light he saw indicated to hin
 that he was near this siding. Hi IS hand was always on the lever of tn throttle. The air lever was right i
 front of him and the sand cOmpart s ment was near by too The only wa, v by which he could see ahead was D.
 having his head out the side window
 as the front windows were frozen uI | The first he knew that he had pass
 ed the switch to Hills siding was b L. the close sound he heard when gC
 ing under the Meriden branch bridg,
 which in railroad parlance is know as "CrOmweIT- bridge The mOmen
 he made the discovery that he ha
 passed the north end of the siding h
 knew that he had made a mistake. s
 he Immediately put on the air brake and shut of the steam The next Il = knew was that tlle brakes weie nC 5 taking the icy tracks. So he jumped O
 his seat near the window and apDlie
 tlye reverse lever Then he saw th
 headlight of the other engine standin
 on the track and he -pluggel- hi
 own engine. whirh meant Iettin
 s-..r. F,so stza y-rTfrr47e-z and rr.eufu