Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-07
Perjury and Blunder.

When extra train 2120 Of the Baltimore
and Ohio passed Silver Spring on Sunday
night, December %, the engineer saw q
double green light. When that train passed
that station at that time a white light
was displayed on the signal post
Here are two statements, directly affect
ing the questions at issue before the coro-
ner's jury now inQuiring into the Terra
Gotta wreck which have been made under
oath by the engineer and the signalman re-
spectiYely. 1t is impossible that both are
correct. A single white light can not pos
sibly be mistaken for a double green light.
The difference is one Of fact and 1t
is only too plain that somebody Is teStlfylng
falsely.
Coroner hewitt is quoted as declaring that
he proposes bringing to the attention OF the
proper legal authorities this and other evil
dent instances of false swearing at the in
quest, with a view to investigation and
prosecution. This should be done. Quite
as important as the placing Of the respon-
stbility for the wreck Is the ascertainment
of the truthfulness of the railroad opera
tives upon whom the safety Of the public
rests.
The inquest itself has thus far disclosed
an amazing state Of affairs in the manage
viously unknown to great majority of the
people, that the Baltimore and Ohio block
system is intermittent elastic. Then
came positive proof that no sufficient pre-
caution has been taken to guard against
disaster in the hours during which the
system is undergoing change. Then came
proof that the lanterns used at the stations
are so feeble that they can not be seen In
a fog more than thirty or forty PAGES dis
tant. Then came proof of the lack of sys-
TEN in the verification and correction of the
watches and clocks OF operatives and sig
nalmen. Finally, proof of the disregard Of
proper rules Of safety and unwarranted re-
lance In tile shifting block system came to
hand in the official admission that 1t was
considered good railroading" to send
frequently stopping local train down the
road ahead of fast. non-stopping extra.
because the latter, carrying no passengers,
was rated as the inferior train.
1t is to be hoped that this last point will
be thoroughly considered by those who are
trying to fasten the blame for the Terra
Gotta wreck upon the proper person or
persons According to the hard-and-fast
railroad rule trains are not rated neces-
sarily according to their ability to keep out
of danger from each other, but according
to their rank as passenger or freight car
riers. 1t would seem to have been the COM
monest precaution to send 212O down the
line from Washington Junction ahead OF
the local. 1t would have had practically
clear track to this city, with train &c amply
protected in front by the clearance of 2120
and behind by the long stretch of unoccu-
pied track. Yet under the Illogical and.
as it proved. dangerous. practice of the
road the deadhead. being inferior" prob
ably because 1t was earning no money for
the company, was held back to make way
for a time-losing accommodation.
Is 1t any wonder that public confidence
in the safety and sanity of railroad man
agement is shaken to the point of destruc-
ton?