The Washington times., 1907-12-19
Terminal Company and
Union Switch Com
pany Held to Be
Responsible.
Tunnel Should Be Light
ed and SmokeleSS
Motors Used
in Tubes.

That the Washington Terminal Com
pany and the Union Switch and Signal
Company are responsible for the col
lision in the terminal tunnel November
ls Of two Southern railway trains is
the verdict reached by The Commission
ers following their investigation of the
accident.
The findings Will be referred to the
United States District Attorney with
the request that he determine whether
prosecution can be brought about under
any existing law. and II not that he ad-
wise the Commissioners so that they
may recommended to Congress the
amendment OF the law in this particular.
The Commissioners find that the cause
OF the accident was the misplacing of
the switch at the cross-Over near the
north end OF the tunnel so that train
No 2l5 was transferred from the south
10 the nOrthbound track. None OF the
tralnmen is in any way blamed. the
Commissioners holding that Ulysses NJ
Herrel and Edward Kirk. employees Of
the Union Switch and Signal. are the
two men most responsible for the &C
cident.
Duty to Guard Switch.
To these men was iutrUstcd the ar
ranging OF the switch the wrong set
ting Of which is alleged TO have caused
the collision. But saws TIE report.
1T was the duty Of the Union Switch
and Signal Company, through some
higher and supervisory Officer. pre-
sumably J. G. McCauley. agent of the
Union Switch and Signal Company. 10
see that the switch vas lett in tho
proper position. and also that Il was not
left unguarded. and Il was the duty OF
the Washington Terminal Company.
presumably through its superintendent.
.. w Martin, 10 see that the switch
was delivered by the Union Switch and
Signal Company in the proper condi-
ton and position. and that it was
guarded by an employe OF the Washing
ton Terminal Company TO prevent the
very thing that occurred. 10 the injury
OF number Of people. and which might
have resulted I'm terrible disaster
Blames Terminal Company.
The switch IS now spiked and guard
ed by a switchmg n. Wnen il was I'M
spiked by the employees Of the Union
Switch and Signal Company. even II
they ignored their Instructions In nm
spiking it, # should have be an guarded
by a switchman Of the Washington
Terminal Company. The Union Switch
and Signal Company. after work neces-
sary to meet the instructions of the
Washington Terminal Company. had
been performed, ought to have guarded
the switch until IL was formally turned
over to the custody Of the Washington
Terminal Company, which ought 10
have guarded II from tnat moment
and the Washington Terminal Company
as the manager Of all the traffic bust
ness through the tunnel, ought TO have
taken the precaution Of having its rep-
resentative at the switch ready to take
II over before the Union Switch and
Signal Company's representatives left
Il.
The inquiry developed the fact that
the darkness and the smoke in the tun-
mel prevented the trainmen from seeing
where they were and also that II the
accident had occurred in the tunnel the
plight OF the trainmen and the passen-
gers would have been made much more
dangerous. Therefore it seems clear.
first, that the tunnel should be lighted
from end TO end In both tubes, and. sec
ondly. that none but smokeless motors
should be used in the tunnel"