The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-01-04
Operator Says Death
Dealing Cars Ran so
Miles an Hour.
Engineer Causing Terra
Gotta Wreck Should
Have Stopped.

In the Takoma block tower on Sunday
night wss the principal witness before
the Coroner's jury this morning.
He swore most emphatlcaily thSE he
displayed a red target for Engineer
Hildebrand on train 2l20, which passed
his station at 6:SI O'Clock. He was rig
Idly cFoss-q Questioned at this point 5y
Coroner hewitt. Assistant District Attor-
ney Turner. and members OF the jury.
He left the stand with the positive
statement that he had the red signal
displayed for the extra train.
Phillips said Hldebrand did not blow
his signal befora reaching rakoms.
He declared the extra train was going
fifty miles an hour when II passed Ta-
kOma.
Philips said he was powerless TO do
anything 10 avert Week after Zlz0
passed his station.
Phillips was on the stand for about
an hour. and many Of the questions
West
Block Sheet Makeup.
Assistant Division Operator McCauley
was recalled as the first witness He
said he was familiar with the block
sheets and knew what the figures meant.
trains passing Silver Springs. TakOma,
and University.
Witness said in the first column on the
sheets was shown the number Of train;
second, number OF the engine; third. the
name OF station which reports the
train passing; fourth, the station the
train will pass next; ffth. the time the
train passes out Of the block sixth the
color ~ light or flag on front OF engine.
A Vi lte light or nag Is used 20 show
hat raj a MTfafH = fHrFH
then told OF the use Of red, green, double
green. and white lights at block towers
at night q on sheet means a train
was given clear signal G means green
signal was given. " means white sig
nal displayed.
From the sheets read It was shown
that 2l20 was displaying white light
on either side OF the cOw-catcher.
To whom did the operator al Takoma
telegraph that Zi20 passed his red light?"
To University"
If Takoma got word that 2l2o was
passing Silver Springs why did he throw
Because red is the normal signal at
Takoma. Il is only changed TO white
WI n everything is all right"
Operator DutrOw. OF Silver Springs
was recalled
After identifying a sheet as the one
he used on Sunday night ne said: THE
operator at TakOma should have dis
played a red light for no unless he
did you receive anything from Ia
koma that would Indicate that 2120 had
gotten anything other than a white or
clear signal theTeT'
Before Takoma could give a white
light the operator would have 10 know
that &C had cleared University"
Yes"
Witness said there are five telegraph
keys in his office. -Four OF them are ia
use.
Dutrow said after a train had gotten
600 yards beyond his station the clear
signal was changed 10 red.
II is not usual 10 record good night"
from operators on the sheets, said wit
ness IN response TO a question from AS
sistant District Attorney Turner.
when you let Go pass your block you
notified Takoma didn't you?"
''Takoma and Forest Glen"
The Block Messages.
What did you send TO them?'
u sent %. S. S. C. X. A. F. NJ. extra
2l20 6;2S, S. A. which means report OF
Silver Springs to Takoma and Forest
Springs at 6:ZS
what did you get from Takoma
later?"
TX. A. s G. extra 212O 6:3l, meaning
Takoma called Springs and reported
that 2l30 passed TakOma at 6.3l.
There was nothing In the message
10 show that 2l2u passed anything other
than a clear signal?'
The report doesn't say white. green,
or red"
But the message meant 10 you that
it was clear signal?"
Yes"
IF nothing had happened would you
not have thought that the message
from Tak0ma meant that the track was
cleap 10 University was a question
suggested by SIR. West.
Witness replied. Yes.
Dutrow said: AS far as / remember
do not recall anything else in the
message
Should Takoma have called Univer-
sity and reported that 2l20 passed the
red nght2"
Yes"
Operator NJ W. Phillips, of Takoma
next took the stand. He said he lived
at Takoma Park. District OF Columbia.
Handed sheet he said: That Is a
sheet showing the trains l handled a.
TakOma from 6:3o a m, December 81
10 f2.55 a. IN, January l.
What are your duties?'
THAT OF a telegraph operator and sta
tion agent. 1 sell tickets. handle ex-
press, deliver freight. keep accounts. l
block trains al TakOma- 1 get west
bound tr i7ss by University. through Ia
90 ..aAued o. Third Page1