Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-28
PROBIN6 RAILWAY WRECK
HEARING BEFORE COMMISSION
Frs BEGUN YESTERDAY.
Purpose Stated by Mr.. Macfarland
- to Be to Fix Responsibility
for Disaster.

Interesting information regarding the
operation of the railroad switches and
tracks in the new terminal tunnel was
brought to light by the official inquiry
into the recent wreck in the tunnel.
which was commenced by the Commits
sioners at the District building yesterday.
g. w. Martin, superintendent OF the
Washington Terminal Company. the first
of the fou. persons who testified before
the Commissioners, said the switch
which is said to have caused the acct
dent was in charge of the Union Signal
and Switch Company. which company has
the contract for installing all the switches
in connection with the local terminal. He
did not hesitate to inform the Commits
sioners that the terminal company was
in no way responsible.
Only eleven of the half-hundred persons
summoned responded yesterday, and on
account of the late hour at which the
inquiry was started the Commissioners
succeeded in questioning. only four. The
hearing was not continued today, but will
. be resumed at 10 O'Clock tomorrow
morning
The Commissioners are holding this in
quiry with the view of definitely fixing
the responsibility for the wreck and If
possible to correct any conditions that
may exist and are shown to be dangerous
TO life and limb. and not in accordance,
with lIe lnteTeSlS OF the municipality.
They are holding this inquiry upon thu
advice of the District corporation counsel
that they have authority by law to sum
mon witnesses and question them under
oath In order to probe such matter.
Fully fifty persons have been summoned
among them officials and employees OF
the terminal company and the Southera
railway. 1t is expected the hearing II
last three or four days.
Mr.. Macfarland Presides.
Mr.. Mcfarland as president of the
board of Commissioners, presided. and
propounded most of the interroga tories
In his opening remarks he said:
This proceeding is for the Purpose
of astertaining the cause of the acct
uent and fixing the responsibility for
1t, If possible. The Commissioners pro
pose to elicit the facts on behalf of the
community which they represent For
tunately. the accident did not result
In the death of anybody. although a
number were seriously injured and
therefore there can be no coroners in
quest Hence. for the first time, the
commissioners are making an inquiry
or TINS sort under the powers which
the law has conferred upon them. 1t
IS our hope that as result Of this
inquest we shall know who is 1espon-
Slple. and That such measures NAV be
taken as will prevent a recurrence of
such deplorable incident, which might
have been a terrible disaster"
u. W. Martin, superintendent of the
terminal company. was called upon for
statement. He described by aid of blue
print. the point where the accident oc-
CURED, and said the collision was due to,
the TACT that switch in the north end OF
the tunnel which was intended for A
southbound train was set for a northbound
trail.
Switch Not in Working Order.
he toL>
responsible for the accident was still in
charge OF the Union Signal and Switch
Company. Mr.. Martin said He said that
several days prior to the accident he had
given orders to have this switch placed
In working order SO that additional tracks
In the tunnel could be used with a view
OF relieving traffic However he knew
the switch was not ready to operate on
the day OF the accident, and according
10 his testimony. gave strict orders that
the switch should not be operated until
further orders. He stated that he even
gave orders to have this switch Spiked"
which would prevent its being operated BY
In answer to questions by Commissioner
Macfarland Mr.. Martin said nothing of a
precautionary nature was taken by the
terminal company other than in the CIV
ing of these instructions. No one was
sent to inspect the switches in the tunnel
by the company, and according to the tes-
tlmony everything was left to the signal
and switch company. The switch in aues-
ton was known to have been out of order
One of its valves was leaky, and SOM
repairing was done to it an hour or so
before the accident occurred MIR. Martin
concluded by saying that the switch is
now spiked and a. Waterman is stationed
at it.
why was not this extra precaution
taken before the wreck occurred?' Com
missioner Mcfarland asked.
We didn't think it was necessary" Mr..
Martin replied. and as matter of fact
! don't see any use in 1t now"
Testimony of U. M. Herrell.
L. NJ. Herrell, an employee of the sig
IA. and switch company, who was the
asst person seen at the switch before the
accident occurred. was the next witness
he said he was sent to the switch on the
afternoon of the wreck by his foreman to
repair the leaky valve. He told the Com
lnissioneIs that he put on a new valve
and worked the switch three or four times
10 determine whether or not it would oper-
ate, and being satisfied on this point
threw 1t in Its proper place and returned
10 the shop about ten minutes before the
accident He went to his home, he said
and did not know that an accident had
occurred until he read of it in the morn
ing papers. Mr. Herrell said he left The
switch in exactly the same position ne
hdu 4ouilu u. he also Sad MS foreman
emphatically instructed him to leave
things just as he found them"
The other two witnesses examined yes
teTday were Robert \. Burgess. conductor
of train 21J, and Patrick Casey, switch
man in the employ of the terminal COM
pany at the north end of the tunnel The
latter said when the engineer of the train
approaching the north mouth of the tun-
mel showed his clearance orders lie gave
him the signal to go ahead. He said his
only duty was to see that his own switch
was set right and that he had absolutely
nothing to do with the switches beyond
him.
Conductor Burgess informed the Com
missioners that he did not know his train
had passed 20 the wrong track in the tun-