New-York tribune., 1907-01-06
IGNORED THE RULES.
DANGER SIGNALS PASSED.
Operators Clock Wrong- -Sensa-
fionaI Testimony at Wrech, Mquiry.


employed by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
with particular reference to the wreck las; SIM
day al Terra Gotta, was further investigated to-
dav by the Interstate Commerce Commission
Al the close of the days testimony Commission
.r Clements announced that the investigation
would be adjourned until January IA because
the commission would meet in Chicago on Mon
day and certain information regarding block
signals on the b. &c o. as well the Southern.
which viii be included i'm the investigation was
necessary before the inquiry could proceed.
Two witnesses on the stand to-day
Hildebrand, the engineer OF engine 21aG which
drew the dead" train. and y. w. Phillips. teIe-
graph operator at TalOma. the nearest station
10 Terra Gotta. where the accident happened.
Hildebrand swore that last Sunday night it was
impossible for him see any lights In fact he
said he could see little or nothing over the boil
OF Of monster engine such as he was driving
He had he said no reason TO believe that No Sc
rad not reached Washington He not ad-
dicted 10 the use of cocaine. nor was there any
liquor his engine SUNDAY night.
Phillips was put through searching line Of
questioning. which brought out the fact that
trains frequently passed the red target at his
station but that they Invariably before last
Sunday, had stopped and returned. He ad-
ntted, however that he had ignored the rules
and said also, in reply TO Commissioner Glenn
ents. that ii possible that the non-observance
Of the block system rules which had been prac-
tised by him made the system worse than none
at all.
TELEGRAPH OPERATORS STORY.
After explaining his duties, Phillips in reply
IN questions from Mr.. Walter. the special counsel
OF the commission. said he expected to open
On G = n T,
was rule OF the company 10 give good night
70 the train dispatcher but he had not always
lived UP TO the order. He admitted that about
one-third of the month he closed before $40 p.
m because everything all right his block.
Mr. Waite then went into the question of the
correctness Of watches and clocks. Phillips admit
ted that the clock in the Takoma station ir-
regular, having been slow fast two minutes on
a number of occasions. He said the clock had
neither been inspected tested since it put
IN On week days the clock is set at noon, time be-
ing given by the chief dispatcher at Baltimore
Frequently. Phillips said. train would run
by his red target but before the accident every
train thus running by had returned to the sta
tion. He said he had never reported such an
infraction of the rules because no accident had
ever occurred. Asked If since the accident he
would report such infracton, the witness
showed considerable hesitation. but finally said
he cid not know whether he would or not. He
then repeated the testimony he had given be-
fore the coroner's jury regarding the passing of
train 2.fe0.
Then Mr. Walter asked the witness II he had
been in Baltimore since tho accident. Phillips
reluctantly admitted tha: he had: that he was
there last night and IN the offices Of the Bati-
more & Ohio company: that there were several
Others including HIS geternan. Lampke: Page,
who with him in the office the night Of
the accident RonsbuTg. the operator at Uni
versity: Dutro. operator at Silver Spring; Ken
nedy and Quinn that they gathered up by
Mr. Hobbs superintendent of the Baltimore di-
vision. c. W. Galloway. superintendent OF
transportation. and Mr.. Convey. also were pres
ent They went first TO w Z. McCauley's Of
flee and later into a large room where he saw
the Of both trains. including the engi-
neers. f1remen and iagmen. He said the gather
ing was in the nature Of railroad investiga-
finn but had bearing the inquest or the
Inquiry of the Interstate Commerce Commission
The witness in this portion Of the hearing was
ayerse to telling anything about what happened
in Baltimore, intimating that nothing oc-
cured out OF the ordinary. Commissioner
Clements, however. brought out the statement
that there had been investigation by the
railroad authorities
Phillips was asked again about the clocks.
He said that he thought his clock about
good the rest the road. and he had never
made a requisition for one. He said that
q clock that would not gain or lose more than
two minutes i'm a week he believed to be a
pretty good one.
Commissioner Clements asked If this par
ficHlar occasion it would not have been good
thing 10 have had correct time The witness
MAS embarrassed and hesitated. Waiting a
moment the commissioner said: There Is no
use 10 pause TO pursue that further. 1t is a
self-evident fact"
On examination. Phillips said he did not
any markers on 2. 12O
Doesn't every engine carry signals in front?'
They DO"
Now, you knew that &C had not cleared at
University"
Yes"
You knew 2120 was the next train go by?"
Yes
You knew it was $50. Then why did you
not go out and put torpedo on the track?'
Because it was not my business. There is
nothing in the rules so far I know, to en-
power an operator to do it,"
RUNNING PAST RED LIGHTS.
Later in the ross-examination Phillips said
he knew of a number Of instances when en-
sinemen by his red target.
Mr. Wilson the counsel OF the Baltimore &
Ohio company, said II was an injustice to the
snginemen of the road If he failed to speclfy
the times when these infractions occurred. and
wanted specific instances The witness said he
had not reported the instances of trains run
ming by the red target because they had re-
turned or had sent their hagmen back, and he
thought no rules violated
Mr. Wilson visibly nettled had him read GER
tain rules governing the movement of trains