Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-19
CAUSE OF COLLISION
Commissioners Fix RESPONSE
biIity for Tunnel Wreck.
RESULT OF INVESTIGATION
Findings Attach Blame to Terminal
Company and Signal Company
THE MISPLACING OF A SWITCH
Matter to Be Referred to United
States Attorney With a View to
Criminal Prosecution.
RESULT OF INVESTIGATION
THE MIsPLACING OF A SWITCH

4 =
/ Upon consideration of all the facts de-
veloped at the official inquiry conducted
by the Commissioners into the wreck in
the southern end of the new tunnel No
vember 10 last when two trains of the
! Southern railroad .collided, resulting in
the injury Of fourteen persons, the Com
nlissiooners in their findings. announced
today. hold the Washington Terminal
Company and the Union Switch and Sig
nal Company, through their agents, re-
sponsble for the accident.
The testimony taken by the Commission
ers, together with their conclusions, is
to be transmitted to the United States
attorney for the District of Columbia,
with the request that he determine wheth-
er prosecution can be brought under any
existing law, and If not. that he advise
the Commissioners so that they can rec
| ommend to Congress the amendment of
the law in this particular.
| The object of the Commissioners in
holding the inquiry was for the purpose
of fixing the responsibility Of the accident
and TO take the necessary steps to avoid
| such accidents in the future. Gin the in
| terest Of the municipality and the further
protection of life, and limb They exam
| fned November q, % and 80 number Of
| witnesses summoned by them and also
and fireman of train No. 215. which fig
| ured in the collision. those witnesses still
being in the hospital. not having fully
recovered from their injuries.
Report of Findings.
The findings of the inquiry as drafted
by Commissioners Mcfarland and ap-
proved by the other two Commissioners of
this investigation, the first of it's kind
ever made by the Commissioners, are as
follows:
First. 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. 215 was transferred from
the southbound track to the northbound
| track.
Second. None of the trainmen of train
No 215 can be held responsible in any
Third. The Washington terminal
Company and the Union Switch and Sig
nal Company through their agents arg
responsible for the accident.
Summary Of the Testimony.
1t appears from the testimony that the
Washington Terminal Company. through
its agent, Mr.. George w. Martin, asked
the Union Switch and Signal Company,
through its agent, Mr.. c. j., McCaulley, to
arrange the switch in question. which had
not yet been turned over by the Union
| Switch and Signal Company and was
| spiked down. so that it could be used with
| the statement that it was to be left in
| the same position, namely. the one which
permitted southbound traips to follow the
southbound track: that the work was in
trusted by Mr.. McCaulley to employees of
his company, two of whom, Ulysses nj.
| Herrell and Edward Kirk. are shown to
| have been the men who took out the
spikes. which left the switch apparatus
| open to manipulation and to have been
| the men last at the switch before the ac-
| cident occurred. and who are said by one
| of the witnesses to have been seen by him
| manipulating the switch just before the
accident occurred and just after south
pound train had passed safely down the
| southbounG track.
apparently these two men are most
directly responsible for the accident But
Il was the duty of the Union Switch and
signal Company. through some higher
and supervisory officer. presumably Mr.
| McCaulley. to see that the switch was left
in proper position. and also that it was
not left unguarded. and 1t was the duty
of the WASHINGTON Terminal Company
! presumably through its superintende nt
| Mr.. Martin. to see that the switch was
delivered by the Union Switch and Signal
| Company In the proper condition and
position. and that 1t was guarded by an
| employe of the Washington Terminal
occurred to the injury of number of
people. and which might have resulted in
a terrible disaster.
| Now Guarded by Switchman.
| The switch is now spiked and guarded
by a switchman. When 1t was unspiked
by the employees of the Union Switch and
| Signal Company, even il they ignored
their instructions in unspiking it, it should
| have been guarded by a sWitchman Of the
| Washington Terminal Company; the
| Union Switch and Signal Company, after
| the work necessary to meet the instruc-
| tons OF the Washington Terminal Com
pany had been performed. ought to have
| guarded the switch until it was formally
| turned over to the custody of the Wash
ington Terminal Company. which ought to
| have guarded it from that moment, and
| the Washington Terminal Company, as
| the manager of all the traffic business
through the tunnel. ought to have taken
| tive at the switch ready to take it over
before the Union Switch and Signal Com
| pany's representatives left it.
| 1.-The inquiry developed the fact tina: the
| darkness and the smoke in the tunnel pre-
| vented the trainmen from seeing where
they were. and also that II the accident
had occurred in the tunnel the condition
| of the trainmen and the passengers 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. second. that none but
smokeless motors should be used in the
tunnel"