The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-01-04
Dispatcher Dent Says
Operators Work
IL Hours.
Look Into Southern
After Terra Gotta
Affair.

Acting under a general resolution
passed by Congress in the last ses-
sion providing for an inquiry into
the operation OF the block system,
the Interstate Commerce COmmis-
sion today began what promises to
be a most thorough investigation OF
the recent terrible wrecks on the
Southern and Baltimore and Ohio
railroads. II is the purpose of
the commission to ascertain, II pos
sible, whether the system was at
fault or whether the blame lay
wholly with the employees.
Commissioner Clements conducted to-
days hearing. the wreck al Terra Gotta,
u. C. on the Baltimore and Ohio last
Sunday night being the first subject
taken Up. L. n. Walters acted as c0un-
sci for the commission, and John c. VII
son. assistant general attorney for the
Baltimore and Ohio. appeared FOR that
road
Dispatcher T. r. Dent. Of Camden Sta
tion. Baltimore WIS the drsI witness.
He stated that no block operators work
more -hau eight hours. but added that
certain operators. known as copy men,"
work twelve hours day. lie said IlaI
under the rules OF the road two trains
must not be admitted 10 the same block
without special Instructions from the
dispatcher
Dent stated that AT JImes. owing 10
the failure or inability OF block ope-
ratOrs 10 communicate with dlspatcheTs.
the whereabouts OF a train IS unknown
10 him for from i've 10 ten minutes.
that should the wires be busy with
other stations, operators may al times
be Unable 10 communicate with dis
patchers TO report the passage OF
train.
when do you exercise your discre-
ton In issuing special orders 10 a train
running behind its schedule?' asked
Mr. Walter.
when a train is at least three or
four hours late"
Had Silver Springs OF keusingtOn
notified you OF the passage OF No. ZI20
before Takoma Park
Cannot say as TO Silver Springs.
Kensington had answered. They are
supposed TO report Immediately on pas
sage OF trains"
Operator RepTimanded.
Have you ever reported q case wheFs
an operator has failed 10 respond TO q
call?''
YES. in one instance; that OF The OHss-
ator at Relay"
WAS he discharged?'
NO: he was reprimanded"
"Hayeyou known OF any other instances
where an operator has failed 10 respond.
and il So. has it happened recently
sometimes IL happens that there Is =
delay OF three or LOlI m-uuIes before
q response j. received, but the operators
are usually prompt
do mistakes often occur In your han
ding OF tTains?
Il haven't had any"
Witness admitted that he couldn't say
why he failed ID report operators WAO
had failed TO Immediately report the
close of an office He said the operator
az University works until Z p. M.
Dent said he had record OF 2l20 pass
ing Silver Springs before receiving re-
port from IaEOma aIying that it had
passed a red block. lie Immediately
asked University whether &c. the pas
sengeF, had passed. and learned Ihat II
had not. The operator at Tak0ma kept
office open and n ported at $40 the
passage Of 2120 at s.sl Witness could
not say whether he was absent from his
Office IN the meantime.
Examined the Signal.
The operator at Takoma told Dent
that after the passage Of 2l20 he went
out to examine tie signal ana 10 see
If the train had stopped below the sta
ton This accounted for his failure
10 report ITS passage promptly. The
trains were within six minutes OF each
other at Takoma-
Did not the danger OF allowing trains
10 approach SO closely occur 10 yOu2"
mo, sir. This occurs q ily under the
proper operation Of the l3ock system"
Were you notified OF Zlz0 passing Ia
koma before or after the accident ?''
I think i was after tbs accident Oe-
CURED"
Would you have reported the fact
that 2l20 passed the red blOck?"
Yes. ] always take record or this
and report the occurrence"
Have you ever put upon your train
sheet the record Of the violation OF any
rule BY any engineer or tratuman?'
Il do not remember having done So"
rs this the first case OF such viola