Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-07-06
AUTHORITIES INVESTIGATING.
CONTINUED from Page One.)

Limum speed.
The interior Of the tank was divided
by plates to prevent 'swashing." En-
CINE took train to Portland Sunday
night after the accident.
Cross examined, said the tender
weighs loaded about 10000 pounds.
No. $50 is a Glass C engine, next heav-
Ter engines are class o. Witness did
no. know the maximum speed of any
engine.
Speed is not the only criterion" said
the witness.
No. $50 is about four feet longer than
other engines.
Witness had timed many miles,
sometimes 60 or 81 miles an hour; new
err much more than that.
Engineer IIorcySeck was recalled ana
| in reply to questions by Chairman
Peaks said that he had never made 20
miles an hour Had never to his knowl-
edge made 20 miles an hour on No. %.
Have You any speed limit given by
| the superintendent?
mo, SIR
rs there any general Order?'
Eve arc ordered not to make more
| than q mile a minute
| lis that a general order or special
| order?"
"a general order"
rs it the printed rules?"
| NO, it was on the bulletin board"
Witness did not know how the order
| happened to be posted.
| Fred r. Grant went on to train No.
% firing June 25 First noticed a SHARP
yank' at time of accident. Engineer
put the brake into emergency. After
| train stopped went ahead with a flag.
| Witness made no examination of the
track. Did not think the train was GO
ing over 30 miles an hour. Had used
from four to five tons of coal. Had used
over half a thankful of water.
| Cross examined by Attorney Clair
witness testified that steam was shut
off before the accident. Tender of 45(
sWays no more than any other. Engi-
neer was not using the brakes.
| Questioned by Chairman Peaks wit
ness said the run from Oakland to
| Waterville is made in nine minutes.
| Engineer shut off steam just before
reaching Rice stream bridge. No brake
YVES applied. This was about 400 yards
from the scene of the accident.
| William A. Tarr of Lewiston. road
master from Portland to Waterville,
testified as to the condition of the road
bed. 1t had been ballasted two years
| ago. surfaced three weeks before the
| accident. The rail was a 75-pound rail-
| Attorney Carter-"Now state what
you saw"
Mr.. Tarr-'I saw a mark about half
| an inch from tho outside of the inside
| rail that looked as though a wheel had
| been lifted up and run along six or
eight feet, and then dropped off. out
side of the inside rail on the curve
Mr. Clair-"After that were the ties
markell"
Mr.. Tarr--"Oh. yes; everything all
stove to pieces ahead of that
Mr.. Carter-"HOw many rails were
| there then? The rail where you saw
this mark that was not disturbed, was
it?"
Mr.. Tarr-"Not at all. She ran along
through the crossing. This was right
at the cnd-ran along and stove the
planking up, and after that everything
was all torn up. but showed plain
where the wheels ran along"
No repairs of any kind have been
made at the point Of derailment. There
was no. spreading of the rails. Repairs
were made farther aong where track
was torn up.
Cross examined. witness said that it
was his idea that the wheel jumped
onto the rail and then dropped.
Questioned by Chairman Peaks wit
ness said he had no theory.
Mr.. SpOfford: 'Is it not true that
trains have gone off recently on the in
side Of curvcs?"
eyes, sometimes"
Questioned by Chairman Peaks wit
ness said that the ties were good ties.
The spikes were driven down when
the track was surfaced, three weeks
AGO.
Alvin Fl. SWEET. section foreman. of
oakland. had been foreman % years
next October. Was over track before
accident. The track was in good condi-
ton. Was on scene of accident half or
three quarters Of an hour after acct
dent
The rails were not torn up where
the marks first appeared. Wheels ran
10 feet before tracks were torn I'D. One
rail was left and part of another
Nothing was done to the section of
track where the marks were found
except to put in two ties. The cars
went off OH the inside Of the curve
the track is passed over in handcar.
Cross examined, the witness said the
ties had been down three years; some
had been down longer; others had been
replaced.
When cars run away from Oakland
they run to about the point where the
accident occurred.
The train passed the witness half a.
mile east of Oakland at ordinary rate
of speed.
Questioned as to the spikes in the ties
the witness said:
Spikes are working up all the time.
They can't very well work down IN
less YOU hit them with a hammer.
U.oughter).
"Tliis is hardly the place to be ia
cetious." said Chairman Peaks. at is
too serious business"