Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-08
OFFICIALS BLAME THE CREW
Mohlsr and Park Hold Q. P. Train
men Responsible for Wreck.
NOVEL INCIDENT IN RAILRoADIye
No Matter About Resulta, Union Pc
ctae VIII MAKE Public Promptly
Facts About Acctdents on
That Road-

The novel incident Of the officials Of 8
railroad sitting on a board Of inquiry into
the causes OF a wreck holding the train
crew responsible is presented in the second
report made on the Union Pacific wreck
at Borie, Wye. November 10. when nine
persons were killed.
The officials who thus blame the EN-
pioyes Of their own road and thereby sub
sect the road to responsibility in damage
suits. are Vice President Mohle- and Gen
erAl Superintendent Park Of the Union Pa
cific. though they are only two Members
Of a board Of seven. A third member Of the
board is W. b. Scott. however. a HRrri-
man official. and a fourth is H H Forney.
a Hartman official
Because OF criticism OF the report OF the
first board Of inquiry into the cause Of the
wreck caused by 3 freight train getting be
yond control coming down the Sherman
hin q second board Of inquiry. composed Of
competent men had made q thorough iuves-
tgRtion into the cause Of the wreck. The
second board was composed Of Charles c.
Hughes. general superintendent. retired
George W. Randall. major general United
States mn retired. Frank y. Baldwin.
brigRdier general United States army. re-
tired; W. 3. Scott, assistant director Of
maintenance and operation Union Pacific
system. Southern Pacific company H. H.
Forney. general air brake inspector. South
ern Pacific company; A l. Mohler. vice
president and general manager Union Pa
cific; ". L. Park. general superintendent
Union Pacific.
Text of the Report.
n report II tn s hoard Is:
Alter an ex minRtion OF all employees con-
Ce1ned In or hHvtng knowledge Of he hand
ling # eK r. 2s east Gown the east ? De Il
Sherman hill on the night Of November 10
and from testimony given by a number %
exp rfe1Ced engineer. fTernEn, conductors,
brakemsn and car inspector employed OF
the finn district Of Wyoming division
Tn on Pacific railroad. We find that til.
I ain left Laramie and passed BufOrd tr
normal condition IN every respect, al OF
VIII On supports the findings Of the frs
board cor vened to investigate the cause OF
this accident to-wtt:
AS the evidence shows, leaving Bufort
extra 22S had q tran line air pressure q
ninety pounds; at q DO nj between Ozone
and BufOrd this pressure was reduced L
forty pounds, the conductor having stated
that frequent applications and releases o.
air had been made without the necessary
time being allowed for the rain line o Re
charge. we believe that the RcCidrnt "
caused by The improper manipulation Of ail
by Engine Schl Y Of engine 923, VII Oh Re
suited n his not Raving the necessary pres
sure TO control the train when the emer'
We further find and believe that hat
prompt and proper responS been given bl
the crew with hand brakes The speed Of
this train would have been checked AMI
controlled IN ample time TO have prevented
the accident.
Making Accidents Public
The Union Pa-ffic fu Their ammo noes tina,
II has started in on the prime pie Of m k nj
pub ic its accidents. concea.ing nothing nj
it proposes TO continue thst plan. as II be
neves IT to be the proper manner in which
to locate the responsibility with the publi
so mater ally Interested in the safe conduc
Of the business.
The UIion Pacific as well as other road
have been subj CT to criticism in days gen
by for not furnishing promp ly information
u accidents, but the Union Pacific made
change q year ago and now gives out thi
information promptly IN case Of q W eek.
The Union Pacific moves 10000 rains
year over the double-traek system between
Cheyenne and Laramie, and this 9 the frs
serious accident OF the kind in thirty years
Tn line is practically doubie-tracked tn
entire distance except a small portion wheel
is covered by a protective staff system
The balance Of the line is electri a.
blocked 30 that every pOss bic p ecaud 4
has been taken to guard against any possi
BILE danger.