The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1909-06-18
COMMISSIONERS MAKE REPORT.
Find That Conductor Smith Lost His
Life Through His Own Carelessness.

On May II, the public service commits
sion, held hearing in this place on the
fatal accident to Conductor j. +. Smiti
OF the Central Vermont railroad which
occurred on February 2S last, and a copy
Of the report made June by the com
mission follows. Il. j. Waterman repre-
senting Charles I'll. Williams, states at
torney for Windham county, G. w. Wit
tiers for the railroad company and Robert
q. Bacon for the estate of Mr. Smith APP
peared at the hearing. Commissioners
John w. Redmond, Eli III. Porter and S.
HOLSTER jackson were present and the
! record of the hearing was made by the
| clerk OF the commission, Rufus w. Spear.
| The report
A public investigation into the cause of
this accident held at Brattleboro, May ii,
1909, revealed the following facts:
On February 2S, 1909, a Central Yer
mont train in charge of j. +. Smith as
conductor, and consisting of the switch
engine at Brattleboro, two fiat cars, and
caboose, was engaged in gathering and
loading on train bridge timbers between
on the West River Branch of the Central
Vermont Railway. They had orders to
proceed only to West Townshend with
that work. When the train arrived at
West Townshend, it became the duty of
the crew to return to Brattleboro with
the train. 1t was also their duty, if pos
sible to do so, to place the engine so as to
draw, rather than push, the train into
Brattleboro. A short distance from West
er long spur track upon which, by means
of flying SWITCH the engine could have
been changed to the other end of the
train; but, under the direction OF the con-
ductor the train was taken to West
Townshend to utilize for, that purpose
shorter spur track at that place. The
first named spur track had its blind end
toward Brattleboro, while the correspond
ing end of the other spur track was in
the opposite direction.
There were several cars already on the
spur track at West Townshend, and,
under the direction of said conductor the
engine was shifted in the following man
ner they first backed the caboose upon
said spur track, then left the two cars on
the main line, and did what is called
Stalking" the caboose upon the. main, line,
that is to say, they pushed the caboose
upon the main line by means of stake
extending from the engine, standing on
the main line, to the caboose standing on
the spur track. After the caboose had
thus been pushed upon the main line,
the engine went upon said spur track, and |
the crew attempted to stake" the two |
fat cars, on the main line, toward the |
NuClCupOl VIC CliSliC Nouiu 81 |
upon the main line, couple onto the train |
5hus made up, and draw it to Bratteboro,
backwards. The engine was
with what the witnesses called,
md what we find to be, the Standard
stake for such purposes. This was a stake
six feet long One end of this stake was
placed by Mr.. Smith in the socket fixed
or that purpose on one OF the, front cor
lers of the engine and the other end of
he stake was placed against the iron
stake pocket" on the side of the north
lat car about four or six feet from its
outh end At this point the engine could
lot have moved more than a foot, If the
take were not placed as aforesaid, with
nut coming into contact with said fiat car
which. was then coupled to the other fiat
ar. When the stake was in the position
light to the fiat car, Mr.. Smith gave the
ignal to the engineer to give the cars a
udden push, which the engineer did;
'hereupon the stake slipped from the
ocket on the engine, and although the
ngineer at once applied the emergency
rake, he was unable to stop his engine
il the breast beam of the engine collided
the impact, killing him almost instantly.
Mr.. Smith had at least eight years ex-
erience as railroad freight conductor |
I'd was thoroughly well acquainted with !
lat work and its dangers. His attention {
as called by the engineer to using the {
rst named spur track, but he directed S
he train to be taken to West Townshend ]
nd chose the last named spur track for /
lie purpose indicated. !
Counsel, in cross examination, seemed
, indicate that there should have been ,
OCULAR side tracks, connected at both
nds with main line, at proper intervals
etween Brattleboro and West Town
nend,. for shifting the engine from one
nd of the train to the other. We are
lclined to think that this suggested criti- 7
ism has merit, and that such side tracks &
Mould be installed at suitable places along {
he whole of this line, as it appears that Z
throughout its whole length there are /,
My spur tracks for sidings; but we are Z
lso convinced that notwithstanding this, {
Ir. Smiths own carelessness produced !
his sad accident. ,
Dated at Brattleboro, this 18th day of t
lay, 1909.
John w. Redmond, t
4