Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-12-22
NEW YORK CENTRAL
FACES MANY SUITS
Question of Negligence for Wreck
Must Be Saskatchewan Of
Recent Accidents.

Central power house yesterday il a
matter that will not be easily deter
mined. Many lawyers In the city were
studying the question duriqH the cver-
ing in behalf of the railroad company !
and of those damaged. Muny lawyers |
declined TO be quoted upon the ques-
ton until investigation has been com
pleted
-Four serious accidents on the New York
Central In recent years have cost the
road approximately s3.ooo,oOo Should it
be decided that the company is liable
for damages In yesterdays disaster
there is no telling where the suits will
end or what may lie the extent Of the
sum which will nave to i've paid in set
Ting the multitude of claims.
Disasters in and near this city, particu-
larry In the Park avenue tunnel, have
been big item Of expense to the Cen
trail For the famous tunnel wreck OF
January S, 1909, alone, the company paid
approximately 100000 in damages
Tint catastrophe was due to the pres
encc of smoke In the tunnel. and was
the final blow in the abolition of steam
power on that stretch or track. A Har-
lem local, on that OCCASION telescoped
the rear Of d New Haven accommoda
ton at seth street. Fifteen persons We're
killed ana thirty-six hurt
ONE 100000 VERDICT
Among the larger verdicts was one for
S1o0.c0o in favor Of the widow OF William
Legs, general manager for p. Altman 4:
Co.. who was killed in the collision. Wal
ter c. Coffin. father of Everett Coffin. a
l5-year-old victim got Judgment for
-,s p, CAT n,v
The widow of H. G.. Damon. assistant
general manager Of tho American Bridge
company. obtained verdict FOR ss0ooa
for her husbands death.
by a peculiar irony of fate. following
this disaster. which brought about the
change OF motiv. power. two OF the
worst accidents on the Central in this
city. the pr-.-nt one and the Woodawn
wreck in 1857. We're believed to he indi-
rectly due TO the application Of electric
itY. The Woodlawn wreck took place
near the Woodlawn Road bridge al 2o5th
street when the White Plains and Brew
ster express. driven by electric motors.
| Jumped the track, killing % persons and
| injurins nearly 1850 more,
The Investigation that followed seemed
| to show thrt the track and roadbcd had
! not been properly adjusted to the new
| power That wreck. too, cost the Central
a fortune In damages just how much al
together has not been estimated.
EXPENSE STARTED IN 1852
As far back as September o., 1850, the
Park avenue tunnel figured IN an expen-
sive rear-end collision. when a commu-
ters' train from Port Chester was run
! N c1 ~
from Tarrytown.
| a score of passengers We're killed and
Injured Again. on February 20. 1891 at
seth street, a New Haven local plouehed
into a shop train which was bound for the
Mott Haven yards. Six were killed, sew
eral OF them being burned to death, and
eight were badly injured
Another hut less disastrous collision
within the city limit. occurred on Dc
cenlber 49, 1905, when the Poushkeepsle
local and The Stamford local came
together at i0+th street. One passenger
was killed and thirty-one were injured.
one Of the heaviest settlements for
damages made recently by the New York
Central was $4,000. paid to Mrs. Spencer
Tra.k for the killing of her husband in
a collision at Croton last January.
| I I /
A city official said last night that nc
suit would lie against the city for dam
ages caused by the explosion. He sug.
eested, however an interesting specula-
ton as to whether the owner of the
automobile which was demoli shed by hav.
Ing a car hurled upon II by the force
OF the explosion could collect any dam
ages from the New York Contra! rail
road
He brought to mind the decision of the
court OF appeals some four years ago tC
the effect that while the owner Of farm
could collect damage. for fire started by
a railroad. the owner of any adioinine
farm to which the fire might have spread
could rot collect damages from the rail
road.
District Attorney Whitman says of yes
terday's accident: II am not at all salts
fed that the explosion was due to Pintscl
gas, a. | understand the claim Is mad,
by the railroad company | undcrs, an,
that in some newspapers have been quo
ted as expressing a belief that the explo
sion might have been caused by dyna
mite / have never said such thing
but | wish 10 know much more about tn
accident than | do at present before ex
pressing any opinion upon the RESPONSE
bility Of any one.
COMPANY MAY BE LIABLE.
''If 1t is true that Pntsch gas is not ex
plosive in itself it is stil a question a
to whether or not tho FRS was properl
safeguarded. 1t is n most serious affai
, and my office will do all possible to plac
:, any responsibility that may exist
Coroner Feinberg said:
. III Pintsch gas caused the explosion
am not ready as yet to express an
, opinion as to responsibility, The gas
supposed 10 be made by secret process
. but the formula Is pretty well known.
= believe 1t to be a mixture of hydro car
bons and to be extremely poisonous. !
Is said to be explosive only when scale
;, In tubes with n sparkling device such a
:, Is used In submarines.
81 am not sure that the gas cause
the explosion. but IL it did and IT
:, shown that the gas Is explosive, IN
company may be liable for storing eN
plosives without a permit"
n HAD RIGHT TO STORE IT
!, John r. Coleman. lawyer said;
II From what / have read of the state
l. mcnts made by the railroad company
q should say that there is no question tina
d the railroad had the right to store tn
gas in question. 1t is a material needle
d in the operation OF the road and mus
.e be stored junt the same as the gas /