The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-08-10
CONDUCTOR HAD
CLEAR ORDERS,
SAYS PALMER
Northwestern Pacific Manager
Declares There Is No Ex-
.cuse for Wreck
Official Alleges That Flaherty
MiStOOk No. Al for Train
No. 8

"FIaherty had absolute orders. There
can be no excuse said w. s. Palmer.
general manager of the Northwestern
Pacific, as he was returning from the
scene of the wreck yesterday morn
ing "What prompted him To leave the
yards mt IgnaefO L can not tell Most
likely, as far as 1 can see, and accord
ing TO the Information that could be
obtained from Flaherty, he nlistOOk
No. Al for No. and started out.
The orders given to F'laherty were
Tor him to wait until trains Al and
had passed before he proceeded. Ac-
cOrdlng TO his explanation of the dis
aster. after he had received his orders
he sauntered TO the southern end OF
the yard and talked with the crew of
the train He knew that No. Al was
20 minutes late. He was waiting for
NO. 8 to pass when No. Al passed
through approximately on the time of
No. g.
"Flaherty evidently forgot about M.
entirely, or became confused, think
/ ing that No. IL was No. S. and started
his train down the track Although
the train consisted of only two flat
ears, cabOOse and an engine, ii was
heavy train. a large steam roller be-
ing loaded on one of the hatcars.
In the long history of the road this
is the first big accident. For 80 years
we have been sinSularly free from an
serious disasters. About three years
ago there was a mishap in which some
of the crew were killed That was
caused by excessive speed The fea-
ture of this disaster that fmpresses a
railroadman is the damnable needless
ness of it. Every preeautiOn for
safety was thrown out
This is the sort of accident that
rrNrr
Even block system is useless.
The roadbed is in first class shape.
as can be seen. The bed and rails
stood the strain perfectly There is
absolutely no accounting for the acct
dent except that man is not infallible
Flaherty is young man in the en-
plOy of the company. He had been
very highly regarded. though. and had
been trusted only a few days ago with
the taking out of the Bohemian cIuu
special because of his good record
SAYS OLD MEN BEST
My observations in reference to
railroad wrecks is that it is the older
men in the service that are least liable
to mistakes, The younger men are
too anxious to set in to the ends of
their runs.
Il have made careful Investigation.
but will not pass final Judgment until
the investigation has been carried fur
Their
There is no accounting for the re-
sultant damages in these wrecks. 1t
can never be foretOId what will hap
pen. In this case the engines clashed
together and rose up on end in a
most peculiar way. neither leaving the
track. This drove the tender into
one end of the baggage car and tm,,
smoker into the other end They were
good coaches. little light. based on
the latest standards, but nevertheless
strong, endurable. and under ordinary
conditions might have resisted the i'm
pact The coaches were about Is
years old. but were we'll built.
7 find that the teIescoping of the
smoker caused the death of the people
in both ends of that car. the force OF
the collision hurting them from the
ends of the car to the center"