New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-10
MAKES BITTER ATTACK
ON NEW HAVEN ROAD
Commissioner MCChord Is
Aroused at Testimony in
Westport Wreck Inquiry.
SAFETY DEVICES IGNORED
Signal Engineer Admits Mishap
Might Have Been Avoided
Had Boards Sugges-.
tions Been Adopted.

After he had wrung from Vice-Presi-
dent Horn Of the New Haven Railroad
the fact that the road had failed to try
out any of the safety devices designed 10
prevent such "crossover" accidents as
occurred last week at Westport, although
at least one such invention was known TO
work successfully, Charles F. McChord
Interstate Commerce Commissioner. bit
terly arraigned the corporation at yes
terday's session of the wreck Inquiry at
the Waldorf
When are you going to quit thinking
and talking and do something" demand
ed the Commissioner. shaking his finger al
Mr.. Horn. Your road has killed twenty
or twenty-five people and injured nearly
one hunC red in three 'crossover' acci-
dents that were almost identical. When
are you going to do something except
confer?'
Mr.. McChords ou:burst came after Mr..
Doherty, counsel for the commission. had
read from the report made by the COM
mission after the "crossover" wreck ct
Bridgeport year ago. II recommended
that when a shorter "crossover'' than one
with eighteen or twenty feet frogs Is
used all stop signals shall be set against
the oncoming train. but the interlockins
switch shall not be opened until after the
train has stopped.
Why Suggestion Wasn't Adopted.
In answer to Mr. McChords question as
TO why his road had not complied with
the suggestion. Mr.. Horn said the New
Haven officials had discussed II. but de-
cided il would be merely substituting one
accident for another. 1t was at this
point that Commissioner McChord deliv-
cred himself of his attack upon the New
Haven officials.
Mr.. Horn looked uncomfortable and
said that the best thought was being
given to the subject by the roads off,
Gals, but that he was free. TO confess he
did not know which method was the best.
Mr.. Doherty then asked the roads vice.
president:
Now. had you followed our sugses-
ton OF a year ago and had not opened
your switch until after the train stopped.
this wreck would not have happened.
would it?"
NO. but another accident might have
happened. He might have struck the
work train on the straight track"
Nc Doherty asked II there we're not
automatic stops In operation In New
York. and Mr.. Horn said yes, that they
were In use In the subway here and on
the Boston elevated road, but he did not
believe they would work well In the open
ha, h, hot nj. nd
electricity. He admitted the Erie Rail-
road was using the Harrington automatic
STOP but said IT was not extending It's
use. He said the New Haven road had
not made any experiments along this line.
Could Have Avoided Disaster.
Charles, H. Morrison, signal engineer OF
the New Haven, after persistent inter-
rogation by Mr.. Doherty. said the West
port wreck might have been averted had
the road adopted the suggestion made by
the Interstate Commerce Commission
after the Bridgeport wreck a year ago.
He said he believed that some day auto
matte stops would be a necessity. but
that no efficient ones were In existence
to-day. He declared device was tried
! more & Ohio road within a year. which
, failed 80 out OF COO times. and said he
would never advise his road TO adopt n
device that failed once In every ten times.
Mr. Doherty then read from the report
Of the board of railroad men who made
| the test, showing that after improvements
had been made $50 consecutive tests of
| the device had been made without a single
| failure.
you did not know about this, did your
asked Mr.. Doherty.
| Mr.. Morrison said he had read the re-
port and did not dispute It's accuracy. II
would be impossible, however. he said, 10
affix the device TO the New Haven en-
glnes because Of their construction.
Vice-President Horn was then recalled
and said he knew that "telItales." or speed
indicators. were in use in the engines on
the Chicago, Burlington e. quincy Rail
road and that by their use II was posi-
BILE to tell at what speed the engine had
been driven.
Westport. testified that there was plenty
Of room there to Install a longer cross
over than the one now In use.
| At this point the hearing adjourned
| Commissioner McChord announcing that
both the Interstate and Connecticut CON.
| missions would continue their investiga-
lions, but that no more testimony would
| be taken