The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-10-26

case There is undisputed testimony to show that the engineers approach ed the stop signals at between 40 and 50 miles an hour. Such a rule as to
 have prevented the accidents
 Then ann to understand that your knap report ?'' asked the coroner.
 Yes sir; 1t was of no avail to re
 sard the report said the witness
 train?'' asked the coroner.
 Yes, sir." said the witness very precisely as he. leaned forward and
 nals could have stopped the train had the rules been regarded. The stop signals have always been maintained
 Tor preventing the speedy taking of Mir: Bucl<land was asked regarding
 automatic stops and if their use He replied that every thing was done to prevent both the Westport and the stop could have done. He said that stop could have done. He sad that on the air brakes and this he declared
 was done as evidence shows He was
 been prevented if the ais. brakes had been applied Tt the east end of the cridge. His reply was that the train
 would have been stopped in all prob ability.
 The coroner produced copy of the Acc1dent Bulletin No: Al which con-
  dents in July, August and september
 of 1911. This bulletin contains a sum-
 mary report of the Bridgeport wreck
 and the suggestion that a more detaM- ed report had previously been made. MT. BIbckland looked at the report a minute or so and then said that the only recommendation made in the re- port was to the effect that '.it would appear therefore that some system of speed control should be adopted g This wasn't considered by witness as f7<o+i
 Tt has been my experfence,' ,' said the witness, ssthat when the Commerce Commission wants anything done it says so in no uncertain terms. There are many things concerning which the Commerce Commission is no more cer- tain about. than the railroads them for railroad Improvement now being Considered all over the world in which | the eornrnission1h has the cooperation of the railroads. The Interstate Com meree Commission is a conservative body of men who will not jump at conclusions and if they had d certain device to recommend they would sure Iy recommend it's adoption.1
 Witness gave short speech in which he spoke of the great good which has come from the cooperation of the Commerce Commission and the rail- roads. Witness declared that there is nothing upon which the prosperity of cfent control and operation of the rail- roads.
 In regard to train control and signal devices, the witness said that the New. York, New Haven & Hartford railroad has done just as much if not more to provide adequate train control and | signal service as any railroad In the world has done. The relative merits of short and long crossovers was then discussed Witness declared that an ! 8 to 10 size crossover taken at a speed of 50 60 miles an hour meant sure death. Witness said that train | might have gone at the speed of 50 or 60 miles an hour over an IS or 20 sized crossover. Witness considered that a long crossover was more dan gerous than short crossover, as a l long crogsover would have the ten l dency to tempt the engineer to run at greater speed than if he knew that l he had a short croSsover to get by. Witness argued that the probability and laxity of discipline had much to do with the safety of long or short crOsSOverS.
 With long crossover to take an greater speed and therefore a. shorter crossover is more desirable.
 I Coroner Phe1an asked if the rfgfdity l of discipline is comparable with the possibility of endangering human life NIT. Buckland said that there should be nothing to stand in the way of con- sidera1ion of human life and that a longer crossover might have the re- suit of endangering human life even to a greater extent than shorter | crossover if diScipdin ewas disregard led Neither the Westport wreck nor the Bridgeport wreck could have been pre- vented by longer crossovers,'' said the witness. Regarding steel cars, witness said | the road was putting steel cars into use as fast as it is practical. He furnished statistics which showed that the railroads of the country are rapid | qy adopting the use of steel cars. When asked how rapidly the New York New Haven & Hartford railroad Il is putting steel cars into use, witness said he couldn't give statistics but | other witnesses will be able to- sContsnued on Page 2.)