Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-10-22

Linwood Porter. general baggage
master of the Hoyt- Tarhox Express
Co, testified that express ear l1t of the
company. the car ihst ~ burned
run from Kennel unx 20 Dover and was
run in over n ght al the south Berwick
car barn. Tie Express Go, messenger
there left the car and the car was
taken to Dover the next morning.. on
Sunday and holidays The ear laid over
another day at South Berry lex During
such times the car was cntirele IN con-
troll of the Atlantic Shore Line Rail
way Previous 70 the consolidation al
the Hoyt and Tarbox express compa :
mics the Tarhox co. had entered into
a contract With the Atlantic Shore
Line Railway.
The contract was exhibited after
which recess was taken until go p. NJ.
AIR. Porter further testified that he
did not Know that the car was left out
side the car barn at South Berwick
He was there from 100 to +. NJ. IN
the afternoon after the fire, Witness
testified III detail in regard to the
goods ia the ear. which he said were
drv goods, At least 1875 pieces of freight
were in the car. The car barn was
JUST OitSipe tllt NbsdSt ot Epdtu bSi
wick The track on which the burned
car was located was in sight OF the
car barn.
When witness examined car after
the fire he did not notice stove but 1t
must have been in the car The goods
were burned more IN the epd where the
stove was. Had some salvage on the
goods on the other end. Was no other
building but the ear house near the
car. The car was pretty Well burned;
hardly anything was saved IN the store
end The Railroad Co., furnished The
coal for the car.
Witness On cross examination by
Judge Cleaves admitted that his COM
pany did not own the car but it was
owned by the Railroad Co, and oper-
ated by them under the contract to
carry the goods of the Express CO. The
Hoyt- Tarbox messenger was in charge
of the loading of the car. The ear was
usually left at the South Berwick car
barn every other night with some por
tor of Il load to be delivered at Dover
and other points.
Did the salvage from any of the
goods amount to more than S25?" ask
ed Judge Cleaves.
"Ail the salvage we got was on the
covered goods. l don't know whether
it came to more than that or not
Witness admitted that he was never
at the car barn at South Berwick un--
til after the ear was burned.
The next witness called WAS II. c.
Getchell, express agent at Dover, \.
f., who was in the employ of the
Express CO., at the sme
of the burning of the ear. Witness
lived within about 10 or l. minutes
walk of the car house at South Ber-
wick, passed it on his way to and from
his work. At that time the Hoyt-Tar-
box Co. was using two cars, car 1ol
and car 104.
Stove in Poor Condition.
The stove had been in tile ear = out
4 month. Employees of the = trie
road fixed the time when the stove
should be put IN. Ii Mas a Barrel
stove. about 81 feet high. The stove
was not in very good condition last
time witness saw it. The funnel was
rusty and wobhly and wooden Stats
placed around the stove for protection
had been broken of. Part of the ising-
glass on the front door had heen
broken out.
Witness saw the car after the hre.sl u
was pretty web burned The roof and
most of one end was gone. About the
only salvage was two or three cans OF
canned goods, some dry goods and beer
cases. The stove was poor heater. III
was necessary to keep the draft open
to warm the car. Witness had work
ed IN the car barn and knew there
was hose in the building.
Witness on cross examination admit
ted that he had charge of all the
freight and express of the Hoyt-Tar-
box Co. going in and out oil Dover,
Witness thought that seven or eight OF
the Stats about the stove We're broken
when the stove was first put in in the
fall Witness had spoken to the mes
senger and probably" to the motor
man about its being fixed. Motormar
was in the car and must have heard
what witness had said to the uessen-
ger. -