New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-19
MAY DIFFER ON CAUSE
Of NEW HAVEN WRECK
Roads Officials Insist Spread Of
Rails Was Due to Something
Dropping on Track.
EXPERTS INVESTIGATING
Coroner's Report Holds Road
bed Defects Responsible for
Earlier Wreck-Pastors Call
Governor to Meeting.

Bridgeport, Conn. Nov. 1s.-All officials
OF the railroad, as Well as those Of the
state and federal governments. who have
visited the scene Of the Merchants EX-
press wreck at Greens Farms appear to
be agreed that the wreck was due to the
spreading of the rails 1t devolves on the
Interstate Commerce Commission and
the Connecticut Public Utilities Commits
sion to determine whether the cause OF
the spreading was the defective roadbed
or whether the contention of the company
that something dropped" from the train
and caused 1t to leave the track is cor
rect.
Chief Engineer c. c. Elwell of the
Connecticut Public Utilities Commission
made an examination to-day that estab-
l!shed the fact that the rails spread, that
the train was three minutes behind time,
and was travelling at the rate of sixty
miles an hour when the accident &C.
Cured.
when the train hit the crossover at
Green's Farms, a defective bolt snapped
and that the swapping of the bolt caused
the spreading of the rails. and the in
jury of thirty-seven passengers.
The railroad company in its statement
said II believed brake bolt dropped, and
that wnen It fell it became lodged in the
frog of the switch.
U. S. and State to Work Together.
Assistant Secretary George B. McGinty,
- T,,, 20
arrived here to-day with Inspectors How
ard, sway and Hawley, and prepared to
make an investigation of the wreck
1t is expected that they will work in
conjunction with the State Public Utili-
ties Commission.
Assistant Secretary McGinty was quoted
as saying that the Interstate Commerce
Commission was determined that the
wrecks must stop, declaring 1.-THE COM
mission is going after this matter tooth
and nail. and If we fiend that the railroad
company is at fault. the officials will be
prosecuted for criminal negligence"
With Coroner John J. Phelan's finding
upon the causes OF the Westport wreck of
October 3, putting the blame for that
accident, I'm which seven were killed,
squarely up to the company, and the
statement of States Attorney stiles Jud-
son that he will prosecute the responsible
officers of the railroad, II would seem
that. for the first time in the history OF
the New Haven road, some of the officials
may have to stand trial for the faulty
operation Of the road.
Some OF the stories told by residents or
the towns near the wreck OF being able
TO pull rail spikes from the ties with their
bare hands are startling, but corroborate
the evidence before the coroner In the
Westport disaster hearing. where Tor
mer employe of the road tore up the
spikes with his hands.
The coroner In his examination found In
stances where there were spikes loose
ties cracked and decayed and hshplates
coming loose, with loose and broken oolts
at the joints OF the rails.
These conditions, said the coroner, were
not SO dangerous on branch lines, where
the trains were light and went at slow
speed. but they were not to be tolerated
on the main line.
In his finding on the Westport disaster
which was only a mile from the scene OF
IN. Greens Farms wreck Of last Saturday
night the coroner SAID:
In order that no injustice be done the
New Haven company, | personally visited
yarious track points along the lines OF
many OF the leading railroads running 10
and from New York and Jersey city Tor
the nurpose OF investigating track conul,
lions. and, In addition, to become informed
bv Competent authority as to the prob
able influence of such roadbed conditions
as existed at Westport.
In my investigation OF roadbeds l nave
IN acknowledge that found no portion OF
the main track of any railroad visited TO
be I'm such poor condition as that AT
Westport
Governor Baldwin has been invited by
forty clergymen OF Norwalk to attend
mammoth meeting to be held there In
the State Armory. to protest against the
management of the railroad.
New Haven, Conn, Nov. B.-Assertions
were fatty made>to-day by New Haven
Railroad officials that the Portland Ex-
press accident Saturday morning and the
r.--..l L,xnraaa urack SATURDAY. night