New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-09
JOINT INQUIRY BEGINS
Federal and Connecticut Off,
Gals Probe Westport Wreck.
ROAD BLAMES ENGINEERS
Burned Car Was Lightest of
Train, and Had Only Gas
Lighting, Evidence Shows.

The joint inquiry being conducted by
/ the Interstate Commerce Commission and
the Public Utilities Commission of Con-
necticut into the wreck on the New Haven
road at Westport opened yesterday with
both morning and afternoon sessions In
the sun parlor Of the Waldorf. 1t was
established that as the doomed train APP
preached Westport the distance signal
almost a mile from the scene of the
wreck, was set at caution" that the
home signal at the "crossover' was set at
stop" and that the little automatic Sig
nal at the side OF the track was the only
one permitting the train to proceed. and
then only over the crossover from track
No. to track No. 3.
Charles d. Moore the engineer regu-
larly in charge OF train No. So. the one
wrecked, said he didn't think Clarke, the
engineer in charge OF the train on the
fatal day, was there" In other words,
ne didn't think he could have been In his
right mind to plunge through these sig
nails at fifty or sixty miles an hour
Il never go through a crossover faster
than fifteen miles an hour" he explained.
But Il was also brought out that the
railroad company had done nothing be-
sides insist on better discipline among It's
engineers since the Bridgeport accident to
prevent a recurrence OF just such a catas-
trophe as In the case of the Westport
wreck.
Henry j. Horn. vice-president OF the
New Haven road In charge of operation;
Z. II. McHenry. vice-president In charge
Of engineering and maintenance OF way,
and c. n. Woodward. superintendent OF
the Shore Line Division, all admitted this.
and went on to discourage the Idea that
automatic train stops, longer crossovers
or mechanical improvements OF any kind
could make the danger from such acct
dents less
They blamed the three accidents. each
Of them resulting in fatalities. which had
occurred on the crossovers Of the New
Haven. the westport wreck, the one at
Bridgeport and third six or seven years
ago at Pert Chester. entirely on the engine
drivers disregard OF the signals set
against him. Mr.. Horn even questioned
the value Of steel passenger cars as tend
ing TO reduce the fatalities in a railroad
wreck, although he admitted he was In
the minority among railroad men In this.
Finally 1t was discovered that the car
In which the passengers were Moderated.
though a parlor car, was the lightest car
In the train. an old one belonging to the
railroad company and built by Barney 4
Smith. back in 1892.
In front OF 1t, between II and the loco
motive, were a mail and a baggage car
weighing 5000 and $3.50 pounds respec-
lively. while this car OF death weighed
only 72,4OO. less than any Of the day
coaches on the train.
Immediately behind II were three Pull
mans Weighing i2o,9i0. 1890 and 10000
pounds respectively. Furthermore, the
light car, which was reduced to match
wood. was lighted with Pintsch gas en-
tirely, while the Pullmans possessed cleo
trio lights. with acetylene gas auxiliary
that is, a tank each of acetylene gas to
be used should the electric lights fail.
Mr. Horn said the New Haven road was
now buying steel cars for express service,
by Mr.. McHenry said IL was not buying
them so fast as II otherwise might be-
cause Of the electric installation going on
between Stamford and New Haven and
that contemplated between Providence
and Boston.
He explained that the lighting and heat
ing off electric trains presented an entirely
different problem from that IN the case
OF steam trains, and the road didn't care
10 have 10 make over its new cars TO
meet the requirements OF electric locomo-
ton.
A bulletin addressed by Mr.. Woodward
TO the engineers on his division was
identified by Mr.. Moore and put in evil
dence. This spoke of the complaints
against delays recently and urged the
engineers to do everything compatible
with safety TO make time" Mr. Moore
also identified letter he received on
September 2s from w. 8. Clarkson. the
master mechanic. calling attention TO the
loss of one minute on one OF Moore's runs
and asking for the reason.