The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-10-21

Rotten railroad ties and a roadbed that was not kept in proper condition were alleged by George Edward Ever
 ett of South Norwalk, as being respon- sfb1e for the Saugatuck bridge wreck in Westport, Oct. 3, when he appeared
 before Coroner John J. Phelan at the inquest. Everett made some very pointed allegations which stirred Vice President Buckland of the railroad to agitation. Buck1and came back at the witness with one or two questions and endeavored to show that the witness had been, discharged from the road and for that reason felt none toe friendly with the road.
 Witness however offered his testl- mony in very frank and apparently ed when asked v/y he had left the employ of the road that he didn't really know unless it was because he had en- deaVOred to secure from the road a pension to which he was entitled. He said that it was very significant that ne should be discharged from the en- ter he had completed the required S5 years service which entitled him to t1fe pension.
 Everett testified on Saturday that he had been employed with the New York, New Haven Hartford as a section foreman 30 years and five years previous to that had worked for the road in other capacities He said that he had charge of the section in Vest port where. the wreck occurred. He considered himself well qualified to say whether the roadbed was in good and proper shape and as to whether the railroad ties were right. At the time of - the wreck he was sick abed in Pittsheld. Mass. When he got well again he came to Westporti to examine the roadbed. AS a result of his exam ination he found the road in dep1or- able and dangerous condition. He said that a railroad tie that is old and de- sistance Consequently it is spongy ind gives when a train passes over it. A new tie remains firm and holds the
 In the crossover which caused the wreck he counted 96 old ties that were rotten and decayed and Il new ties of road,' declared the wftners.
 '.I consider that from the beginning to the end of the crossoyer there is a very dangerous stretch of roadbed. In addition to the rotten ties found some-many-that contained from three -eighths to seven -eights blocking under them to bring them up to the reauired level.'' Witness said he didn't know what prevented the earlier wrecles and more frequent ones consider the condition of the roadDed dangerous, '' repeated the witness It is a very shaiy piece of track and "a disgrace to the road. Even since the wreck there has been no attempt to put the roadbed into proper shape. TIa9 tracks spread and bend and cause trains to jump. consider that the tracks today are in 9 dangerous con dition.'
 what he thought was the cause of the wreck and witness replied: De- lieve that the full and only cause train. though I don't for a minute be- lieve it was going at the rate Of 30 So miles an hour; r; and the e3nqitt1n a4 tf,a wreck was more than half due to the dangerous condition of the tracks
 Witness went on to say: "1 consider ed the tracks in sucn oansesu4S ans a,,ty to report this matter to you, MT. Cor oner . To go much over 20 miles an hour on the rails makes It soneWnAs dangerous as there is such a rebound of the ties that 1t causes the rra1n to jump and pound. This is the cause of many broken rails. I know tnls 70 be true because learned it by experi- ence on the road. Over a year ago l went over the railroad one day and found the roadbed to be in very gan gerous condition. I thought IL my ouSy as a citizen to call attention or the fact to the railroad officials ana wrote a letter in which told my req, sons for considering the road Tn pao that letter I wrote once since Inae time but received no reply TO my gL Iasl letter They apparently d1dnt pay any attention to my letters as the trachs were not put in better shape anu re- ceived no replies.
 Witness said that in a recent con versation with Baftley Goroon' t1s nresenf section foreman, GoldonY Io&o him that the train that was Wreckeo was not going over 35 miles an hour. Witness said that tnls slaee.LlenS witness Gordon has testified unoer oath to the Coroner, that the IraIn
 [ r<.IyH a r,f between 50 and 0 miles an hour Gordon was at work with men on the tracks when the wreck occurred Wit ness said that he had asked Ioroon .. sponsibility of having a train go over the tracks at the rate of 35 miles an hour with the roadbed in the 7condl-
 Witness said that he didn't know what held the rails in place unless IT was due to the fact that the rails were imbedded into some of the old ties so deep that this gives a grip that had a tendency to hold them.
 MT. Buekland then questionsd the he had left the employ of the road; Witness said without hesitation and very frankly. -1 was discharged He charge and replied, EI never knew , and added: "I had been in the en- p1oy of the road a few days over 35 ment that employees in the service of the road that long are entitled to get a pension. I began to make inquiries for what I believed I was entitled to. I couldn't seem to find out much about it and hired a lawyer. Then was discharged.''
 Witness was asked if he was dis charged by Gordon and replied that he was not discharged by Gordon but that he himself had earlier discharg- ed Gordon because, he alleged. Cor don had been drinking. After he, witness, had quit the road employ ment Gordon was made foreman of the section. Witness told of some about the checks under which the foreign laborers are em- do with his discharge. At least it gave a possible excuse for it.
 asked tha xyff,aocc hi