The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-25
McChord Makes Public
Findings of Commits
sion's Inquiry.
FROM HIGH ONES
DOWN TO OLOWEST
Public Confidence in Directors
and Officials of New Haven Is
Misdirected, Both as to FL
nance and Safety-Reso-
lutions Adopted Are
Never Enforced.

Washington. D. c., September "a
Man failure" all along the line from
officials and directors of the New Ha-
ven Railroad, down to It's trainmen, Is
held by the Interstate Commerce Com
mission to have been the cause of the
Wallingford wreck. September Q. in
which twenty-one were killed and thir-
ty-ffve injured In its report, made
public to-day. the commission blames
the crews of the wrecked trains for
lapses and scores officers and directors
for "ineifciency of management"
Operating officials of the New Haven
and the officers and directors of the
system. are grilled scathingly for pro-
mitigation of regulations practically
permitted to become dead letters" and
for not personally supervising operat-
Ing conditions.
Here Are MnEicians.
Here are the men "maGicians In the
art of nnance and wizards in con-
struction, operation and consolidation
OF great systems of railroads" held
responsible by the Interstate Com
mercc Commission for the New Haven
road wreck that cost twenty-one lives:
William Rockefeller. New York III
j. Pierpont Morgan. New York.
George MacCulloch, Miller, New York.
Lewis Cass Ledyard. New York.
Charles NJ. Pratt. New York.
George T.. Baker, New York.
Alexander Cochrane. Boston
Charles F. Brooker. Ansonia, Conn.
Charles S. Mellen. New Haven.
James S. Hemingway, New Haven.
a. Heaton Robertson. New Haven.
/. DeVer Warner. Bridgeport, Conn.
Edwin Milner. Moosup, Conn.
William Skinner, Holyoke Mass
ID. Newton Barney, Pennington,
Conn.
Robert w. Taft, Providence. r. l.
James S. Ellon. Waterbury. Conn.
Thomas Dewitt Cuyler. Philadelphia.
Henry *. McHarg Stamford, Conn.
John L. Billiard. Merden, Conn
f. T. Maxwell. Rockville, Conn.
Edward NIilligan. Hartford, Conn.
7. N. Vail. Boston.
S. w. Winslow. Boston.
a. s. May, Bridgeport. Conn.
Samuel Rea Philadelphia.
They are the directors OF the rail.
"NIan Failure"
Man failure in this case said Com
missioner McChord. who prepared the
began high up in official au-
thority 1t was natural that it reached
down to those in lower positions but
still weighted with great responsible
ity."
In use at the time of this disaster.
the report points out, We're "antiquated
signals condemned by the locomotive
enginemen. as we'll rs by the public
service commission of Connecticut" and
old. wooden cars. unsuited for such
traffic as they were expected to accom-
modntc. These were held to be con-
tributory reasons for the excessive
number of casualties Commissioners
McChord indicates the results OF n sim
liar recent accident at Tyrone, Pa, in
which the equipment was all steel and
IN which none Of the passengers was
killed. as an object lesson in favor of
the use of modern equipment.
Demands Adequate system.
The commission demands of the New
Haven road the immediate adoption OF
an adequate system OF superintendent
and supervision. which will give those
In authority positive information as
to whether or not the safety require
mcnts and rules OF this railroad are
observed"
After comprehensive review Of the
testimony taken at the investigation,
Commissioner NTcChord says in part
The direct cause OF this accident
was the failure OF Flagman Murray
properly to protect his train the fail
ure of Engineman Miller properly to
control the speed of his train in order
that he could bring it 20 stop before
passing automatic signal No. %. and
make certain that his train was prop
erly protected An additional cause
was the failure of Engineman Wands
to bring his train to stop as re-
qured by the rules. before passing
automatic signal No. %, which was in
the stop position
while this accident was directly
due to failure OF employees properly to
perform their duties, the signal system
in was entirely inadequate safely
to direct and govern the movement of
tho large volume of traffic over this
line. and there was q deplorable lack
Of supervision on the part of operating
officers; on this account. the condi-
tions which led up to this accident
we're possible"
Confidence Is Misplaced
After giving list or executive Of
fcers and directors OF the New Haven,
including many OF the foremost men
Of the financial world. Commissioners
McChord continues:
"On this board OF directors were men
whom tho confiding public recognize
rs masters in tho art OF finance, and
wizards in the construction. operation
md consolidation OF great systoms of
-ailroads. The public. therefore. rest
,d secure that with tho knowledge of
he railroad art possessed by such men,
and travel should bo safe.
Experience has shown that this re-
lance of the public was not justified
~ to either finance or safety"
The report points out that at meet
ngs OF directors OF the New Haven. AZ
.er disasters at Bridgeport and West 81
port, resolution WAS adopted direct = i
ng President Mellcn. then at the head 8;
If the system to leave nothing ,indone 81
which. In the Judgment OF himsaiG and %
,is associates. will conduce 10 greatAri
safety in tho operation OF the railroad,
md that there shall be no Limitation