Evening journal., 1913-07-10
new HAVEN
RAILROAD
CENSURED
Interstate Commission Holds
Company Responsible for
Stamford Horror
HURT AT FEDERAL
REGULATION OF ROAD
By The United Press.

AlI nc GHAAt0 AANeHf
WASHINGTON, July 1o--Bltter
condemnation Of the New York. New
Haven and Hartford Railroad Com
pany for the Stamford, Conn, on juno
II. wreck was contained in a special
report made public today By coai9is.
sioner MoChord, Of tho Interstate
Commerce Commission. whiic naming
Engineman Dougherty az responsible
for the wreck in which six passengers
we're killed and 90 injured, the report
strongly condemns the New Haven's
system Of management where a
green ensineman is given charge
OF a fast high-class train.
The commission went even further
than mere condemnation Of the New
Haven railroad. It served significant
notice that unless there is more
economical and safer management,
there may be recommendations for
congressional action. The paragraph
in which this threat was contained
was the concluding one IN Commits
sioner Mcchord's report and was as
follows:
Establishment of safer and more
eficient operation of this railroad Is
Immediately necessary If congress
sionai legislation extending the scope
Of governmental regulation of rail-
roads is not TO be called for and iusti-
fed In the interest Of public safety.
After summing up exhaustively
the evidence developed at the joint
hearings with the Connecticut public
service commission, including the
railroad officials defence, Commits
siner McChord asserted
mo. organization but that of the
New York, New Haven & Hartford
Railroad Company is responsible for
placing a man in charge of this To-
comotive without tests or supervf-
sion by travelling engineers of his
qualifications and judgment for this
special work. The determination OF
the ability, fitness, or qualifications
OF an engineman is the duty OF the
railroad itself 1t was not delegated
to any other organization, nor could
1t be so delegated. II was neither
delegated nor performed. II was ne
elected, II was unwarrantahly as
sumed that a man at the head of the
list of spare enginemen was qualified
Something is out OF
geer' on railroad where high-class
trains may be given to an uninstruct.
ed engineman And this was true
even If he is sent out on a run with
the caution from his superior, Don't
let it get away from you.
Here was doubt from the man whS
ought to know
"The responsibility for having com
pctent man with positive qualifications
AT post of duty is a corporate respon
sibility. The fault for placing an un
tested man in position fraught Will
danger to life is the fault Of the com
pany and its officials.
Man failure can only excuse thu
railroad and its officials where the mar
has been properly tested and found e
possess the positive qualifications re
quired.
"A train running in two sections OF
very nearly the same time calls for spe
cisl official supervision. Especially il
the position Of engineman Of the secont
section one Of highest responsibility. 4
man for such position should be one
tested by long experience and qualified
by instruction of superiors for the or
deals Of this special work. This was M
place to try out an engineman Of limiteS
seryicc principally on slow freights anC
in yard service
ANY system under which this &
permissible or possible, is loose
system, II Is indefenrible.
THE whole evidence taken in con
nection With the knowledge we hBv,
of the requirements OF railroad ser
vice justifes the following conelu
elons:
The enElneman Of Second No. 80
did not have the special eSperienel
and instruction reauirel for the ep
eratiun OF aueh a train.
"The New York, New Haven 4
Hartford Railroad Company had M
reli.Aie method for determining th'
capacity OF eneinsmsn before piaeihI
them IN charge Of hieh-speed pRssen
ger trains.
There was negligence on the par
OF the corporation IN putting II
charge Of such train ~ seeehd No
SO. an epetnamar inexperi need Rhs
uninstructed for this elash Of wortt
This railroad has no proper Hys
tenn Of checking work reports 81
ne to determine whether or not de
fects reported on locomotives ar
actually repaired, Thie lseh' o
supervision Is dangerous md 4 eush
not 10 be permitted 70 continue.
THE distance signal OF Stamford 4
too near the home signal and shyul'
be at least $500 feet distant there
from.
Modern steel equipment for nigl
speed passenger trains should be IN
stalled az the earliest possible time
as recommended m previous report
Of this com -,snlon and legislation
fixing such time should DO ehaetel
without delay"