Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1913-09-09

| running Trains, that Is WIN tne en-
gine in front of the train pulling the
cars, but the other half, those run
ming from Bluemont Junction to AL
eXandria are backed the entire dis
/ tance. 1t was a train tnat was back
ing that crashed in the Peck auto
mobile, and the startling testimony
was developed that the engineer was
unable to even see the crossing from
his position in the cab. Yet he tes-
tilted that hardly trip was made ex-
cept he saw automobiles waiting for
the train to pass. He considered a
speed of Is miles an hour as perfect
y safe.
lnexperience on the part of the
, railway crew and lack of proper sig
nails were developed in the hearing,
and after listening to the testimony
of eight witnesses the coroner's jury
brought in the following verdict.
eve believe the crew to be ineXperi-
enced, and the accident could have
been avoided with proper warning
signals at crossing and better brak-
ing equipment
The jury was composed of Rob-
ert F. Green, foreman; John Gary, n.
V. Clayton. George w. Wells, H. Fl.
Powell and j. F. MCPHERSON.
The inquest commenced at 4:30
o'clock, and there was present a num-
her of lawyers representing the vari
ous interests involved. The pres
cnce of Crandall Mackey, Common
wealth's attorney of Alexandria
county, and the deep interest he took
in the examination of witnesses in
dicared that action would be taken
by the county authorities looking to
the abatement Of conditions at
Hume's crossing The family of Mr..
Peck was, represented by Attorney
Eugene B. Taylor, who was associat-
cd with Douglass Staurt in the case
the family of Mr.. Zell by John NJ.
Johnson, while the interests of the
railway company were looked after
by Judge c. F. Nicol and Rudolph
Waterman, of the firm of Lambert &
Waterman, of WASHINGTON, general
counsel for the Washington and Old
Dominion road
Forrest L. Crook, of Alexandria,
fIagman on the rear of train, who was
struck by pieces of the automobile
and injured by broken glass from the
of the automobile, gave
the clearest account of the accident.
He said as the train rounded the
curve just before reaching the cross
ing ne saw the automobile APPROACH
ing from a distance of so or 70 feet.
He waived at one of the men in the
car who waived back at him. At that
time he thought the machine would
cross the tracks safely, but at els
tance of 25 or 80 feet he saw that
there would be collision. He jam
med on his emergency air but it did
not have any effect. The railway car
struck the automobile in the center
and the left wheel rode on the pilot.
The train was running from 10 to
Is miles an hour, but he could not
estimate: the speed of the automobile.
He4had been employed as machin-
ist on a number of railroads, but this
was his first position as member of
train crew. He had made four
trips over the road as flagman, and
he had never been examined in the
rules of the company. He testIlle3
there was no method of communica-
ton between himself and the engi-
neer except by waving his arm
C. H. Darley, engineer of the train,
was questioned at length. He said
that since last July, when the Wash
ington and Old Dominion Railway had
taken over the Bluemont branch OF
the Southern Railway, it had been
customary to back the trains from
Bluemont Junction to Alexandra.
He did not know why this was done,
as it was possible to run on the main
line at the former station and reverse
the train. In answer 70 an inquiry as
to whether or not he did not think 1t
dangerous 10 back train over such
an important crossing as Hume'S
he said it would be safer TO have the
engine in front. He said that he
knew nothing of the accident until
he had been told by his fireman, 100
yards after passing the crossing.
From his seat in the cab he could
not see the crossing, and the. first
thing he knew that anything was
wrong was puff Of dust and smoke
in his face. He hears the flagman ap-
ply the air brakes ana tried to apply
the air from the engine, but found
Wha, NtIfJ nI