The Detroit times., 1915-04-26
d. T. & /. Also Rushes
Work On InterlOck-
ing System
FLAGMAN TELLS
REST OF STORY
Says He Tried to Wave
Car Back With
Red Flag


erai manager OF the D.. T. & I. rail-
road that gates will be put up at
the Jefferson-ave. west crossing
within 10 days. and that a complete
interlocking system will be finished
within 80 days" said State Railroad
Commissioner Charles 8. Cunning
ham. Saturday morning.
Commissioner Cunningham declin-
ed to discuss the details of the acct
dent Of April IL. In which Is people
lost their lives when a d.. T. 4 l.
freight train struck a Fort-st. car
He also declined to talk about the
condition of other crossings.
Il shall say nothing till after the
inquest" he said in answer to ques-
tions.
Fred y. sutton, hagman at the d..
7. & ]. crossing. continued his testi-
mony. Saturday. and was unruffed
nj all times. He stuck to his story
that he performed his duty in giving
the crew OF the Fort-st. car warning
that the train was approaching.
Sutton said that street cars APP
preaching the D.. T. q I. crossing
usually stop only five or six feet
from the crossing. When the car in
question stopped. the train was en-
tering the bridge
Il don't think the car could have
got across. even IL nobody had got
or said Sutton. when I held up
my red flag. vallade was watching
the woman get on the car. I didn't
see either vallade or westover
glance In the direction OF the train.
After the car started up, saw Con-
ductor Asam raise his hands TO stop
the car. vallade. as well as | could
Judge, was still watching the wo-
man. After the wreck, | heard Val
lade say II was the conductors
fault"
Sutton said that Asam put one
hand up. to warn the motorman, be-
fore the car started up. but that
neither Of them saw the sign. Sut.
ton also tagged the motorman with
wis red flag. he testified He stayed
on the track. trying to stop the car,
till the collision occurred. he de.
clared.
Assistant Prosecutor Keidan said
that Sutton's testimony agreed "al-
most word for word" with his pre-
liminary statement.
Sutton said that six to eight trains
pass the Jepahon-ave. west cross
ing from a. ID. 20 p. m, and about
the same number during the night.
Clarence II. Augustus. No. 10
Thaddeus-st.. engineer OF the train,
was the next witness. This massive
man said that he had been d.. T.
q I. engineer for IA or Is years.
Augustus said that his engine was
pushing a train consisting OF two
cars of pig iron and % box cars con-
tanning soda ash. The cars of pig
iron were nearest the engine. There
was q switchman on the third car.
which was the first boxcar. Angus
tus received his signals from this
switchman. who got them from the
conductor and another switchman at
the other end OF the train. His train
was gfloing about six miles an hour.
He was watching his switchman.
and did not pay much attention to
the car. He could not tell how far
from the crossing the street car
came TO a stop. He saw his switch.
man give the "wash-out'--an emer.
gency signal, a vigorous Mapping OF
the arms. Augustus applied the
brakes at once, and the engine skid
ded. he said. He reversed then, to
stop the skidding. He thought the
train ran four car lengths-about
160 feet--before II came to a stop.
and three car lengths after hitting
the street car. There was no air on
the train.
I'VE never use air In switching"
he testified.
Augustus said that there was no
emergency device on the train by
which a switchman could hape stop
ped its motion.
why didn't you use air on your
trainf" asked Mr.. Keidan.
I'VE were switching. Wed have
had to bleed the air every time we
switched q car" was the reply.
The inquest was adjourned TIL
$3.50 Tuesday morning. because OF
the death Of q relative Of one OF the
furora