The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-08-21
FIFTY YEARS AGO.
THE HoUsAToNIC DISASTER
 Further Details.

!
 statement. given by GEORGE B. HIJNT-I am the local freight agent of this station, having served this road for twelve years; am son or lhe President of the road and have been Assistant Superintendent was n
 Vaterb141v the day of the tragedy know nothing Of the facts of the dis aster It is the duty of an engineer and conductor. if there is one, to see that they are properly Jagged, when they are running as extras; 1t IS Ihelr duty by regulations of the road. F IT | order a train out it is not my duty to shave red flag put on the regular train; it is the duty of the engineer or fle extra train and conductor; if any the President, Assistant Super1ntend- ent. myself, and. the Master Mechanic, only. have authority to start out on an extra train, and when the order IS given the engineer is bound to run only under the rules. If this engine had been Jagged by the express, no sue accident could have occurred, but Conductor Plumb not being aware or E this engine coming out was not sup ssposed to send out flag to back down, 4lthe first train isl, the absolute safety I in so doing may be secured in three { sways-efther in allowing the first train to back down without a flag. as we do; Issecondly, as on some roads, aifoWlng the extra, to run without notice, Out requiring the first train to flag in hacking down; thirdly, by requiring both preca utions to be taken, but either way insures absolute safety, ! when the rule is not violated-our men all have copies of our regulations this engineer has been employed by us for several years-zour regulations regarding Tagging have been in force several years; the Master Mechanics s business is to distribute copies of reg ] uIations to the employes-triaI trips xt7.e ] often go out.
 ANDREW WILSON, Master Me chanic-I am Master Mechanic This l engine was broken down at the New kAfilford bridge some months since; been in shop for repairs, in the course of which considerable oil got into boiler which we had to get rid of, and I to do so we generally run out short distance and back-had been out on a i trial trip the day before-I told Myatt. got a short distance, and yesterday as T was paying off, ATyatt asked roe if it was necessary to carry flag; told { him mo- he was going but 2, short distance and would be back soon- I thought he would not go further than ] the Pacific Iron Works because he did not have much time ahead of freight 4 train; we never use flag on trials; always tell engineers to run slow on trial trips. as tracknen may have a Ta11 ID and other oDStructiOnS may l occur; we never use fiagging for trials of engines as we do not go far away and run slow, and there may not al ways be 9 train leaving to carry a flag, when we want to run out for I trial tour switch engine runs up as far as Benzss Brewery (now Winter s I Connecticut Breweries), and Pacific Iron Works daily. Trial trips occur I seldom, once in three months or prob ably oftener the distance to go trials Ddepends on the time we have to spare I have been to Newton, a distance of 20 miles, but in that case had flag car ried; never gone on tria trips more i than four miles without a lag. l never send out a train without flag unless to go those short distances. tances we have to have 2 or 3 trial trips to get the oil out of her.
 Adjourned to ? p. m.
 BooTBLACKs STOP OPPOSITION
 Saturday afternoon last a couple of juvenile New York bootblacks made their appearance in this city, and by bo1dness. sa arpness and irrepressible assurance5 were dipping into business quite lively Now this city of ours boasts Of several resident bootbIacks who looked upon this New ' ork inva- sion as not to be borne. a thing to be .snipped in the bud Their forces were rallied. and New York was forced tc retire before overwhelming numbers to Q more secure position. Skirnishes