The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-12-01
Man Says Brakes Wore Applied, But
That Engine Slid Slowly to Its
Doom Through the
Open Bridge.
TRAINMEN CONTRADICT
They Say That Engine Only Wills
tied Once and Only limo Air
Was Applied, Was When
Coupling Broke.

QUINCY, H., Dec. Although
there were a number of witnesses
heard at the coroner's inquest held
yesterday afternoon at the Mumper
undertaking rooms, very little light
was given on the real cause of the
railroad disaster Saturday evening
when the engine on the Kline passen-
ger train No. Is. went through the
open draw on the lower bay bridge
and carried Engineer G. 8. Concannon
and Fireman Herman Atkins to ter
rible deaths. ra..
The inquisition was in session from
3 o'clock until after o'clock last
evening when an adjournment was
taken until o'clock this morning
when several more witnesses will be
heard. Coroner Haley announced at
the close Of the hearing yesterday
that several passengers on the train
and Undertakers Mumper and Fret
burg would be called this morning.
Did Engineer Try to Stop TraIni
All Of the testimony given at the
hearing yesterday was to the effect
that the bridge tender had taken all
the precautions necessary to keep the
train from going into the open draw.
The only testimony for the accident
was given by eye-witnesses which was
to the effect that Engineer Concannon
attempted to stop his train to keep
from going into the river, but was un-
able to do so. The testimony Of two
eye-witnesses was heard and they
were not only contradictory to them
selves but to the trainmen.
Mrs. o. H. Bernard, who lives along
the bay front, said 1t appeared to her
that the engineer took light carried
by the bridge tender on the bridge
as signal to come ahead and after
giving two sharp toots Of his whistle.
which is always an acknowledgement
Of signal, increased the speed of his
engine when only q short distance
away from the bridge and then tried
to stop his train shortly when he saw
the open bridge.
Set Brakes $50 Feet Back.
Her testimony was contradicted,
however, by another eyewitness,
Charles Thomas. who was standing
near the Streckfus boat house. Thorn
as said that he heard the engineer
apply the air brakes when he was $50
feet away from the bridge and was
unable to stop within that distance.
The witness also said that the air
brakes were applied with much force
when the train approached the abut-
ment and was still unable to stop al
though the train was mot going fast
er than he could walk" 1.-THE engi-
neer would have been able to stop
had he had two more feet to 60 be-
fore the engine went over" said the
witness. The witness denied that the
engineer gave an answer to a signal
from the bridge tender.
A. ha In focfffnH RI hn Of
feet that the engine only whistled
once and that was for the right Of
way over the bridge, when on the
other side Of the semaphore. They
said that the train came to a stop
at no time and that the only time the
air was applied was when the air
connection broke with the fall Of the
engine into the water and stopped the
train with a slight jerk.
Officials were Present.
The Burlington road was represent
ed at the hearing by several officials
including L. P. Hill Of Hannibal, Mo-,
claim agent for the road, and P.
l.. Trimble of Keokuk, Iowa, general
attorney for the Burlington road in
Missouri. The latter was accompanied
by a stenographer. who took notes Of
all the testimony. Eugene Poole, a
son-in-law of the late Engineer c. S.
Concannon, was also present with an
attorney from Hannibal, who took
notes of the proceedings. Assistant
States Attorney ROLAND Wagner, was
also present for portion Of the hear
ing.
THE NAUVOO GATE CITY
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