Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-08-20
RAILROAD BLAMES
WRECK ON CREWS
Investigating Committee Re-
turns Report on Accident
Killing Four


cihc train wreck Tuesday afternoon
at Hafed, where four trainmen were
killed. is placed by an investigating
committee OF the Southern Pacific
company on Engineer F. A. Cruise
Conductor II. J. Ewing and Engineer
Louis Rasmussen. An official of the
company, T. F. Rowlands, made the
report. says the journal.
Those killed in the wreck were: l..
Rasmussen, engineer: Ed House.
brakeman; +. F. Griffin, fireman; T.
J. Dwyer, an unemployed fireman.
The officials report follows:
"l-Butting collision between extra
25l6 east and train No. 81 just east
OF Hated; extra 25l6 east in charge
OF Conductor c. A. Swartz, Engineer
F. A. Guise, Rear Brakeman A. +.
Martin, Swing Brakeman l.. l.. Mul.
len. Head Brakeman NJ. II. Ford, Fire
man +. F. Griffin, was called TO leave
Sparks at 3:i5 p. IN; departed at 1851
p. IN, with fifty.four loads and one
| emtpy, I39Ms.. with right of track
over No. 81 Sparks to Fernley, wait
at Sparks until 1855 p. M. Vista until
i:C5 p. m, Hated until AIS p. m,
Ditho until 4:25 p. M, and upon ap-
80 miles an hour. Engineer F. A..
Guise found distant signal on double
arm mast at the west end OF yard in
| caution position, which indicated to
him that the home signal at the east
end OF the yard was in stop position.
He claims that he made Two service
applications OF air. and that upon
reaching a point 10 car lengths or 675
| feet west of the home signal where he
saw that signal at stop. he immediate
ly made an emergency application but
the speed OF the tran had not been
| sufficiently reduced by the two service
| applications, and as a result ran By
the home signal ll2 feet, colliding
with No. ll3.
mo. 81, Conductor L. J. Ewing.
| Engineer L. Rasmussen, Rear Brake
man T.. II. Hartman. Swing Brake.
man c. B. Miltenberger. Head Brake
man Ed House, Student Brakeman
| Clay McElwee. Fireman T.. 4. Zari
with six loads and twenty cmpticS.
l3l5Ms. and holding the same order.
passed DithO at i:05 p. m. which
! gave them but seven minutes to 20 to
| Hated, distance of ~ miles and
clear extra 25l6 east, as required by
rule SO, and continued on to a point
liz feet east Of the home signal at
east end Hated where they collided
with extra 25l6 east.
"All members OF both crews
had required rest before starting on
/ "trip.
"2 II IL our opinion that Engineer
+. A. Guise of extra 25IG is RESPONSE
| bic In that he failed TO observe rule
3o2 and bring his train under control
| Immediately when he found distant
signal at caution and stop before pass.
ing the home signal at east end OF
Hated. Conductor X. J. Ewing and
Engineer l.. Rasmussen OF No. 3Il
responsible for failure to observe
rules 80 and 90. When they found
they could not clear the time of extra
25l6 east at Hated. they should have
protected as per rule 90.
/ "3-No recommendation to make.
i Signed by +. +. Rowlands. super.
intCndent: Otis Weeks. division engi.
necr: u. Hickey, master mcChanic
II. e. Mulcahy. real estate dealer and
James Devine. justice of the peace"
Rule No. 80 Is the Ave minutes
clearance rule. which means that
when the engineer and conductor saw
that they could not clear the time OF
the castbound train they should have
stopped and protected their train by
sending out nagmcn as provided for
In rule 90. which Is the tagging rule
Of the railroad