Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-06-01
Safety for Our Soldiers On
Guard at Bridges.

likely to exist for some little time
there will be soldiers at many Of our
railroad bridges and the men them
selves, their commanding officers and
the officials of our railroads should do
all that reasonably can be done to
protect the life of these men who in
the performance Of their, duties may be
placed in a situation of certain danger
and who are entitled to full and ade-
quate protection and warning" states
decision rendered by the Public Util-
tiles Commission Thursday in regard
to the death Of Peter w. Klain, a pri-
vate in Co. d, End Maine Infantry,
who was struck by westbound train
on one of the railroad bridges of the
Boston & Maine Railroad between
Saco and Biddeford on the evening Of
May 10 last. The decision says in
part:
las is generally known it was some
weeks ago thought wise to guard the
railroad bridges within this state from
possible attack by sympathiZers with
our foreign enemies or by cranks, and
in order to carry out this idea, COM
panies of our state infantry were sta
more members Of each company were
during certain hours of the day and
night detailed to guard the railroad
bridges within the state. Company D
was stationed at Saco and part of
the duty which the members of the
company was to be performed con-
sisted of the guarding of two bridges
between Saco and Biddeford one
known as los and the other known as
104. The station at Saco is distant
less than a mile from the station at
Biddeford and these two bridges inter-
vene.
THE road is double tracked between
the two stations and it oftentimes hap
pens that Immediately after a passen-
ger train leaves either station going
toward the other, a freight or pas
senger train going in the opposite di-
rection will pass the first train upon
one or the other Of these bridges.
Under ordinary circumstances the
managing Of the railroad and the OPP
orators of the trains have no reason
to suppose that any person will be
upon either of these bridges. 1t is
therefore a fact that no signal an
nouncing the approach Of either Of
such trains is given and under ordi-
nary circumstances none is necessary.
Upon the night in question. Private
Klain was assigned to guard bridge
104 and a regular train left the Bidde-
ford station and proceeded toward Saco
onto the bridge. No person saw the
accident to Private Klain, but from
the position in which he was immedi-
ately found, it is evident that he step
ped across the track behind the east
bound train onto the track upon which
the westbound train was approaching
and did not see the latter train. He
must have been struck by the engine
as he was shortly afterwards found
with both legs severed and in an I'M
conscious condition with injuries so Sc
we're that he died very soon afterwards
at the hospital. The engineer of the
westbound train did not see the acct
dent and no person apparently was a
witness.
THE accident is particularly regret
table as the young man was of especial
promise in the first yigor of his young
manhood and in the performance Of
a duty especially commendable at the
present time. There is no evidence Of
show that the performance by klain
of his duties required him to patrol this
bridge, but it appears that some of the
privates understood this to be theii
duty. We now understand that orders
have been given in this particular COM
pany that patrollng is no part Of the
duty of the Waterman.
I'VE do not find any evidence upon
which to criticise seriously the railroad
officials. They perhaps had a right
to assume that the Waterman would
not be upon the tracks at any time and
this being SO, undoubtedly did not
feel under any obligation or duty to
sound warning signals announcing the
approach Of train. But in view Of
the fact that this unfortunate accident
has occurred, it seems to us proper to
suggest not only to the Boston &
Maine Railroad, but to all other rail-
roads within the state whose bridges
are being guarded, that orders be is
sued requiring enginemen upon APP
preaching a bridge which is being
crossed by train to give by blasts
upon the whistle suitable warning of
such approach in order that any per-
son who is lawfully upon or near the
bridge may have opportunity to pro-
tect himself from injury.
I'VE also suggest that the officers in
charge of such companies doing patrol
duty should caution their men with
reference to stepping upon any track
and should also give definite instruc-
lions as 20 whether the performance of
their duty requires a patrolling of the
bridge or merely watchfulness near
the same"
Industrial Accidents.