Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-02-13
Death Of Albro n. MilIett

sion has made public its findings in
the following cases:
Death Of Albro n. MilIett
The Public Utilities Commission has
made public the following decision in
the matter of the accident on the prem
ises of the Maine Central Railroad at
Waterville, resulting in the death Of
Albro H. Millett:
Albro H. Millett, 46 of Naterville
brakeman III the employ of the Maine
Central Railroad Co, was killed while
IN the discharge Of his duties in the
Oakland yard of said COMPANY AT
about SIS A. NJ, Jan. /. 1917 An in
'estlsatlon was made on the premises
and the statements of witnesses taken
NY rep sentative Of this commission.
early the following day
switching engine No 106 was en-
gagged In shifting cars in the railroad
yard After setting some cars takan
from passenger train No 252 this on
slne was coupled to a fat car IN trac,,
NO. to remove it to another mart of
the yard. The car was loaded Win
cast iron drain pipe, "A pieces ranr
ing from 20 inches to SO inches in Ill
ameter, three feet in length weiebing
IN all about 10000 pounds and laid il
oile tier on the floor Of the car Tho
pipe as held in place BY timber and
Jolsts, the former cleated to tho car
moor and the latter standing in the
stake holes.
When No. l06 was within ahou+ 7on
1eet Of the north switch to track q 90
ing about miles an hour ught ~,
ine No. 50 appeared coming tn,,..r, !.
az SIX or seven miles an hour rb;,
CUISINE was In charge Of W. Fl. Ken
Ivy aged -, acting as hostler at the
oakland engine house for Is DAYS Inf
WIN more or less regular service &c
/ fireman for the Maine Central RaiIroad
- lof year and 7 months. He was
uhaccompanied on the engine
hehnedy had taken No. s. to tho co,l
shed, secured some coal and uas ~,
MS return TO the engine house Tho
switch target ahead of him shove,
open Tor track No. 9, but he saws he
ola not notice it, until he was too nea,
engine NO. l06 to prevent running met
we switch, onto track No. 8. ana col-
ii'ihs with the latter engine-in fact
~ uhtll ne had taken the switch
i" men the two engines came toeetbe,,
Mlilett was standing on the runnine
BOARD between the tender of M 1oe
ana the fiat car which it was drauinr
me shock of ting Collision forced III
IRON pipe forward breaking IL ,noe,
lnGs and pinning lJiUatt ha+Tr.oa..
pipe and the tender His .bine IT'D, III
cOuS, n
heIhedy says that his driving
"heeiS Were pounding and that IL ua,
'oohiiS ahead at that until he feIt tba
oHsihe take the switch 10 track NJ d
ne also says that the switch tarqat
was painted white with two bIool,
pahos running parallel, while tbosa All
oh the main line were painted red IL
lhls statement is offered IL oxn,o,a.ia
Vi ms failure to note conditions ia foi,
~ get ITS force He was within ~
'"i'ciliflS area and should have beep
".'enulhs TO signals and the conditions
~ rack rather than to the pecul
iari'ies OF his driving wheels Re-
SUES IL ne didn't know he was eoi,o
ONO the side track until be fal+ ~
s"itch under his wheels. If Gonna nj
nave made much difference. u,b.t ae,oS
'he target was. He knew II was q ~
set ana knew its significance Al
,nough IN plain view Of him and ubara
ne ought to have been lookinp he
aloh see it, because he didnt Ioa,.
r. $ Baker, aged 81. emnloyed j.,
NE Maine Central Railroad "a III
searS and engineer on shifter No 10e
."o years IN the Oakland ward actiney
~, mat capacity at the time Of the ~
IAoeiIt' says his train was going A.
| mics an hour, and No. s. "about as
iae' as man could run" When ba
was within 100 feet Of the switch he
nrst noticed engine No. s. within IN
leet or him and was struck before he
oouid give any alarm. This mns+
mean that a locomotive engine bad
TAKEN the switch onto his track and
colne mead on for a distance of On
,eet 70 within 10 feet of him before he
Knew 1t was there.
hehhedy was negligent and his rec
nsehce caused the accident IF he bad
peeh attending to his track with ~
slee OF care commensurate with the
demands of the conditions under ubinh
I'VE was working, he should have sao,,
'iir Target and avoided the collision
While one would think thai D..
ought TO have been aware or tho a.
proach OF No. So in season ~ ba,o
warned the men on HE +ro; ,n,.