Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1918-04-26

Coroner Arthur G. Bill of Daniel
son was in Putnam Wednesday, and
conducted an inquest into the rail
road wreck in Pomfret in the early
morning hours of Wednesday. April
10th One of the most peculiar feat
ures brought out at the hearing was
the fact that the engineer and fireman
of the train that was run into, extra
5000, did not know that an accident
had occurred until told so by some of
the trainmen.
Those who testified at the hearing
were Herbert Cook. engineer of A. b.
4, who still remains at the Day Kim
ball hospital; Edward b. Lloyd, fire
man of second engine of A. b. 4; Jo-
seph Halter. hagman first engine of
A. +. 4; William J. Daniels, engineer
extra 5000; Leo V Pritehard, con
ductor of A. b. 4; c. l.. Pierce. fire
man of extra 5000, and Jacob Lavine,
fiagman of A b. a.
The testimony developed that extra
5000 left Willimantic about | o'clock
in the morning. That after leaving
that point no orders were received as
all of the telegraph Offices between
Willimantic and Putnam were closed
and that no block system was operat-
ed at night That the running time
of the train was about Is miles an
hour, but that the train stopped twice
before reaching North Windham.
The first stop was made because the
automatic stoker was not working
After twenty minutes the train pro
ceeded and the fireman attempted to
stoke the engine by hand Finding
that this could not be done, another
stop was made and at the end of ten
minutes it was discovered that bolt
was clogging the mechanism of the
automatic stoker After the trouble
was eliminated the train proceeded.
An hour was lost on the trip and it
took nearly three hours for the train
to make Pomfret, distance of less
than % miles
A. b. 4 left WIlimantie at 205.
1t was running under CLOSE in or
der, which carries a caution card stat
ing to one train that there is another
train ahead in the block This train
did not make a stop until the collision
occurred, and at the time the brakes
were applied, when the caboose of the
train ahead was seen, was running
about 20 to 25 miles an hour. Pre-
vious to this the brakes had been APP
piled between Abingdon and Pomfret
and the train was then running at not
oyr, and probably less, than l5 miles
an hour, the time of the train ahead.
At Pomfret station Conductor Cook
asked his fireman and trainman in
the engine if they saw anything of the
extra. When they replied that they
did not, he released the brakes and
made speed to get up the hill after
leaving Pomfret.
According to Engineer Cook Of the
first engine of A. B. a there was no
fog and nothing unusual to obstruct
his view ahead. but on account Of the
physical condition of the road he did
not see the special until within seven
car lengths of it.
There are several other witnesses
yet to be heard, and Coroner Bill
said that he would hear them at any
time at his office in Danielson during
the week
Joseph Halter, fagman of A. B. 4,
said that his train made no stops after
it left Willimantic shortly after 2 o.
clock until the accident. II came in
to Pomfret at the rate of 20 to 80
miles an hour He was on the second
engine. He said he saw no signals or
signs of the other train ahead The
first he knew of the accident he felt
the air 90 on and heard the engineer
say something DuL uluH huoW Mudt.
He didn't know there had been col
lision until he was told so. He got
out and went to the scene of the
wreck and found Fireman Lloyd,
Flagman Flaherty and Brakeman
johnson. The last two were dead.
William J. Daniels, engineer of ex-
ira 1900, said that his train left Will
limantic for Putnam at / o'clock.
That they received no further orders
as there were no telegraph Offices
open and no block system in use at
night. That his train was running on
a schedule of Is miles an hour and
that he did not know another train
was following until the head brake
man told him that some one had run
into the train.
He said he saw signal markers on
the caboose on his side when he look