Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1919-10-30
BOARD OF
INQUIRY MEET

Payette, Idaho, on October 25th
1919, at 1000 a. m concerning
personal injury to Mr.. David Mason
err on the house track at Payette,
October 21st, 1919, at 1850 p. m.
The Board consisted of:
Mr.. j. s. Thurston, Druggist of
Payette, representing the public
4 Mr.. P. A. Pheney, Roadmaster, rep
resenting the Engineering Depart,
ment.
Mr.. c. H. Hauck, Road Foreman
of Engines, representing the Me-
chanical Department,
Mr. j. g. Wilcox, Claims Adjuster
representing the Claims Department,
Mr. W. T. Ennis, Trainmaster,re rep
/ resenting the Transportation De,
! partment.
/ The Board of Inquiry In the above
named accident convened at Pay
cite County Court House at 600 a.
m. October 21st, to determine the
cause and place the responsibility of
the above named accident as follows:
Train Extra $50 East, enroute
from Huntington, Oregon, to Nampa,
Idaho, arrived at Payette at approxi-
mately 1900 a, M, stopped there
to do the station switching and mer
chandise work. Twelve cars were cut
from the head end of the train and
were backed in on south end of
house track, coupled to six other
cars which were standing at the
freight house platform; the eighteen
cars were then showed northward,
eleven cars being showed north on
third Avenue Crossing, seven cars
and engine $50 were pulled east of
crossing and spotted at the freight
chandise work, at approximately
1910 p. M, the train and engine
crew, consisting Of Conductor W. A.
Bell, Brakeman r. D. Rockwell, R.
F. Wood and l.. F. Sewers, Engineer
F. G. Payne and Fireman L. Shep-
pard, left train and engine and went
to lunch. They returned to the
train at about 1850 p. m. The |
members of the crew took their regu-
lar positions and proceeded to couple
up the cars on the house track at |
the crossing.
Before this movement was started |
engineer Payne started the air bell |
ringer on engine working and sound |
ed three short blasts of the engine
whistle in answer to back up signal |
be had received from the brakeman
Woods, who was in charge
the west side of cars on the house
track, checking the car numbers on
the switch list with the numbers of
cars. Arriving at the north end of
the string of cars which were coupled
to, he turned and faced east and
gave a proceed signal This signal
was repeated by Brakeman Rockwell l.
and Brakeman Sewers who were
in the vicinity of Third st.
Crossing, and to the west of the 4
house track
AS the cars started to move ahead
brakeman Wood noticed a mans
zap roll against the west rail from {
between the rails. He assumed that I
icme person was under these cars l
md in danger, and Immediately sig-
laled Engineer to stop. This signal I
vas repeated by Brakeman Rockwell
nd Brakeman Sewers. The cars q
lad moved approximately six feet
ghen Brakeman Wood signaled the a
to stop, the cars stopr:ng i
Within nine feet after the signal was l
ivep. e
The evidence shows that Mr.. D. +
lasoner had crawled underneath Fl
he draw bars and between the
ourth and fifth car from the north t
nd Of the train just before the for h
ard movement started and was not
bserved by any person. He was
tIeHlpllilS' " pass uHQeIHcdJu luo
lrs and to the east side of them. Il
, the Payette Fruit Growers Asso- b
alton Packing house located just II
,st of the tracks and of Third Ave- h
ne where he was employed. This d
,cident occurred on the House track e
point 800 feet north of Third p
venue Crossing, and directly west
the Payette Fruit Growers Asso-
alton Packing house, and not on
~ Public or private highway or
ak way.
The track and surroundings in the
cinity of the accident are level and
good serviceable condition, the -
ound was dry at the time of the ia
cident. an
The weather was clear and warm. tn
lore was light northwest wind te
owing. st;
We further find that the engine DO
d cars Immediately connected with re-
is accident were in good service ot,