Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1921-09-23

rail said engine.
This bend in wheel-fit of axle caus-
ed said wheel to show fifteen Q5)
tons pressure. If said axle had been
straight, said wheel would have shown
no pressure at all when being pressed
on said axle.
am positively convinced without
doubt that this derailment was
caused by the left front engine-truck
wheel being loose on axle. which to-
gether with the defective condition of
the road-bed, caused said wheel to
come off rounding the sharp curve,
the derailment being the result of the
said wheel coming off of said axle as
above stated
Disputes Explosion
In my opinion, it would have been
absolutely impossible for an explosion
of any nature or kind to have blown
this wheel off of axle without bursting
said wheel and further damaging said
locomotive andparF thereof, which
the evidence disclosed remained in
tact.
| wish to call your special attention
to the fact that the headlight glass
and signal light glasses directly over
the said engine-truck wheel were not
broken. There was no damage to
the cyi,ntier-Jackct which was the
neares: point to sad '.Isel. and made
of one-sixteenth inih of sheet iron
bolted on with cne-quarter inch stove
bolts. and the cylinder cocks on the
bottom OF the cylinder tmade of cast
iron) we're not damaged notwith-
standing the fact that they were of
very fragile material, and could have
been broken off with one blow of a
small hand hammer; at times such cy-
Under cocks are broken off while be-
ing screwed into place.
| also wish to call your special at
tentlon to the fact that the evidence
disclosed that said wheel was cast
iron, and the flange of same could
have easily been broken, as testified
by railroad men OF long experience
with ten pound sledge hammer and
yet not even chip of this wheel was
broken off at all.
l also wish to call your special at
tention to the fact that the train was
travelling down grade, and said eng
inc was derailed upon said curve; the
speed of said train together with the
heavy tonnage of thirty five cars. man.
OF which were heavily loaded, and
the AOO,OOO pound engine, aggregatine
total tonnage of approximately 1900
tons pressing upon said wheel (Which
IN my opinion was loose.) yet said
wheel came off axle and in com;no
off of said axle Travelled in practically
the same direction as the train wa,
travelling instead of going directly
against the bank opposite the track
High Speed Alleged
In my opinion this train was rim.
ming at speed Of not less than thir.
ty-five miles per hour as indicated
by the following physical facts Thir.
teen cars were badly derailed and
turned cross-wise the track all of the
SAID cars being directly behind the en-
glne; the amount of damage to the
track and the distance the engine ran
after being derailed before turning
over on the low side of the curve
wish to further call your atten-
ton to the fact that broken rails are
common occurrences in wrecks and
TINS rail was broken off inside of the
rail In question, which could have
very easily been broken by anv one
wheel of said engine dropping on the
base of said rail, the ties being torn
under said rail, There was a verv
PLAIN mark on top of the piece of
broken rail showing that the wheels
or other parts of the wreckage had
dropped on same.
l wish to call your further atten-
ton to the fact, which is most mater
1ai and vital, that it is positive fact
that where wheel is properly fitted
on an axle, there is no chance for oil
to work into bore of wheel. which was
the case in this investigation. Oil
did work in base of wheel
| have had p years experience in
all classes of mechanical work. of
which thirteen years have been spent
in railroad work.
My report, which I have honestly
endeavored to make, is from practi
cal physical facts as they exist in this
case.
Respectfully submitted.
W.T. TIAM IT -@TTDArED