Pueblo chieftain., 1921-03-20

, mined so Tar as can be aScerta1ned.
T. H. Devine, attorney for the Denver
and Rio Grande, in a statement Satur-
day evening, declared that he was not
informed of his company's intentions,
and knew of no future action yet an
nounced from headquarters in Denver.
w. l.. Hartman, attorney for the
Pullman company, Saturday night
stated that a copy Of the inquest pro-
ceedings will be sent to that companys
general solicitor in Chicago.
Il am instructed" he said. Ito CO.
operate to the fullest extent with any
individual. group, or corporation that
may undertake further probe Of the
natter"
Practically the only developments of
the case after the return of the cor
oner's verdict. that are now known,
outside of the taking Of statements
from employees of the Denver and Rio
Grande, lie in information given out
by T.. l.. Goodwin. special mechanical
inspector for the Pullman company.
who came to Denver after the report
of the fire, and who arrived in Wal
senburg twelve minutes after the jury's
verdict was returned.
Thursday night, in an interview with
representative of The Chieftain, Mr.
Goodwin explained the construction OF
the car Corona from a blueprint.
That explosion the conductor stated
wood. was in all probability the pop
of an electric light globe, or the crash
of a heat-fractured pane in the vesti-
bule door.
Smoke Came from Burning Hair
the five who perished ever knew when
the flames reached them-they were
suffocated long before. 1t is easy to
account for this, and for the dense
smoke. and for the rear brakeman's
statement that the odor from the In
terror of the car was more than burn
ing wood, cloth, and varnish - that
smell and smoke came from burning
hair.
In every Pullman car, there is
h.ge quantity OF hair. 1t is used in
the upholstery, in the mattresses, in
the seat cushions. 1t burns like tin
der, and forms. beside the dense smoke.
huge quantities of carbon dioNide gas
the same gas so dreaded by all min
ers. who know it as mine damp.
''If passenger had heen able to
breathe and retain consciousness, he
would have had a chance to escape.
as Mr.. Hood and porter Tompkins did.
But within a few moments, in that
atmosphere, life is snuffed out like a
candle beneath an inverted tumoler.
The gas of itself is not irritating. but
tends to render the breather uncon-
Scious.
The heater aboard the Pullman.
enormously termed by railroad men as
a Baker heater, was in reality Pull
man steel heater. of the latest i'm
proved model, far superior to the old
cast-iron Baker type. While l have
never known of fire to start from
Pullman heater. I have known of hum
dreds of cases where the canvas dia-
phram (or accordion) between the
couplings OF two coaches, took fire.
This was a common occurrence on
board troop trains during the war.
Il know of a case where n company
official was in personal charge of
Pullman car. intended for delivery to
railroad official. Altho he was keep
ing special guard of the car, 1t took
fire He was sitting in one end, his
back toward the front of the car. In
less than three minutes, he started up
to find that his coat tail WAS in flames.
and that the fire had traversed the
entire length OF the coach. l have
known of cars to burn in day time. set
by the canvas diaphram. run seven
miles. and passengers barely escape
with their lives. while their baggage
was entirely consumed"
Mr.. Goodman came TO Pueblo early
Friday morning. to view the wreck
age OF the Corona on board nat cars
in the Rio Grande yards. Aftcrward.
he returned to Denver. and from there.
70