Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-09-15
EXPLOSIVE CAUSED
A., B. & A. WRECK,
CHEMIST DECLARES
Dr. Dumas Testimony Is
Outstanding Feature of
Inquiry Held on Tuesday at
State Capitol

Dr. w. 4. Dumas, a graduate OIL the
Georgia School of Technology, and
former state chemist, Tuesday morn
ing declared that the A, B. & A.
freight train wreck last Wednesday
night was the result of an explosion
of a mixture of chlorate of potassium,
dynamite detonator.
His testimony, which came at the
end of the morning session of the
special committee that was appoint
ed by Governor Hardwick to ascer-
tain the cause Of the wreck, was the
outstanding feature of the hearing.
Indications that the Machinists'
union would attempt to prove that
the wreck was caused by faulty
equipment, were seen in the cross
examination of witnesses Tuesday
afternoon at the hearing by Carl F.
Hutchinson, attorney for the asso-
ciated machinists, who demanded the
probe.
did you see where the axle of
the front truck was flattened and
buried in the attempt to keep the
wheel on the axle?" was one of
the questions asked H. B. Lamb, one
of the witnesses. One of the wheels
of the locomotive was found in
field near the wreck. The witness
answered in the-negative.
Farmers Called
Farmers and dairymein1 residing ing
wreck were called to the witness
stand Tuesday afternoon. 1t was
decided that the hearing would ad-
journ at o'clock and reconvene
at to last until 10 o'clock.
DR.. Dumas visited sle scene Of the
wreck last Thursday, and in testify
ing before the committee first de-
scribed a hole in the roadbed at the
scene of the wreck. This hole, he
said, had been made by the discharge
of a high explosive. 1t was about
three feet in diameter and about
fragments of splintered cross ties
were found in abundance. After ex-
amining the hole, he obtained from all
sides, and from the bottom, specl-
mems of the earth, and these he car
ried to his laboratory, where he made
the analysis on which his testimony
was based.
Accessories Found
Il found pieces of rubber insula-
ton, such as is used on copper wire"
he said. Il found a piece of copper
wire about three inches in length.
found specimens CT parafin paper
and tin foil in alternate layers, such
and kee pthem dry.
There were as many as 25 frag-
ments taken from the hole, which
were subjected to microscopic eX-
animation. 1t confirmed the con-
clusion that there had been. an ex-
plosion, and that the explosion was
of sufficient force to wreck the
train, and to throw a wheel of the
pany truck over 30-foot embank-
ment. Ny microscopic examination
of scrapings from the hole showed
evidences Of high explosives and
traces of nitrate which would have
been used in detonator.
Il heated to a high temperature in
my laboratory the dirt taken from
small explosions.
1.-THE Stag taken from the hole on
examination showed evidences Of
chloride, and in the dirt and rock.
traces of potash were recovered. The
dirt gave an odor of burnt sugar,
and other tests developed the pres
ence Of nitrate
Discusses Explosives
DR.. Dumas, atty the instance Of At
torney Reuben r. Arnold, attorney
for the railroad, discussed at length
the component parts of different ex-
plosives, and described their proper
ties for the information of the COM
mittee. He said that mixture of
chlorate of potassium and sugar has
properties as deadly and as powerful
as dynamite and other commercial
explosives, although this mixture is
not used commercially.
Sitting with the special commit
tee were w. J. Patterson and his as
sociates. representing the interstate
commerce commission. Mr.. Patter-
son, by courtesy Of the committee,
Intercepted the witnesses, but
neither he or his asSoc1a ties will par
ticipate in the committees findings.
Their report will be made to Wash
ington.
Besides the testimony of d.. Du-
mas, the hearing Tuesday morning
was featured by clash between Mr..
Arnold, of counsel for the railroad.
and Mr.. Patterson, representing the
Interstate commerce commission. The
attorney objected to Mr.. Patterson's
attitude and hiss line Of questions
concerning the equipment of the A.
B. & A, during the examination of
Conductor W. M. Ross, who was in
charge of the Inflated train. Mr..
Arnold insisted that the A, B. & A.
was not under investigation concern
ing it's equipment, and he asserted
that the federal investigator was
making AN inauspicious beginning if
he was undertaking to ascertain the
cause of the wreck.
Personnel of Committee
The special committee making the
probe includes c. NJ. Gambler
chairman of the railroad com.
mission: William P. Turner, a ma
chinist at the Georgia railroad shops,
and Woods Hudson, vice president
and general manager Of the Georgia
Car and Locomotive works.
n orr. O