Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 October 1887 — AMATEUR RAILROADING. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

AMATEUR RAILROADING.

That Is What Led to the Recent Terrible Accident on the Chicago and Altantic. Thel Coroner’s Investigation Develops Gross Carelessness on the Part of the Train Mer. A correspondent who has been watching the Coroner’s inquiry into the deadly wreck at Kouts, Ind., telegraphs as follows: The responsibility for the disaster is b3coming fixed upon the orew of the freight train which crashed into the disabled passenger. AJI the evidence to be had comes from the employes of the railroad, but there is no gool reason for believing they have not told the truth concerning the movements of the two trains that eventful night First of all, the established facts against the engineer were that ha knew the passenger engine was disabled, and that the passenger train was not a great wayahead of him. But two stations back he had reoeived distinct orders to look out for the train

at a certa'n station. It is true he did not find the train there, but it is also true he had received no information as to its locality. He only knew the passenger was ahead of him somewhere on the line with a disable ! engine. Notwitl.standing this knowledge he rushed ahead in a douse fog, according to the testimony, at twenty-five miles an hour, or even a greater rate. He ran on to a grade wnich made a stop within a half mile out of the question, at this rat .< of speed. He acknowledged he was uneasy, and under a spasm of temporary fear at the thought that the passenger might be before him, he whistled for brakes. Then the thought of recovering lost time overcame his caution, and he whistled “Off brakes!” When directly under the semaphore he saw the danger signal, and again called for brakes and did all in his power to stop the train. This is his own story, but why he should not have seen the red light of the semaphore before that time is not clear. It was apparent to the trainmen of the passenger train who stood by the side of the track 2,500 feet away, but he says he could not see it. The most probable

explanation is that he was not looking down the track at that critical moment. On both the rate of running and his outlook he was taking frightful chances, and the throw of tho die was against him Another fact but lightly touched upon in th* evidence is full of significance. The engine was without any protection against a slippery track. The sand-cox was exhausted It is the engineer’s duty to see that his engine is supplied with that safeguard against slipping wheels. Had sand been in the sand-box that night the wheels would have held, to the track, and while the shock might not have been entirely avoided, its severity would beyond a doubt have been greatly lessened. The engineer’s efforts to stop his train on that down grade into tho passenger were almost useless, on this account, and from all the facts at hand at this time it does not appear that the heavy freight was slacked up at ail in its descent of half a mile. While any one of these facts may not render

the engineer liable to prosecution for criminal neglige ace, together they ought to be considered unfit for a service where human life depends upon carefulness of employes. From an extended talk with the Coroner it was apparent that this view was substantially the one he had taken from his investigations. While the blame of tho wreck primarily attaches itself to the freight engineer, the ignorance of the pass enger conductor regarding the movement of trains is surprising. He was two hours late. According to the printed schedule of trains, which he carried in his pocket, tho “meat train,” No. 48, should have passed him an hour before. Without knowing a thing about the location of that train, he testified that he had no idea that any train was behind him. Whether he supposed the meat train had dropped into the earth or had passed on the barb-wire fence along the roadway is. not plain. His innocence regarding the movement of trains on his road is truly marvelous.

He fulfilled, however, the rules of the company in throwing up the warning semaphore, and the fact that a flagman did not go back of his train until the rear brakeman saw the sparks of the freight locomotive probably out nb figure in the subsequent events. Under any circumstances the flagman would not have gone beyond the half-mile which the semaphore marked, and the freight train could not have stopped in that limit. The absence of sand from the sand-box of the locomotive seems to be expressed, in slang parlance, the absence of “sand" from the entire management of both the passenger and the freight trains. It resembled amateur railroadmore than

RAILROAD STATION AT KOUTS WHERE TEE DEAD WERE TAKEN.

WORKING AT THE WRECK.

REMAINS OF THE FREIGHT ENGINE.

WHERE THE WRECK OCCURRED.