Utica Herald Dispatch, April 23, 1907
INQUEST IN CASE OF BLOSSVALE WRECK
TESTIMONY CONCERNING REPAIRS TO TRACK
THE SPEED OF THE TRAIN
Family of Fireman Who Lost His Life Represented by an Attorney Inquest - Coroner Hubbard Orders an Adjournment.
Rome, April 23.-Coroner Hubbard this morning began the inquiry into the cause of the wreck on the Watertown Railroad near Blossvale on Monday morning, April 15. Attorney Thomas Burns of Watertown was present in the interest of James Hartford, father of Fireman E J. Hartford, who wan killed in the accident when two engines went down an embankment 100 feet high.
Michael Gurnett, the first witness, testified that he is supervisor of tracks. His attention had not been called to the roadbed where the accident occurred. There was the usual unevenness of spring roadbed and he had two carloads of slag at McConnellsville, but not for use in that particular place. He considered the roadbed there as good as any.
I. F. Losch of Clearfield, Pa., staying at Watertown, is employed by the New York Central as engineer. Has been employed five years, but until February 28 was fireman. Since then he had been engineman. This was his second trip. He was on the second engine. The train was scheduled to leave Rome at 10:30 p. m. It was behind time about 35 minutes. "We make up time when we can." he said. "We were not running particularly fast then. It was down grade at the scene of the accident." He had shut off his engine aud was told the head engine was also shut off. Had little time to notice anything. There was a jar and crash. I found myself under broken cars. I looked for my fireman, E. J. Hartford. as soon as I could get a light and after daylight. Had never received any caution cards on the road that I could remember.
W. A. Dearing of Watertown testified that he had been running as extra engineer, but had not made this run for a year before. "We were late and were running 16 to 18 miles an hour at the time of the accident."
J. H. Snyder of Blossvale is section foreman for the New York Central Railroad. He has four men besides himself on the section, which covers 5 1/2 miles. He was over the track on Sunday. The track was in good condition then. "No one told me the sand was getting ready to slide. Had been told the track was a little out of line and ordered-filling there and for another place. He repaired the track on Sunday afternoon. He put blocks of wood there but had not been filled In as much as he thought it needed. There had been a low spot there for two years. He filled it a little two years ago but he could not get all the filling he needed. Another spot about 1.000 or 1,500 feet from where the accident happened that needs filling. In the spring these troubles are always experienced.
Coroner Hubbard announced an adjournment of the Inquest till next Thursday evening at 7 o'clock at his chambers in the Court House