Clark - Rufus - train - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

The coroner who investigated last week’s Clover Leaf wreck at Mellott, in which Conductor Clark (Rufus Clark) lost his life, fastens the blame on a sixteen year old Linden boy, Artie Woodward, who is the road’s operator. The blame should have been placed on the officers of the notoriously mismanaged road, who permit irresponsible children to hold positions that have in keeping human lives. It may be cheap to employ children for men’s work but it is morally criminal.  The facts as brought out by the inquest are as follows: The dispatcher sent an order to both the operators at Linden and Veedersburg at the same time. It was for No. 40, west bound, to run ahead of time and meet extra east engine 82, gravel train, at Mellott, and to meet No. 30 at Veedersburg. The operator at Linden, who has only been working three months, after taking and repeating the order, says he scratched it and then copied it. The operator at Veedersburg heard him repeat it and he repeated it all right. When he copied it he left out the words “at Mellott,” making it read: “No. 40 run ahead of time; will meet east engine 82, and will meet No. 30 at Veedersburg.”  The extra east had orders to run to Mellott for No. 40, while No. 40, with the order omitting the words “at Mellott” naturally thought they had the right of track to Veedersburg, and leaving a car at Mellott started to Veedersburg and the wreck followed. -s

Source: Indianapolis News Sat 9 Dec 1899 p 14