The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-03 00:00:00

Obieinirtg flit 4

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3. lE4f.

The accidents on railroads have latterly become so
frequent, and excited so much alarm, that the Direc-
tors of Companies, fur their own interest, as well as the
interest of those whom they represent, ought to Behr
some measures, without delay for calming the
just apprehensions of the public. It would be
bste r that this were done spontaneously than
that new laws should be passed on the subject, or that
the proprietors should be frig'uteued into the measure by
the verdicts of juries. Unless some feasible steps are
taken, this must be the ultimate result. It is true indi-
viduals have nut a fair chance with wealthy and
powerful railway companies. Money, it is well
Ito wn, can pervert justice in various ways—
a ikeess. s reey he kept out ut the way, new trials way
be moved tor and obtained, and the unfortunate sufferers,
a'ter all their labour and anxiety, may only obtain a
verdict sufficient to cover the expenses. This has been
occasionally the case already, but such a system
setts not be pursued with impunity. Jurymen
have an interest in securing the safety of the public, of
v hie!) th,y Corm a part ; it may be the fate of some of
them to have their limbs bruk, n or be dashed to pieces,
or buried alive under a heap of carriages ; it may
be the fate too of their nearest relations to be
subjected to the same awful calamities, and they
have, therefore, the iino,t powerful of all motives—self-
preservation—to give heavy damages against any Com-
piny that, from neglect or wilful mismanagement, en-
d ingere human life. Some thirty years ago fatal acci-
dents from coaches and mails were much more frequent
than at a later period. And why? Because public opinion
was roused. A drunken, reckless, and incapable coach-
man was to 1w met with at every other stage ; accidents
were happening daily ; and when these accidents unfor-
tunately were fatal, no redress at all equal to the loss
could be obtained by the verdict of a coroner's jury.
Common juries, therefore, took up the question in the right
rpirit, and when either negligence or drunkenness, or
wiSal misconduct of any kind could be proved, they
gave proportionate damages. What was the result ?
The system was found too expensive for the
proprietors of coaches, they saw that good
niamesement alone could save them from ruin,
and they soon found it necessary to appoint
drivers 1 who had lan interest in the concern,
and wit:), therefore, could not be guilty of care-
less driving without being punished in purse and
etmetimes also in person for their folly. Let the same
negligent system prevail on railroads for a few months
linger, and the result %sill be the same. Ordinary
daniai-es again-t powerful eanapanies will be of little
value, and the Directors may, therefore, reckon to a
certainty that verdicts which shall have the desired
t '12;1,1 become as common as they were in the worst
15.711. NTS Iv,
- . -,. ech travelling. It is better, therefore, to reform
ie.-sce<7. itap d the more so as reform would in a very
i
( `i--4, ttract passengers to an extent which would
ray' as!f'tastsl s'eskirtath ' any additional expense. If the Govern-
i ..:1•• it t 1.
es, e .c.,: e ernes
~ e question up, and pass laws fur the better
0- se ~,,e4 110410 . t of railways, the Companies would be put
c
- -
-
e.-
441 ‘l.O great pease by minute and probably, at first, im-
ee
~„ p r.ieSle regulations. Let referee, therefore, com-
INS ;nen .e ut home, and Ist the Directors render legislation
a.n I punishment unnecessary, by adopting the most
ikely ineasurea for the prevention of accidents. Might