New-York tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1841-1842, 1841-10-19
The Late Railroad Disaster.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. Oct Is,

SPRScrIELD Mass. Oct Is, Is.
u..a, Editors Of the Tribune:
As YOUR paper is somewhat extensively circu
l,,ed in this vicinity an. especially as likely
70 be read BY all interested any other, l ven
,ure to address you upon subject of which, for d
VIZ, reasons, our local papers hesitate to speak
carlessly.
In our papers of this week and in the Boston pa.
per, of yesterday you will find of facts
signed BY three of our most respectable citizens, in
respec. of the late Railroad disaster in TINS vicinity
In vey of that and other statements, the question,
Of much interest to the public arises Upon ohom
rests The blame This propose to consider in
rcfcrescc to the persons Immediately concerned
aad with this repor; before me.
LIST Vos Lee to blame He greatly.
Knowns as he did the nature OF the order entrust-
ed TO him, it was his urgent duty TO have gwen II
t. Warren personally, no matter for the @ef@y OF
has tram. especially each delay would have pre-
JUDGED no one and more especially az 'tarren was
already behind his time But Lee Is an excuse
at east plausible and in the hustle and hurry and
urgency of his departure he thought ne had done
his duty by giving the order to one seemingly al
,ached TO WarIen's train.
Cd. Was Moore 70 blame He was For al
though told that tie road ,cas has, still, knowing
that under even the ordinary casualties of life the
order sent Warren might not have reached him, he
ought 10 have proceeded with the great caution
winch his high responsibility under such circum-
stances demanded. But his excuse is, that he tcas
doing contrary 10 has orders.
3D. Mas IVarren 10 Gidmc The report n!
u4ed to. probably for the reason that, the dead,
whose friends far away, it matters not how the
iyiEg are excs gated, throws the onus OF the fault
upon him but yet for him, think, much May be
said. The ne1c order he had not recetved. Tn
der the old regims, Moore to wait at West
field 80 minutes instead of which he waited but 5,
and consequently was under the circumstances,
IS minutes before ms time.
Warren, at Pit,sfeld, was 80 minutes too late
at Chester, they say, he was 30 minutes behind
That he should have lost 30 minutes between the
Two places when he was already half hour in
arrears, is certainly singular His remark TO Stock,
at Chester Factories that his time TO be at West
field (l2 o'clock % min.) would be up in min
utes, shows the time to have been - o'clock 20
minutes, which made HIM 43 minutes in arrear at
that place But taking a worse view, and allow
ing that it was then u NJ. - minutes, and he 48
minutes behind he still had 80 minutes in which
to reach Weslfeld before Moore should have start
ed % NJ. 80 min J time enough to over the 10
miles Yet he was 10 blame for not stopping as
per orders.
4ih. l am prepared 10 step upon higher
gt.und, and strike at higher quarry, feeling "a
do that the blame mast finally rest on other
n I III ia, ,hot and
public interest demand. The fault must be laid
upon the immediate superintendents OF the road
here, Maj. Whistler or Mr.. Barnes, or both,
and for this very simple and obvious reason, that,
a matter Of such uital consequence should never
be suffered TO turn upon the casual deltvcrg Of
letter In this case han Warren been but 10 min-
utes behind collision would have taken place
close by Westhcld indeed aud while Warren would
have had every reason to suppose that ne had ~
minutes vet to spare before Moores half hour wait
ing time should expire, and at most hut two or
thee miles to run. | repeat them that the blame
must lie with Mr.. Barnes for trusting affair OF
such immense moment 10 letter which one con-
ductor perpeNed by Thousand duties and har-
assed by thousand calls, might forget TO deliver
and which another might in his hurry neglect TO
read The matter should have been arranged care
fully. deliberately and occasionally. 1t mdS done
carclcssy, sovenly, crlminaIiy ialaiiy ME- Darhes
should have gone himself, or sent trusty man, on
purpose 10 see his orders executed. Common
sense would have dictated t-duty should have
commanded it-any careful responsible, thorough
going business man would have done il, (unless he
were TOO careful of his easc) Here rest the mat
,cr--let the Public Judge, and go far as can be
done, let the Cooperation make FIJI reparGt,oa
for the ruthless damage they hare done.
One other cause of blame the putting the
baggage in the rear, and that merely for conve-
nicnce. This is obvious and any one can tell
where to put the blame of this grievous error, this
criminal violation of duty and triaing with human
life. Yours, BREWSTER.