The New York herald., 1844-11-23
The Accident on the Camden Railroad.

New YoRK, Nov. 2l, 1874.
To THE EDITOR OF THE NEW YoRK HERALD:
was one OF the passengers on board the cars
to-day, when the locomotive, passing along the
side Of The Raritan Canal, where the railroad is
within four five feet Of If, run off the track 1t
Yas remarkable that nn injury happened 70 any Of
Of the locomotive striking into the ground up to
the axletree. It stopped on the very brink of
the canal, and but for the softness Of the ca-th
from the recent rains. would certainly have carried
all the passenger cars, having nearly hundred
persons in them, into the water six or eight feet
deep If this had occurred, every soul in the cars
must have perlshed, for Mr. Conductor, from some
peculiar fancy Of his, had locked US all up, and
put the key Of the doors at the ends Of the cars in
his pocket. He had lief! the side door open. but
this might have turned down, and any chance Of
escape would have been impractlcable.
take this method OF calling your attention to
the fact, that the company may correct the evil
for it demands It-and the trading public ought not
to be treated as swine or sheep at the fancy OF
any conductor, and to crafty his caprice. II
by passing car 10 Which he does not beens
it is, TO say the least Of it, very weak tear Nor
is it necessary to lock up the traveller to keep him
from passing into the ladies' car OF all men in
the world, the American is most respectful to the
ladies' He never violates these rights; and the
toughest wood-sawyer will not offend lady if he
can helpi.. Nor do know Of any such custom OF
locking. up, except on the line from Bristol to
be forgotten that the terrific disaster in France,
which happened on railroad, was chiefly owing
as to the number of lives which were lost, to the
fact that the conductor had locked up the passen-
gers in the car, and escape was impossible In the
case which has just happened, if we had gone into
the canal, which we shonld have done il the earth
had been frozen, every soul must have pershed,
aud the conductor would have deserved to have
been severely punished. A conductor who is in
love with himself, and with little brief and petty
authority, and delights to lock up his passengers,
as we see swine and sheep locked up, ought to be
dismissed, with the execratlons of all good men!
venture the prediction that it is most probable
no locomotive will ever again run of the
railroad along the canal, on the side next
to it, without punglng into it, and carrying most
of the cars with it-most probably all-and If the
lookup system continues, without the slightest
order or notice from the company, 1t may some
day be fatal to all the passengers 1t will be re-
collected that the railroad runs along side OF the
canal, within a few feet, for many miles. The pre-
sent escape was one in hundred chances.
BY calling the attention OF the company to this
outrageous practice, il is TO be hoped that they will
have nerve enough, either TO dismiss their petty
Jailor, who plays conductor, or teach him 10 perpe
trate the folly and offence OF locking-up man.
In the present instance OF all the persons board,
probably hundred, not one would, probably, have
escaped had the cars run into the canal, except the
conductor and his hands.
hope you will not fail to turn your batteries
upon this evil-it is disgrace to the company.
A TRAVELLER.