The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-08-05
AMUsEMENTs TO MORROW EVENING.
New York. Sunday, August 5, Is4V.
railroad Accidents and Railroad Mis-
management.

arrangements.
The late fearful accident on the line of railroad
between this metropolis and the city of Philadel-
pha, by which two of our fellow beings were IN a
moment deprived ofife, and upwards ofthrty were
seriously maDgled, has naturally excited great
deal ofpublic attention There can be doubt
that the catastrophe was the result of gross and
criminal carelessness and neglect; but on the part
Of whom +?
1t has been always very conveniently assumed by
these railroad companies, that these frghful acct
dents are the result either of the malicious and
fendish act of some wholesale assassin, or of the
negligence OF some miserable devil employed as
switch-tender, brakeman, conductor or engineer.
They are themselves never to blame--not they.
Now, it is high time that the public mind should be
dsabused on this important subject, and be taught
to fasten responsibility in the proper quarter Take
the present instance example of the gross and
criminal Encouragement of our railroads. II is
alleged by the company that the accident was oc
casoned by some ill-disposed person, who turned
the " Switch" as it Is called, IN the wrong direc-
ton, with the internal design of precipitalng the
engine and train Of cars into the canal. Well,
grant this to have been the case-which we are not
disposed to do in the present state of the cIrcum-
stances, as developed by investigation, thus far
are the company absolved from blame ? Not at
all 1t was the solemn duty of the company to
guard against the possibility Of the success Of
such murderous design as is attributed to some
unknown miscreant. Why have they not organ
zcd the police of their road in that efficient man
ner which would render all such wicked attempts
abortivef Is it not perfectly practicable to make
such arrangements as would secure the travelling
public against such awful hazard Of life and limbl
Has 1t, indeed come to this, that railroad companies
to be permitted to leave their roads that unpro
tected condition, that any lunatic murderer may,
on any night day, at any hour, put the lives Of
hundreds in jeopardy
In England the railroads are placed under proper
police surveillance. Watchmen, who are on duty
day and night, are stationed at proper intervals,
and maintain close and continual Inspection of the
road, ready TO give timely alarm of danger, and
prevent the execution of such wicked designs as
that attributed TO some one, the case of this ter
rible accident near Princeton, as well as to
note the condition Of the rails, and all the arrange
ments and arpurtenances of the road. The result
of these wise and necessary precautions is, that
very few accidents occur. 1t is true that occasion
ally accidents will occur, which human foresight
csuld have anticipated, and no human precaution
and Scotland the public are not left utterly unpro-
iec,ed, as IN this country, against the thousand
rsks and hazards to which they might otherwise
be exposed, through carclessness, negligence,
malice, or Gendish wickedness.
Why is II that the railroad companies of the
United States exhibit this objectionable disregard
of the safety Of the lives and limbs Of the travel
ling community There is but one explanation.
The neglect Is to be traced to the parsimony-the
avaricethe detesiable seliishness Of these corpo-
ratons.
On the great lines Of travel, all over the country,
we behold the same disregard of the safety and
comfort of the public Nothing strikes foreigner
with more surpnse than the negligence which
marks the management Of our railroads. No po-
hce-no sys,em-no porters-no order--no rule
no security. A hard observation-disclosures
"a collision-an explosion--a running Off the
track these appear to be the entertainments pro-
vided for the Ootc by these railroad corporations.
To the slow rate of travelling which, in this case,
is aba ouely mercful, we may ascribc the preser-
walton Of the travelling public from great many
more accidents than 90 occur. Now, is all this to
last Can II be possible, in a county like this, in
which so many OF the people are obliged to travel
a great deal, this wicked system, the resul, Of par
simonious Indifference to anything but the receipts
Of railroad corporations to be suffered to CONT
nue. Who can feel safe in entnlsting himself to
the care Of these railroad companies, for even
The shortest distance We trust that, in all cases
Of railroad accidents, the most rigid measures will
be tSten to make the company accountable. Let
the heaviest damages be awarded in all cases. In
this way we may be enabled, ultimately, to wiring
frcm these corporations AN expenditure sufficient
to establish an efficient system Of police regulations
fer the roads on which the public now travel. at the
hazard sny moment, Of being ushered into eternity,
or Being manned Tor life.