The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-03-27

road companies, We compile the following table Of
accidents:-
Ma,~sd + .aggv-
Killed. Wouaded gate.
Albany B. Schenectady Road 2
Buffalo and Niagara Falls.
Buffalo and Rochester,. 10 3 Is
Hudson River Railroad -. IL 20
Long Island Railroad.. Q
Northern Railroad ..... 10
Rochester and Syracuse. 10 10 Is
Washington and Saratoga.
Syracuse and Utica...... IL
Troy and Greenbush...... l
Utica and Schenectady.
WATERFOWL and Rome.
Total 80 40 l2o
Here, then, we have grand total of one hundred
and tweny-nne accidents, ninety deaths, and forty
nine human beings MANNED, mangled, and wounded
in shocking manner, by railroad accidents in this
State alone. From the following railroads there
are either no reports reports that no accidents
took place.
Albany and West stockbridge-No report.
Cayuga and Susquehanna-Nol lives lost any person
seriously injured
Hudson and Bcrkshre-No report
| Harlem-No report.
New Haven-No report.
| Oswego and Syracuse-No report
Rensselaer, and Saratoga-No report.
Schenectady and Troy-No person has been seriously
injured.
Canandagua and Corning-No injury to person or pro-
| perty
Now, rs we happen to know that serious accidents
have taken place on some Of the foregoing roads
for instance the Harlem and the New Haven't is
but fair to assume that an average number have
happened, with the usual results, in every one of
them, except when there is positive report to the
contrary;and the State Engineer ought to see that
the silent gentlemen speak out, as they are bound
by law to do, according to Mr.. McAlpine's own
statement. In his report, he says: 1.-The safety Of
/ railrOndS q n ma ne travel n tor Of mi
versa interest," and the law contemplates obtaining
particular account of all cases where persons have
been killed or injured during the year. Six Of the
corporations have overlooked this inquiry, and have
not replied to it." Taking for granted that in the
ten foregoing in which reports of killed
injured have been made, the average number of ae-
cidents have occurred-namely, ten accidents,
deaths, and four cases ofwoundng, to each-we
shall have to add the following to the totals already
summed up:-
.. Killed Wounded Accidents
Six railroads, (avernge,) ......42 "A GO
The thirteen railroads, already
enumerated. 40 l29
Total. 1872 70 1870
This will be found to be much nearer the truth
than what appears the face of the statistics fur
nished in the report of the State Engineer 1t is to
be hoped that next time there will be a lit
tie explicitness. If some of the railroad
companies permitted in their reports to be silent
altogether, what confidence we have in the fde-
lily ofhc reports Of those who do make statements
Of accidents! How do we know that the whole
truth is told and that many Of the accidents not
suppressed? But assuming that the combined totals
ofwhat we know, and of the unknown that we are
compelledto estimate, correct, or nearly So we
have lS9 accidents, 1872 killed, and 70 wounded to
be accounted for by the companies. Of the wound
ed many SO horribly mangled that it were better
for them to have died; and no doubt some of them
subsequently died from the effects Of their wounds
The following specimens Of the injuries recev.
ed:-'' Severing Of the legs" leg broken and other
wise badly injured farm injured so that amputa-
ton became necessary leg run over" severely
injured, fracturng his ribs seriously injured
"injured right arm, requiring amputation," train
over both legs" leg broken cars run over
his leg, had two ribs broken" "knee and leg in.
jured, shoulder bone and two ribs broken,' bad
lyinjured,' "very badly injured" "lcg broken,
"both legs broken,' . seriously injured by COLI
sion," "badly injured" badly injured -" had his
leg cut off, foot crushed, rendering amputatior
necessary" 'sleg broken -" crushed both his legs
hadbothlsgs broken,"'' had one leg broken -" on,
man had his head somewhat injured, the other hi
arm broken 'severely injuring two others,
s'cuttng off both his legs" arm broken" "brok,
his arm, ""broke his ARM
Such the brief but frightful descriptions giver
Of the injuries sustained by these railroad accidents
IT is worthy Of remark that in almost every instance
the accidents are attributed in the reports to thu
carelessness of the victims, and not to the compa
MES their officers. The following expressions arc
found subjoined to the lists Of the killed and wound
ed-"None of these accidents have arisen from the
eareessness negligence of persons in the employ
Of the company" "No in the employment o.
the company was to blame for the accident" These
are the stereotyped phrases used by all the compa
mics, and in many instances the assertion can be
made without contradiction, because s'dead mer
tell no tales" Only two accidents out of the entire
are admitted to be from the misconduct Of the EN-
poyees of the companies. Singular enough, how
ever, we find such items the following in the
reports, for damages persons and property
Albany and Schenectady Railroad .......... 1865 SIS
Buffalo and Rochester Railroad ............ 404 II
Cayuga and Susquehanna Railroad .......... 395 q5
mus river kairoad ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 2.513 80
Long lsland Railroad. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. OH 81
,ie haoau ............... 5.lS2 Sc
o'niroau. ,lo0 No
New Haven Railroad. 5000 80
Northern Railroad. Observation-Disclosures. 33S 90
Rochester and Syracuse Railroad ...... 1885 "a
Washington and Saratoga Railroad ........... 757 40
Schenectady and Troy Railroad. ........... $40 70
syracuse and Utica Railroad. ............ 1851 29
Utica and Schenectady Railroad ............ 1885 so
Iotal S4b65b y6
In this list arc all those railroads Of which cert-