Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-05-20
1PROPRIETORS.
on trust. perhaps practical proof Of the truth
Of what We say will do no harm.-N Y. Er
Railroad Accidents.


punishment. ride upon some of our railroads.
Something should be done. either by lcgisa-
ton or by voluntary actions by these corpora.
'ons. to prescnt the horrible casualties, so
frequently announced through the press. Ii
is high time that somebody should be Sin
fauIt-and thal the gross lack Of system and
care on many roads. should be abolished"
and better mana cement substituted
The complicated management Of a railroad,
with all It's fixtures, and appurtcnanccs re
quires the best experience and talent, and "a
iisid system Of operation, enforced by one alb.
solute head. Nothing short tintelligent, des-
poic power. in constructing, furnishing, and
operating railroads, is safe, to persons riskng
their lives y these swift oonveyanccs. Both
democrats and Wings must submit to arbilra.
ry power, if they would travel by railroads in
safety.
Railroads can be operated, at high speed
whh greater comparative sniety than any 9th
er mode ofconveyance. With thorough con
struction. best rolling machinery, correct plans
cooperation. and exact compliance With regu-
latons, by all persons charged With operation,
nothing more is needed But these regu.a-
lions must be enforced by one competent and
responsible head. Division of power, in this
respect, is as fatalon railroads as it would lie
in the field of battle.
Several Railroads in New York and New
England, have become notorious for "acci.
dent" and loss of life and limb, for want OF
proper system. The public themselves do
not appreciate the value of correct manage
ment 1t is quite common to complain ofrail-
roads VIGOROUSLY inclined 70 "accidents"-but
how few speak iavorably of railroad SO well
managed that no accidents occurl Several
railroads in this State have transported millions
OF passengers. without loss of life or serious
injury to any of these passengers Our Og-
densburgh Railroad is one Of them. Very few
know the extreme skill and care with which
this road is constructed, equipped and man
aged. People travelling over it, would be
interested in understanding its plans and sys-
fem, and the exact observance Of rules. which
insure their comfort and safety. Of other first
class. well managed railroads, we cannot
speak particularly-but can speak of our rail-
road
The Ogdensburgh road has been in opera
ton since September 1850. Its trains have
run constantly. in all weather Not n pas
senger has been killed, or injured On one
occasion an accident" did occur A switch
was misplaced. The excellent and gentle.
manly conductor, in full view of the peril. took
the brakesman's place himself. and saved eve
ry passenger from injury, at the expense of
two broken limbs. Crippled as he is, Mr..
Iobey would again expose himself to the same
risk, if necessary to protect his passengers.-
Why is the Ogdensburgh Railroad exempt
from the casualties, almost daily occurring on
other roadsl Simply because. in all it's struc-
lures and furnishing, it is built and equipped
on the best plans, and has the best regulations
devised by experience, rgidly enforced. The
road has been in operation nearly two years.
Not bridge. culvert or slope, or an embank-
ment given way, carrying death and destruction
before it; and not single collision OF trains
has happened. Its trains have kept their fix
ed times. with wonderful precision. These
successful results have cost much money, and
much labor and care of managing officers
The public acknowledges these facts, but even
those most interested do not calculate the uti-
m ate worth ofgood construction and good man
agement of a railroad.
Stockholders, desirous of speedy dividends,
complain of too much expenditure and Gus
toners condemn the rules adopted. solely for
their own safety and benefit The end will
show, and Is now showing, that SAFETY is the
best policy, for all parties. Our road is deg
tined to be great thotoughcl~r for passengers,
as well as for freights. 1t is highly desirable
that its character for capaci',. for correct reg.
nlations, and for safety, should be maintained.
With its present efficient and able officers and
agents. there can be no doubt of continued
successful operation.
We understand that the best conductors and
eneinemen from other states, are soliciting en-
ployment on this road, at less compensation
than they could command elsewhere, for the
only reason ''tbe Ogdensburg is sote road"
Let any person become acquainted with the
conductors and enginemen Of our passenger
trains, and he will be pleased to find them ac-
tive, intelligent men. Of sound experience, as
well as hired agents of corporation.
Let him mount one of the first class engines,
(by permission of the Superintendent, condi-
TONED that he shall not talk 10 the engineer
whilst the tram Is III motion,) and he will see
code of rules posted on the engine. a time
table to which the engineer casts bis eye every
lew minutes, watchful care Of the powerful
machine, and strict look out to the track and
Understanding skill and experience, " hich
he does not dream of. when safely riding in
comfortable car. Let him meet the same en-
5'"S"ohS "HCh Oh Out anu hC Wouiu Uc
equally pleased, to recognize clever gentle
man-perhaps, man of real substance, who,
from mere love ofmechanism and old habits Of
industry. turns servant Of the corporation
puts on his fear-nought coat and drives his en-
gine at all hours and in all weather keeps his
machine, with all the storm. smoke, dirt and
rust. as clean and bright as any New York
dandy would his buggy. and makes it as much
his pet, as the greatest jockey does his best
race-horse. This sort of men, these regula-
tons, and certain Esprit du corps, always at
tainable under one competent vigiant head,
give capacity, dispatch, and safety. What is
done in one case. may be done in others. This
road now carries large tonnage,and fair num-
Der Of passengers. With its present furniture
and machinery. it could transport double its
tonnage and ten fold the number of passengers
with the same dispatch, and safety. Other
roads can do the same thing. with proper re-
gard TO construction, to rolling machienery, to
regulations. and chiefly with vigilant super
vision. enforcing strict performance Of the rules
and regulations.
SINGULAR USE OF THE ARTIcLE.-A village
parish clerk. who employed grammarian to
teach his daughter the syntax Of her native
tongue, heard him with much surprise define
the use Of the articles a, an and the.
"You cannot place the singular article be-
tore plural nouns-no one can say houses a