The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1853-05-26


The past three or four months have been prolific of
disasters to Steamboats, and Railroad cars, involving
distressing and melancholy extent. the loss OF hui
man lite. So rapidly have these accidents followed
each other that the public mind has not recovered
from the excitement attendant upon disaster, be-
fore it is astounded by intelligence of another still
more distressing.
First Of the season the running of the track Of
passenger cars the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad,
whereby they were precpiated eighty or hundred
feet, killing many OF the unfortunate occupants OF
seats, and mai.nng others for life. Then accident
New Jersey Road, which fortunately resulted ia
tally to but two Of the passengers. Next came the
burning Of the Ocean Wave on Lake Ontario, and the
collision on the Michigan Central Railroad, in each
Of which between twenty and thirty lives were
lost. The awful massacre, it has been correctly
termed, Norwalk, in Connecticut, which closed
the earthly career Of nearly fifty men, women and
children, caused IA thrill Of horror in every breast.
The idea of precious load Of human life being driv-
at Railroad speed into the open draw bridge Of a
deep river, without the possibility of escape to the
overw helmed and mutlla,ed victims, reused feeling
Of deep indignation in the whole country. Lately
we have the news of the explosion of the steamer
Jenny Lind, while bearing pleasure party to some
spot in the vicinity Of San Francisco, in California,
killing outright, mortay wounding upwards of
sixty of the unsuspectng and happy beings who had
trusted their lives to the of reckless incompe-
officers. Then again, the s,randing and burning
of the Independence, where about one hundred and
thirty Of the passengers and were lost, was
caused by total disregard of human life on the part
OF the officers in permitting four hundred persons to
embark in weak and shattered vessel previously
condemned as not worthy. The steamer Page,
also.
When, IN the name Of humanity, viii these whole
sale bntcheres cease Is it not in the power of the
General Government, or of the State authorities to
devise arrest the cause Of destruction
on our rivers and highwaysl Not one in a hundred
Of these accidents, bat be clearly traced to the
carclessness Of Conductors Engineers.
The Legislature Of Connecticut has taken new
mode for making the Directors of Railroads in that
State responsible for life, by direct appeal to their
pockets, which after all appears be the most eIec-
tive way of dealing with soulless corporation They
have passed law imposing fine of ten thousand
dollars upon the Railroad Company for every person
killed on Or by the their particular road.
Other States have lso passed stringent laws for the
protection Of travellers, nhlcng the penalty attached
10 man slaughter upon Officers and Conductors on
public conveyaaces, when death has been the result
of an occurrence which mig hit have been avoided by
the exercise of the proper foresight prudence I'm
fortunately such laws have heretofore proved nefec-
tua' az hut few nres be found to convict an in
divdual of an offence which would inevitably consign
him to the State Prison for long term of wears.
when there is any doubt of his being clinnaly care
less in The discharge Of the duties of his position, and
IN all such eases there is conflict Of testimony Up
the whole, we believe the action Of Connecticut in
the NATTER will prove be the best sacr ars against
accidents. When a few penalties, to the amount Of
ten thousand dollars each, shall have been extracted
from Railroad Directors, they will begin to believe
that IT is far better and economical for them to
employ competent persons upon their roads at an ad-
vanced rate Of wages, than to pay large sums of mo-
ney by way Of compensation for the unsk alncss or
want of care Of reliable men. One thing is cer:an;
unless the slaughter upon our great lines
Of travel the community viii abandon them and be-
take themselves the slower bat safer ancient con.
veyances of hee! boats and stage coaches.
We happy to be able to boast Of the perfect
safety with which passengers transported between
St. Paul and Gaena We Do not recolcct Of SIM
gle accident having occurred steamer, which re-
suited in the death of even one individual, above Ga
ena since the first appearance of the old ''Virginia,
the first steamer that parted the waters of the Msss-
sipp, within the present limits of Minnesota. Il is
true that there have been cases of drowning, by fall
ing overheard, hut invariably owing the incautious-
Upper Mississippi boats for safe travelling, comforta-
bic accommodations and for careful, experienced and
obliging officers.