Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-04-04

q ,1.I ,,OVNjNG. APRIL 3. 1854.
.,n ROAD AND STEAMBOAT ACCIDENTS,
x8 of accidents for the year 1853 is appalling
E j" - til.d and wounded make up aggregate that
10 cause emotions of horror, and 10 oIigi
S S ,,,,v whence all this waste Of human life7 How
-. 70 mass that IN year, more than one thousand
,s have Seen hurried into eternity By accidents on
,,,ts and caiastrophes on our inland waters2 Why
,,h.rs be- 10 twelve months, hundred and ninety
d accidents and forty eight seamboa, accidents kill
.r3 woundins more than TWO thousand human bsings7
,aosss are these fearful facts fairly atlrbutoble2
= ,,s coramon ha5i, Of newspaper writer's and other
0o,, 10 refer these things to the careleRsuess oni
Of steamboat captains and rail road conductors,
and directors. The names of killed and wounded
,,ted In the columns of the journals headed with the
sn.sncs, Ano''s' sae'N' - 01''eS'Ae'' '"' '''A'
.ss."
~, mon tho classes indicated was deserved; but they
,,, r,s bsn,cworhy shan others II will not be affirmed
~ or rail road and steamboat managers subject passen.
,s risk Of death from OF consideration OF the
,,hom,n le They certainly do desire 10 destroy
So ,,.os aud arrange their plans to kill wl,hor ds,ec
Cen were they 80 lnhuman 70 act after this
s,i.nle.esi would check the qualification Of their
, oooerses II is to iheir interest to carry passsn.
.,fslV an! 10 remove all apprehension Of danger from
onb,c mind Tncy know that The timid, tho cauous.
,,rdsu, would shun their couvoyances if tho notion
G ,e,a lha, life endangered by lakug that route.
i no, 10 tnem thai we must look. We must go beyond
ascertain the causes which induce that recklessness
h ia indeed the proyimaie Of nearly all the rail
-, md steamboat accidents that occur In the country.
md we End T. in the hurry and hsste-tha 60 aheadaiva
o os travelling public. Men mol content al this
10 ,g slong sober, quiet and safe pace. as they
|s N former tlmes Whatever be the object Of the Jour
,.r whether It be for business pleasure, and however
m or remote the locality which they go, passengers in
,n5: coaveyances impatient of the least delay and
s ,ns SLOW paced motion of tao hours They Two 10
Gs Of ,spld motion and they would fan move on with the
s Of he ligh!nlngs wing o., on on fast and faster
lcil, is .Ser unceasing cry.
The su OF this universal haste upon the part OF travc
:s essy traced. The managers of our railroads and
anboa,s are forced keep up with the spirit Of the e
lad hence locomotives aud steamboats, are construct
sa reference the speedy transit of passengers often.
ss 10 disregard OF lneir satisfy The came spr, Is at
s 10 oil the arrangements for tho travelling public Speed
bo desde.a,mu and when the acities are all obtained
me route is thrown opcn tho travelling public ask
la, su;.l but are with affirmative answer TO the
E1..lloa, is it spsedyi
Coupc;i,iou and rivalry then comes In 10 enhance Inc
ant ,lsk to :he limbs ard lives G traVe'er9 rival
ouaiaes run boats and TO the same ponts Rival
, parade her respective claims n the ooiumhs OF the
they always adjust themselves 10 the leading
r.pensy # the tnss-speed Their prosperity depends
tr,n &, They only divdo the iruve aod leap proh
m .ir investments by maintaining equality Of speed;
,,i .ns they will tt all eveuls The lightning line
m e double go ahead line" vie with each other
Ia ernm dayS O
|,,n,!sd bodies and DYING wretchcs.
p mis- ia ,ne true pnoaophy vi Gil the recsessness and
n, insecurity Of travelling 10 this country, will ap
m ond dispute II we contrast the accidents which oc.
Ire North with the chapter OF Southern history
s,me period II would hs an Interesting and prona'
he enquiry had the data at hard, but unfortunately,
e 10 no, vhn GAi this nr"h 49, -"~v ~>r'' 'o
rscr. Icas or oue acctent upon Sorthern roaaa ana
are ten on the roads and rivers OF 1he Nostn
.,o Western States This will be conceded, we are sure
h onr,op come, up ~hy this great disproporon y
ms answer is piva and that is a1ns higher value ana
upop hur.n life The South, and sharng ou! slight
Tho which actuaes the peopls OF Inc NORM
-, w.s ar people aas for safety rather than for speed
~, our public companies are governed by that public sen
n,. No other solution can be given. Our boats and Lo
.noves end roads superior 10 construction TO
hose Of the Norh ii Indeed they equal and ye, acci
hey are common at the North. NOT only these things
rs as between the Nor,n and South, but they equally
a,niest as between different portions of the North and
H., Where competition ia unknown and where the peo.
. are less stirring and restless accidents rarely occur; but
you approach human hives where all men are hurry
s h,hcr and thher In tho eager pursuit OF wealth. hen
these borrt caasrophes are every day occurrences. Aho
sN is thus among large masses OF men, you WIN per-
n the individuals of the respective sections upon the
tsmboa, or In the rail- road car you may assign each man
location North South by the impaence and restless
the and the great composure OF the other The
Y.ukee Is all impa,ence TO reach hs journeys end while
he man OF The South Is pleased 10 wait until reasonable
Snod has eapsed.
These things being trlc what remedy can be devised by
tie art or wisdom ofmln that will lessen the dangers at
ndau upon public travelling in the United Sla.esf un'
!ubedy udicioua laws may 60 far to lessen ne present
a,.curity but nothing will avail unless be provided that
ld arrangements shall be made in every department and
sa only reasonable degree speed shall be allowable.
men will be transported unsafe rate, and the law
sill perm, them 10 do 3d. Rail Road Directors and Steam
m owners will continue to act they have done hereto.
be- Indulge the public and let the public suffer the conse'
uces Safety can be secured and will be- whenever the
dwelling public prefer safe lines swift lines but until that
sod comes or until the arm Of the law arrests the flight
steamboat the chapter of accidents for any given
vii be less appalling than that of Anno Domin 1853
M The sake OF humanity would hope that the advent Of
"a era is near at hand. bu, with the lights before u.s.
are compelled believe otherwise. There is no ground
dus; expectation that this year 1854 will not be as the
M and abundant 10 accidents by land and HOOD
IL. 10 the immoa,iou OF human beings upon tho uuhoy al
Ut Of mammon.
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
Fom Harold G. Murray have H1rper's Magasins for
Anil full Of valuable articles and amusing and instructive
lssuaous Also Gould 6; Lincoln's elegant Boston ed-
t'n Of the Cruise ofLts Steam Yacht "Norh STAR nal.
hve of the edSslon of MIR. Cornelius Vanderbil's party
England Russia Denmark Franco. Spain, Italy, Malta,
lu'sey, Madeira e.. By the Rev. J. o. Choules ID. D.
As simple but and interesting narrative lwf
Atssra!et Of the voyages Of an American steamer which
1tied admIation wherever she went.
From James Woodhouss we huvo Ticknor Read and
Kids aegan, Boston edition Of several chaymlng papers OF