Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1854-07-10
On motion of ME- MASON.
careiessness on Railroaas. 70.

opinion the same be expedient then TO report the
appropriation necessary therefor.
- SCareIe6sness on Railroads, &C.
The loss of life resulting from the neglect of
PERSONS having charge of railway trains, steam
boats, &C., is becoming appalling, and we canno,
but suggest The passage of moe stringent laws,
and'the adoption of heavier penalties for the pro-
lection Of human life. TO say nothing of property
Scarce a day passes. that the telegraph wires do
not bring 10 our notice some catastrophe in some
part of the Union. a steamboat sunk and
number OLIVES lost, another burned with more fa-
tai results, third destroyed by collision, with
similar accidents and nunlberess deaths, form the
every day common place news of the season, and
have ceased TO excite more than passing notice.
a collision on a railroad, a run of and turn
over, causing the death OF numbeIless passengers,
areequally commonplace and trite, and so frequent
have these things become that the news gatherer
can almost assume nm accident without stopping
TO enquire where. We need not name time aud
place but point to the accident on the New York and
Erie Road, the terrific Norwalk casualty, and the
Susquehanna Railroad.
We shall not dwell on the details of these awful
accidents, but may be permitted to offer some sug-
would ftst look to the corporation ITSELF and
then to the managers and agents in charge of the
tTairs. The corporation can only be reached
through its pocket, that being the only soul it is
supposed to possess, it having no other centre of
the nervous system, and no moral point to reach
by punishment. As the law stands in Virginia,
there seems TO be sort of premium for killing if
the party be injured, for If injured he can recover
oil :.
right Of action dies with him. father, the sole
stay of large and dependant family may be in
jured on a railroad, and he can make the company
compensate him in damages, while if the same
father be killed, his family left dependant and
utterly helpless-killing being lar less expensive
to corporation than iniuring merely. Now,
however cold it may seem TO the sensibiIities of
some, we would advocate the establishment of
heavy minimum penalty in all cases where there is
loss of life from these careless accidents 10 be paid
by the corporation.
We would then make, in addition, the right of
action survive TO the family next of kin or person.
al representatives. of any whose life might thus
be sacrificed. Mr.. Raymond, of Marion, intro.
duced some such bill into the Virginia Legislature
Last winter, but we believe it was not acted on,
while every day shows its Importance and neces-
Sly 10 tue puollc welfare.
We would then look to the officers and agents of
the company, and punish them for the wholesale
murder so often committed by their carelessness
and rashneSs. For while the quo amino of the
mnrdeiers absent, yet 10 the sufferers and 10 soc
ETY. the result is the if done after the most
mature elaboration and reflection. Punish them
properly make them personally responsible for the
loss of human life, and when this course is taken
as 10 the persons and the other as 10 the corpora
ton, secety, will see good and competent men Sc
lected for such places, men who will understand
their duty and property appreciate the responsible
ityresting upon them.
When this Is done, and 10 the letter; when the
powers OF the State take hold of this subject and
declare that they will protect human life and pun
ish its destruction; then it may become safe to
trnst ones life and that of his family ON a rail
car. Looking TO late accidents, seems little bet
ter than deliberate suicide to travel upon many of
the railway lines of the country.
BURIED ALIvE.--A shocking instance of prena-
ture bltisl is related in Mannheim Journal.
woman, who, according to The official register, had
died on Esster Monday in child bed, was duly bu-
ned. The cure of the parish, whose house was
close to the cemetery, afterwards hearing means
from that place, called medical man and ran
TO the cemetery. The unfortunate woman was
found turned on her side in the coffin, welter-
ing IN her blood, but still warm Her re al death
uPPesred TO have been preceded by severe strug-
gle, az the coffin had bean forced open, and tie
woman had torn her hair from her lead She
could not have been dead M ny minutes before the
persons arrived. This subject of prema ture burr.
ais has excited the attention of the French Guy-
sEnment and il is proposed TO establish dead hou-
sea, where the bodies of deceased persons NAV be
kept until decomposition commences, as that is
now universally allowed 10 be the only sure evil
dence Of death. Similar houses have long since
been established in many parts of Germany.
EpIToRIAL AMENlTiEs.-The New York Times
Says The Richmond Wing used to be edited by
gentleman and complains haiti 'cannut find the
name OF editor, publisher, printer, or anything
else To which the Wing replies:
,'lf the editor of the 9iEses is still anxious upon
the subject, We could probably, out of single dis
position 10 oblge him. suggest means by which
he could both ascertain our 'naine' and form our
acquaintance. II. therefore, he is capable of Ia
king hint, we will merely say in conclusion that
we are entirely willing either UfIer OF 10 accent
a proposition 10 spend an evening together and in
dulge in a little rational amusement. An inter
vi1S, face 10 face, a,few minutes, might be some
what Profitable if mol agreeable; and SO we wait
with patience ny. animation to that effect
And the Bsltinore Patriot adds:
sRascan only add that ii we can be of anyseT-
vice, We will cheefuly give the knight OF tue
TINS an introduction, and will youchssfethat he
will never forget the acquaintance