The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-09-01

7 no Slaughter on the Camden ana Amboy
Railroad.
The fearful and most shocking tragedy on
the Camden and Amboy Railroad, the details
of which we continue to give, involves interests
and responsibilities far deeper than those OF
ordinary murders and manslanghters. II is
great public evil. Its occurrence is to a GER
tain extent the result of a national habit. HUI
man life, instead Of being the primary object
Of protection and preservation, is made secon-
dairy to that Of semi-annual dividends I'M
doubtedy ip the incipient stages OF railroad
enterprises in this country, before their profits
were determined and their values settled, alb
so,ute security to travellers was impossible.
No such defence can be urged on behalf of the
New Jersey company. 1t is rich and power
tul corporation. 1t is plan ted on the greatest
thoroughfare in Acknowledgement our two
largest cities. 1t is daily entrusted with the
lives of thousands of our people. No other
company is permitted to be its competitor.
That it's object, and its sole object, has been
to accumulate profits and to divide them
amongst its stockholders, the slightest exami-
nation into it's history will abundantly prove.
It owes nothing to the community, which it
taxes and sacrifices in turn. It is mortgage
alike upon our money and our lives.
The Camden and Amboy Railroad was ere
atcd and endowed Ivy the Legislature of New
Jersey with the exclusive privilege Of carry
ing passengers through that State upon the
sixty miles of its line. Like all other roads, it
has it's timetable but unlike most others, at
one end its departures depend upon the arrival
of a steamboat, which makes part of its line
from New York to Philadelphia 1t is, then,
uncertain Of it's ability to meet it's arrange
mcnts for running its cars. The boat is liable
to detention from fogs and many other causes
which obstruct navigation. Indeed, it would
appear from the ten minutes detention of the
cars, required by the company's arrangements,
that the timetable is made mere matter of
form, and their trains trusted to the hazards Of
daily collision. BE this as it may, q fearful
responsibility rests upon the company.
1t is not alone the loss of human life that the
public have now to consider. 1t is not alone
for the MANNED survivors and the representa-
tives Of the dead to complain, and to seek re-
dress. 1t is great public grievance-an I'M
mitigated slaughter of our fellow beings. I'm
like kindred effects produced by the hand of
an individual, the homicide lives, and to-day
performs his usual avocations amongst our
fcllow-beings. We are again within his power,
ministering to his avarice and again subjected
to his sacrifices. He does not retire abashed by
the blood which flows at his feet-a scorned
and detested homicide--a hated monster, who,
through years of exertion has thought only
Of his gains, which has been secured by the
wanton slaughter of his fellow-bengs. 1t is
in this light that we view the conduct and re-
sponsibility Of the Camden company. On no
other road in the country has there been so
great q necessity Of q double track, and no
other company has had such ample means to
build one. No other route carries more passen-
gers--is SO protected by chartered privileges
and monopolies- been SO utterly oblivious
! to the voice Of reasonable expostulation and
| complaint. The refusal of the company to
| protect the public, when it had the power and
| the amplest means to do so-when by its ma
nagcment collisions and loss of life were almost
inevitable--in our judgment fixes their guilt in
the present case, and opens to the wounded
and to the representatives of the dead almost
loundcss pecuniary damages.
The prosecution for the recovery Of those
damages We regard Us in the nature Of pub
lie duty by the parties interested. They will
be measured by the circumstances of the case,
involving the most aggravated, and even pre-
meditated, disregard oflife--an habtual avoid
ance Of duty--a refusal, with the amplest
means to make needful expenditures upon their
works for the purpose of protecting the mil
lions Of beings entrusted to their care. The
motive which has led to this neglect is to be
found in the semtannual dividends to the COM
| pany's stockholders, and only fixes more surely
| upon the concern an exemplary legal reponsi-
| bilty.
| The personal bearings of this horrid man
| slaughter, we repeat, assume something of a
| public character With no disposition to pre-
Judge the action Of the tribunals in New Jer-
| sey to which may be entrusted the criminal
| inquiry into the case, we cannot overlook the
| fact that the stockholders and the immediate
| direction Of the Camden road are amongst, and
| in the hands of, the most wealthy and power
| ful men in that State. Besides, there is always
difficulty in such matters in fixing the personal
accountability, which is the necessary base Of
criminal awards and punishments 1t is pos
sible, then, that the only remedy left to the
| people against the company may be that which
| springs from injuries inflicted by their care
lcssness upon individuals. The public, then
| aside from the manifest justice of personal
| claims, have an interest in their enforcement
1t is not too much to insist that a half mil
lion Of dollars would be . small equivalent
an insufficient award to the victims This
amount and more has been paid into the hands
! Of stockholders and favorites, instead of being
employed to put their road in { condition to
prevent precisely such massacres as that we
| complain of There is then, a fitness ia the re-