The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-09-19


AND RARITAN CANAL AND THE CAMDEN AND AN
BOY RAILROAD AND TRANSFORMATIONS COMPANIES
BoRDgyTowN, Sept. 10, 1856
GsS1IEME-On the morning OF the Goth Of August the
ten oc ock train from Philadelphia for New York left as
usual the depot at Camden in charge Of Isaac Van Nos
trapd OF the Terieuced and best conductors
in the employ Of the railroad company. Mr. Van Horn
the agent Of the company whose duty to see that all
is gi before the train starts from Camden, examined
the berope of the ten O'Clock train the morning OF
the 18th August short time previous to its departure
from Camden. ano found 1t right.
The ain immediately thereafter proceeded to Buring.
train Fl ON New York which was then due at Burlington
bad not mace its appearance, having arrived at New
Ihiladelpha train at BuI ngop having expired and the
cepduc,o having tained by telegraph that the New
York train had left Bordenown at 1886 O'clock hi pro-
ceeded with tho ten O'Clock train he had done Il,
p'evious similar occasions under the assurance that
there hazard of collision, because the track was
for the part level and straight and both trans
by their respective conductors to be the track
and approaching each other
There collision
The result proved that the regulation of the company
saluay one enabling the conductor to expedite
his rain without The lea t danger OF collision.
A. anticipated the trains came in sight OF each other
where the track 81, aigh and AS usual they both
balted and the Philadelphia train blowing its whistle
c,nmenced backing at about the rate Of fifteen miles
hour. Tor the turnout whilst all the employees OF
the ain were keeping ,gilan look out for obstruc-
ticns n the road and attending TO the brakes.
The whistle repeatedly blown and the employees
steadily engaged watching the truck on which cows had
been esn a. the train was passing up until the cross
u sudden pair Of horses attached 10 carriage we're
drive al the rate Of eight ten miles hour on the
track the train az to render 1t impossible to
cheek il peed oT in any way TO prevent the melancholy
collision The fatal results of which are already known to
yuu From the outside line Of the railroad to the car
which struck the horses is twenty nine feet which at
the eed Of len miles hour would require 1855 than
two seconds to pass How impossible therefore 1t to
deye for the OF railroad trains from SO
sudden and unforeseen Instructions. The safety oil the
trains best be secured by requiring all persons, be-
fore crossing sroad to stop and ascertain whether the
road is clear.
The Goth of August was stu day there but little
wind and The whistles Of both trains which were blow
ing they each other must have been audible I'LL
along the road which this carriage was travelling
from he river about mile TO the crossing Besides the
repeated blowing Of whistles sworn to by some OF our
most respected citizens from the time the up train first
passed the road until its return and the fatal col
hioD occurred there at the crossing oard with
TIE insc iption Iook out for the locomotive"
The ene truth Of the foregoing narrative L. we think
fully, completely and satisfactorily proved by the tes
mony cf fourteen reliable men taken before the Coroner
jury; and it does appear your committee that in all
Particulars the law of the State and the regulations Of
agents and employees having charge Of The trains
the Goth Of August. The Cnroner's jury, 1t Is
,Iue fay that the engineer dd not observe the rules
they must bare rejected the positive testimony OF
The following witnesses Samuel styker OF Trenton
James Garwood Dean swift Read Charles Acot Henry
Henner John r. Rodgers John Rodgers Hugh Cosll OF
Builirgton Allen Thompson Lloyd Vanderveer Prescott
Harvey Israel Adams Samuel scott, and Maurice Max
well all Of HON except tine three last entirely dis
interested and unconnected with the company whose
have been mistaken to find that the whistle not
blown because other witnesses did not hear it. they re-
ec positive proof of the fact and assert that it did not
take place, because others not cognzant OF its
currence this certainly is most extraordinary concu
sion.
The proper lookout on the part Of the brakemcn,
conductor and engineer observed, the speed was
usual and lawful: the warning whistle sounded and
ali diligence vigilance and precauon studious
" scrupul practsed The train had the right
TO the track and the engineer and brakemen were on the
lock ont along the line of the track There their aten
liz trad and gntyn
TO tok TO the right 10 the left at distance from the
track is it compatible with safety where there are
usually cattle the road that their at
tention should ,hns be diverted. Their business is to
concentrate their vigilance the track But IL is quite
evident that the scope Of their vision while TINS direct
ed, would take 10 sufficient space to cover all objects
shin dangerous proximity to the track except in just
such as u g under consideration OF head
long ippetuuus reckless velocity, preciptating an OBJ
strucon Tar beyond the scope of their vision mmedi
atey in front Of the train
from such n case of inrudipg obstruction, unless ap
pscd beforehand of the probability of its it
seems hardly conceivable how railroad trains with any
degree Of vigilance can protect themselves Besides had
the akeman eryedt the horses and carriage approach
ing upon the crossroad probable he would have
deemed it necessary 70 warn the engineer Could he hsye
eee cd possible that sane man. in possession of the
Of hearing and seeing, di not and hear the
train and would have held up short Of the railroad
the ground "a, will be seen by reference
to ~ Diagram was cear and smooth and
nbng TO prevent the driver af er he got close to
the railroad pulling his horses around to the right "A
quick check Of the right rein would have thrown his
horses parallel with the track and avoided all danger
On the contrary had the brakeman the carriage
rhng web knowing that the train had the right TO
the track 1t is not that he would have
deIed it necessary to give the engineer notice Of its
approach II he had horse other brute
animal controlled only by his own instinct on or APP
achng he track lie would have mpted 10 che k
TO accelerate the train But il he at distance
those animals APP arently under the power and control
OF h tanger was fairly TO lie apprehend
ed The law Of the and the dictates Of sense,
ann The demand Of the travelling public alike forbid the
necessity Of checking train for every wagon than can
be in the neighborhood Of track There are two
hunded and thirty even croseinga py street public
roads lanes and private crossings the loss OF one mi
mute at each would make the passage between New York
and ihiIaaeliia eight hours instead Of ious hours
There appears 10 he reasonable doubt that the train
backing at rate 81 speed not unusual or unsafe.
This Iart of the track, Il must be remembered, was
yard ara in perfect order had been Just passed
by the train and the track found safe and clear.
Iesides. there be but little doubt that in meeting
such distractions the road that higher rate Of
speed, which in Of collision would probably sweep
The imrediment oil tie road without injury 70 the train
Is much safer than low rate Of speed which would OBJ
ee the train TO encounter and embarrass itself with the
obstruction, without removing II from the track.
In view of the above Facts the committee have review
ed the regulations Of The company TO ascertain If any
and what alterations coudte suggested for the better
protection Of the passengers and trains and they are
constr aimed TO that they der the rtguia
ton better than any which has been proposed for run
ming trains single track roads, and that experience
has PROV them 10 be So even in the of dis
aster because IL IL evident that il the driver Of the
horses who caused the accident Was this not sos Had
he been ut home there would have been accident He
alone is responsible and the wisdom Of the companys
regulations, and the aithfuness Of their employees viii
stand vndicai ed before tho considerable Judgment Of
enlightened and moral people.
With this brief narrative Of the circumstances attend.
ing The melancholy event Of the 10Th Of August,
proved b, fore the Coroners jury, might perhaps
with rroprety close this report. The subject however,
OF safety on railroads Is SO connected with the
feelings and business Of people that II calls for
few additional remarks from To say that the COM
Iany is responsible tor this accident because ehey have
not built double track. is 80 apply rule 10 this
Parry which is applied 10 other companies. There
supposed to be than twenty thousand miles of
railroad in operation in the United States, and but
small proportion OF double track. Roads which carry
many passengers per annum than the Camden ana
Amboy Eairoad have double track. Even upon the
New York ard Erie and Hudson River roads there
not souble tracks through the whole line aud We are
not aware that there any railroad in this country which
exclusively appropriated for the carriage Of
gers this road is that has double track II Is fact,
not generally understood that the Camden and
Amboy Railroad Company have now and have had tor
many years two separate and independent lines for the
trnnsit ms Myers heHeen New York and Philade