New-York daily tribune., 1856-08-15
FROM PIT TSBURGH.
4 The n. Y. Tribune.

The frequency and fatality Of railroad and steam
beat accidents in our country highly disgracefu
to us 81 people; and no doubt one reason why no
efficient ans o. prevention is used, is the fact
tbat ibe Press 80 sOOn dsIIiss each succeeding
hOrror, to make way for events Of more recent
date. Upon the occurrence Of any one of tbe my
fIightful Tragedies which send thrill OF horror
Though all hearts every editor and correspond IN:
is eanest aid eloquent in condemnng the reckless-
hess which produced il, and demanding repirstion;
but Ike wreck at sea, the occurrence siuks do En
ito the hearts of those who have been personally
bereayed, the hours of busy life rush on, and
the event is almost forgotten. When juries
come to act, the agitation of the public sense Of
Justice has subsided the dead cannot be reanimat-
ed, there are 60 many to divide the responsibility
Of the act, that our famous verdict of Nobody
to blame" is locke d upon as matter Of Course.
Already has the last Wholesale massacre at Phila-
delphia passed faI on the usual course toward the
unfailiDg result and feeling the utter hopelessness
OF changing the issue, editors very gravey recon-
mend the dscOntiDuance Of large excursion par
ties, urging that they necessarily increase the
Danger Of railroad travel. To carry out the sug-
gestiOn would be cruel sentence to pass on tle
Thousands who would thus be deprived of their ono
day Of natural and healthful enjoyment; and there
is no ne ecessity for an expedient which would be a
long step backward in the march of civilization
The Railroad, as the great civilizer, never can
fulfil its mission until it gives to ali hs inhabitants
of cities al easy access to the gretn fields running
1aters pure air. sunshine and shadow of rural life;
until it has put il in the power of every man,
woman and chd to look daily unto tue heavens
from pills asles of forest sanctuares. The Rail
road syttem is only in embryo until 1t enables
every man to sit under bis own vine aud fig
trees" gives to each family its acre, in giving the
means of transport to aud from places Of employ
ment; and when majority of the people 60 daily
by rail from or to their places of residence and
business, every day will be buster than excursion
days now are. With eficlt ut management, the
more business q railrOrd does the safer ID the
travel and wherever the employees are held per-
sOnslly responsible, in their liberty and property,
for the results of their careessness railroad disas
tiers will be rare phenomena.
In Europe railroads may be managed solely on
the responsibility Of the companies for there the
Injunction, " servants obey yonr masters,' is
enforced as most Important part Of popular edu-
cation; and it is much easier to organize body of
employ to go like piece Of machinery. Here
any man or wonlan, boy or girl, have more or less
disposition to be masters then selves, and oil pre-
fer giving to obey ing orders.
Railroad stocks do not always pay well. Men
risk something in investing funds in them. 1t is
morally wrong that any man who contributes to-
ward building road should be liable to the loss Of
the entire amount invested for the curee-sness or
recklessness of an employee over whom he could
exercise TO controlling iOfluenCe, while the real
cupIit goes scott free 1he company SHOULD be
TO the employee Ms an irdOrser ia 10 the principal
on note; ard only when his means shall fail of
making reparatcn for his own error, should they
BE- called urcn to quidate the debt.
So long as public sentiment reverse, this order,
II Al Er., bon
long will Juries make nullity of the laws wo AL
rendy have, which would punish manslaughter ia
the person of the slayer; and 80 long will we have
human mhssacres, wholesale and retail, on all our
public thOrOuehtares, except those that have the
fortune to lie managed vi almost superhuman
vigilance, and have employees whose moral Percep
tiObs are above this average.
1he work., Of the fenDsy vania Central Road
proves all this The employees on her freight
trains show magnificent disregard for expense, in
ruI bins teir trains into each other; while an
accident to passenger train at any time is very
rare, and OF ,xcursior days neSec happens at all.
From the narrow limits into which our city is
crow dtd her total destituton Of parks AID pTome-
Dades Of vtrdure aud vegetation, aud ber grtat
abundance of .mOke, the people are pfedlspossd 10
excursions. This road has for four years been the
outlet In fact, the completion Of the first track
Was the origin of larger picnic or excursion
parties here; and any committee that undertakes
to get up one fhds it difficult, b, restricted invita-
tons to keep the number down to five hundred,
while they kUmetimts exceed as many tloustuds.
But few weeks pass in any Summer that there IS
not bn excursion part! to some grove on the line
of this road, aid there never was n broken bone
or n ccntueioE IN consequence. In fact, the regl-
lations are such that an accidel. becomes almost
impOssibe Nobody he-itatrs about gong OIt
when in addition to oil the regular through trains,
al excursion train s running every h0Gr, carryhg as
many persons as can find sittiog or standing roon
in twelve or fourteen cars or on platforms or steps
On the occasions Of State and county iolrs, IN
addition t. brn siug additional thOnssuds into the
city daily, they run half hourly trains each way
from the fair grounds to their depot i'll the center
Of the ci,y-a distance Of two miles, Through
narrow crowded street past the line of their
workshops aud the intricate bet OF tracks and
switches surrounding them-run them with loco
motives carrying immense tralns. generally loaded
to their utmost capacity y-and nobody ever was
hurt. When this absolute security can be galned
on one road at particular tiUes, 1t can be reached
On all reads at all times aud Whenever the pubic
conscience demands such securlt! tue pubH per-
son viii be invested with it.
The popularity and SAFETY of excursion parties
Oh this rcsd led tie Buchanan men of this region
to project "Grsn1 Rally" on the Fourth % Ju'y.
A Committee was appointed, and for weeks great
posters bearing eagles and scrolls, and very large
black letters, called upon the faithful IN the ci'!
and surrounding country, to asseuitie themselves
together ia the "prOye at Wilknsbnrg' to exhibit
their love Of the Union and BuchaJnn. iuost
popular caterer to the pubic ta'te was engaged 70
serve b dinner On the ground-tne P'eeeucc y,
their n.Ost popular speakers was Prolnseu' "nu
pspers favorable to Brooks and the Union pressed
nome tie invitation to the untefriied aud all the
tinjd who might Wish TO take refuge uuder ther
b,ur.rs II was 10 be a tremendous gathering;