New-York daily tribune., 1859-08-06

tie blood OF the innocent lusuJ rrsts An7 cur
verts were insufficient in oue case, the bridge wn
not rtror z enough IN the other-as If II were sne
fsnlt of the cuiverts or the bridge. They did nos
make tbeui.elyrs TIE blood that crIes for sen-
eesnce frem tie grouni iLvokes Il upon those 10
wbose bands thcse innocent Uen and womeu nsd
placed themselves il full confidence Of safety.
Almost every railway in tie land has now tad i's
baptism in blcod. AID all that few rascal
ccuuters, more or lees. might be saved or msde BY
those v DO had taken oil that warm life into their
hands AID pledged Themselves to its safety. But
th.se atrocities have grown 90 common that they
scarcely excite the horror that should attend them
A lev one drives away the memory OF those which
went before it. and 10 little tune none but the
mourners reuemb.r that such things were.
But though the Railway Companies, their d.
rectors and servants, should be held strictly &c
counisble st the bar of public opinion, if not OF
public Justice, for sccideDis which arise from i'm
teIfect con .tructiun or careless handling the whole
blame Of ttese wholesale butcheries should not be
placed at their door only II is partly the fever of
haste which burrs 10 the yeos Of the public, and
demands facilities Of travel, and demands it chesp,
from which they cone. Ia the fierce competition
which grows out Of this state Of mind, dangers are
winked out Of tight, ard csrelessnesses in the
making Of culSerts bridges, and the roadway ITSELF
art passed ever, in the hope that good luck will be
our friend 1t is partly the fault Of toe sovereign
powe which call. these corporations into existence,
in hose hsnds are these issues Of life aud deaih,
that death is go often the issue as 1t n more
careful for. sight when such corporations are formed
10 see that they are properly nan'ged ID the oe-
ginning. aud stricte. oversight over them, and
eso,clslI, as to all weak AID dangerous points OF
their work. when in oper stion, mis hinder null
titude Of these railway slaughters. And, ante
cedent to legislation and superior to it, the public
opinion of the travelling pubic should demand 'ucn
securities and .ubmt to such conditions a. Will
make safety a. certainty as 1t can be irhdman
things Bu,so long as speed the frst the second,
al d the third value of a railway, in the eyes OF
those that u.e il, this Gro wing mefIt must De fdr
Lished at whatever risk There Is no fever so
contagious as that of haste, and none that spreads
so quickly from the passenger to the Director, on
the one band and 10 the stOker 90 the otner
Rails ay travelling should be the most absolutely
safe ode Of locomOtiOn ever invented. Aud 50 IL
is on well.reeulated roads, even in this country.
On some of the New Ems land roads the per centsge
of loss by the fault of the road, is almost naPPre'
ciable And it might be so everywhere.
On the continent Of Europe, where the people
are regarded as in a st,'e of pupags to be taken
care of like so many children, accidents are almost
unknown The rate Of speed, the number Of pas
senpers, the condition Of the engines and carriages,
the state of the roadway are the subjects OF strict
rules and careful supervision The care taken OF
YOU is annoy ing enough to free aud independent
American, accustomed to the perfect looseness OF
travelling matters in bis own laud Of liberty; but II
s sated for by the consciousness OF as aoso-
lutte safety as is compatible with any mere human
locomotion. 1t is not likely that We shall ever
consent to the restrictions OF the continental rail-
wsys, be their advantages what they may. But an
approximation to them is practicable, and ehave no
doubt would be readily endured. The engines
being in good order the wheels and axles OF the
carriages safe the rails in the beet condition, the
bridges and other particularly dangerous places
specially guarded, and the servants Of the company
all men of .obriety and discretion, an accIde Mt
would be as nearly impossible as any human con-
tipgepcy can be- And why should not the State
take the responsibility Of seeing to these things
into its own hands out Of those of the corporations
Why should not persons, appointed BY tbs Cover
nor. Of the Stsies in which railways are situated,
have the charge Of these particulars, so essential
TO the safety of the citizen The responsibility. 1t
seems 10 US, should be put on persons entirely dis
connected with the railways, with no interest what
ever in their profs and with no concern but for the
safety of the travellers. The expenses might bs
Justly charged upon the corporations, as it would
be as much for their interest for that OF their
customers. The loss by one such accident as those
We have mentioned, amountsto more than would the
salaries of all tDe officers, that would make tnem
impossible, for fifty years together. We are well
aware of the interested opposition that such egis-
laton would have to encounter and of the abuses
to which il would be liable. But We believe it can
be accomplished, and that it would be rewarded
with an economy Of life and an increase of comfort
and safety to the universal travelling world, that
would make the reputation of the statesman who
should identify his name with it.
LITERARY FORGERY.
In isQ, An mnudent vOunp rogue named William