New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-10-19
A BROKEN Raii--Thc Cause Of n RaiIrond
Accident.

We have examined, critically, the broken rail
which threw the New.Hayen cars from the track a,
seyeptyseyenth street II affords lesson that should
be fairly considered. 1t teaches us that all who ride
upon rnis are liable TO accidents which no human fore
sight can prevent. The rail In question was bought in
November. 1863 Of the Phen1 Iron Company Of Penn.
,yvans Its fracture shows that It was not made Of
bad IRON nor was II good iron plated Stag as some
Of the English rails imported here have BEEN We can
not find any fault 10 cbage upon the manufacturers.
The Harlem Railroad Company certainly is not at fault
The superintendent Of the track has done his duty IT
not year since that rail was laid upon sound sleep
ers in the 6rmest manner. MI travellers the road
viii recoect who remember the taken In rebuild
ng the road through the Yorkvilc dee; cut. Some
ports Of the sccdeb, have stated that the seepers we're
rotten. That IS mistake. The sleepers are sound
now except far torn to pieces by the dragging OF
the car wheels $50 feet from the spot where the rail
broke. This then s the cause the accident. There
was flaw in the rail- which eyes could see in tho
thin pert VI the iron between the tread Of the rail and
bottom extending about ten inches from one end A
slight wrench was sufficient 70 tear of this piece q the
top part Of the rail- Perhaps The next wheel broke on
the remainder Of this end. There then gap ten
inches into which the wheels successfully fe and as
they and bounded they struck distance ahead
with ten.tun blows breaking the rail IN two other
places exactly equidstant and beating the ends down
BY these successive blows from the wheels Of the fore
most ears Of the train. When these second fractures
were thus made the hindmost cars were thrown from
the track The pieces Of the rail now in the Office
Of r. Chaplin esq, Superintendent Of the Harlem road
at Twenty-sxth street and sord very Curious study
for every person who rides upon railroads. by IT,
ali nav learn that there is no immunity from danger 20
railroad travellers. They win perhaps, II they study
this case well be content with lower ratio Of speed
and If they desire TO study their own safety. they must
insist upon prohibition ly statute against any railroad
company running such heavy trains Of passenger cars
that they have to be drawn by two engines, and those Of
the heaviest sort If such train IL run forty miles an
hour no railway in America is cafe. single engine
with two three cars. may possibly run that speed
safely Such train woald have passed this broken rail
safely. Two heavy engines and three four cars did
pass IT, A train Of eleven cars was too long, and a
crash followed, and human beings were maDgled and
property destroyed. In this the conductor and eng
neers were at iault That train running Mt dan
gorously high speed il had Just passed a very danger
GUS section OF the road where the utmost should be
used Notorousy It 10 not Dotorously the engineers
Of the New Haven road reckless set Of fellows
end have been from the Norwak murder TO the present
fearful srnsshup Travellers upon that road shoald hold
the Directors to account unless they are willing to con
stany risk their lives for the sake OF speed Some Of
them not and they call npon the Superintendent to
stop putting such heavy trains upon the road and siop
running at inch fearful speed through the streets Of the
city and through the Yorkvile and tunnel and over
the high bridge scross the fats where broken rail
would send whole train 10 certain death These trains
also al fearful speed through the villages north Of
Harlem river In all this reform is greatly needed
Let this broken rail be the Of producing this re-
form h"fqre more fearful accident oeenTa