New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-01-25
RAILROAD SLAUGHTER.

W e 6stilEblt lndl nct Ices iAah VHt d"V"s"""
persons were eahcr killed or manned for life or
the Railroads of the loyal States during the last
wear. OF these, some hundreds were soldiers
who had Offered their lives for their country's
salvation. but who did not anticipate such a
waste of them. And the year 1864 opens with
6 prospect Of largo doings in the way OF Rail
road butchery. Two wholesale disasters and at
least dozen smaller accidents have broken the
monotony Of the FIST three weeks. Al this
rate, our too sparse population viii have been
diminished by the Railroads during the current
wear TO the extent of at least double the loss Of
last year.
The Pennsylvania Central and the Cleveland
and Erie division of the Lake Shore Road wit
messed the two "big things" of the present
month. The destruction of life and limb in
either case is sickening. Was it Unavoidable
/ Consider first the Lake Shore case:
An express train full ofpassengers sticks fast
! in snow-drift, where il remains some hours.
way passenger train follows it, overtases IT,
runs into it, aud sends heads and legs flying in
every direction. Why Is that
We are told that TIE men detailed from the
weather bound train to warn that approaching
it were chilled through-,hat one was relieving
the othcr-that they failed to see the coming
train till it was too late TO give the required
warning. Hence toe calamity.
Suppose this ali true, ought any such COLI
sion 70 have taken placer Had the rich and
prosperous company taken I'll needful precau-
tons against III
Fox some years, the Hudson River. Harlem
and Central Railroads OF our State have had
such arrangements that each engineer, seeing
anything wrong ahead, may instantly, by
motion of his hand, apply a strong brake to
every ctr in his train. This arrangement is en-
tirelyunder his own control; no one can meddle
with it; and u does not superse1e, but supple
ments, the ordinary brakes and brakemen. Had
the Lake Shore Road been likewise supplied.
the precious lives and limbs sacrificed by the
late casualty near Panesville would certainly
haye.heen saved in part, and might have been
saved altogether. Is it less than manssuphter
not 20 employ the very best safeguards against
such calamitiosi
Look, now, at the crash on the Pennsylvania
Central:
An axle breoks on the tender to passenger
train. So fax, We will presume Che matter q
simple and unavoidable misfortune Bus the
train rlshcs on, dragging this broben-dowa
tender and blowing Up the track for distance
Of siz hundred jet, when It flies the track and
rushcs down m embanLlnent and smashes Itself
into kindling-wood, which takes FIRE from the
stoves, and burns mp baggage ard mails, beside
maiming and bruising several passengers.
Oaght this 90 haze resulted from the breaking
ofan axlel Should not the train have been
brought TO a decd stop before it could drag %
broken-legged tonder half tho extent Of six
hundred feet
On the 18Th Of Nay last, IN axle broke on the
tender of an express train running over the
Hudson River Road AZ tho rate of very nearly
40 miles per hour. LSce TIE TRIBUNE Of next
day. This might have been such another crash
a. hat OF last week on the Pennsylvania Cen
tral. But the engineer at once applied brake
to every car, as he vel might ANA brought the
train 10 a dead halt within tom hundred feet
nobody hurt. The cars only hGd received some
Sliyh' dlmage. The passengers were so gro'c-
FIJI for their escape that they at once made up
and presented purse Of 800 % the conductor.
The directors had earned The money.
What excuse can Railroad managers make
for negectng such precautions In 30 far Us
the destruction or safety Of their own property
is ct stake they have right TO be as careless
and wastclul a. their sLocAholder. uil ellli2s,