The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-09-08
The Railroad Murders,

Milton saws that Peace hath her VIC
tories no less renowned than war :" and
It Is being proved every dav that she hath
her >lau"hterS also Generally they are
not on so large scale as those of war.
but they are infinitely more shocking: and
OF all the means of di>po>ing of human
life, that by the 80 prevalent .'nccidcntS.
as they are courteouSlv termed. on our
railroads. is the most terrible. The New
York Tribune publishes an appalling list
of the railroad accidents that have occur
red within one year. and if the people are
not reused 10 take some means of self de-
! ien>e 10y the facts and figures there given.
/ railroad officials NAV well consider that
nothing will move the public apathy. and
that they are safe in continuing TO infict
discomfort. danger and death on their con-
tiding patrons.
The Tribune's list is not complete. but
Ii enumerateS siXty-seven. more or less.
fatal accidents since September L. 1861.
in which three hundred persons have been
killed outright or mortally wounded. and
sIX hundred more have been seriously in
Jured and OF the passengers killed about
thlrtv-iive were burned TO death Forty
live of these accidents at least were direct
ly due 10 the culpabilitv of railroad COM
panicS or their employees. and the total
value of the property DESTROYED or injured
must be counted by millions. In locality.
New York leads OFF with the largest num-
Der OF accidents, while OF railroad compa
MES the Hudson River has the unenviahle
notorieiv of being the most fatal. no les
than seven accidents having occurred on
that road. while the five accidents on the
Erie road render that line equally infamous.
With this dreadful array of stats tics.
it is no wonder that ii is a leading subject
of discussion. both among the people and
| iii the papers, as To the means 10 be taken
10 put n stop 10 these disasters, and 10
punish those through whose recklessness
or carelessness they occur. We have mad
similar spasms OF Indignation before, but
the public have never been aroused as they
are now. The last accident that on
Long Island, WAS also the worst. and in
deed nothing could surpass the brutal reck-
leSSnesS that occasioned it =: and we have
strong hopes that the agitationit has caus-
ed will not he suffered 10 die out without
accomplishing AT least 4 beginning in the
way OF reform.
There is one and only one pleasant re-
Election TO he derived from the statistics
which the Tribune furnishes. 1t is the
comparative safety of the railroads in
New ENGLAND. Ii we leave out the south
ern part of Connecticut, with lis two or
three railroads, notorious for bad manage
ment and mdrdering facilities, New Eng
land furnished but three of the siXty-seven
accidents mentioned, and only two fatal
casualties. The fact is TO the credit of
New England and New England railroad
management, and should be duly noted.
We don't feel at all bad at this state of
things, and hope New England will keep
up the reputation of being the place where
they do not have railroad accidents. The
fact that our railroads are run with safety
to the public is sufficient evidence that the
thing can be done, and it will if the public
insist upon it.-SansqfeM Republican,