New-York tribune., 1868-04-17

II III
or Buffalo where il Is safe to rai train az the ordinary
passenger train speed aud many portions Of the road can
only be traversed safely by reducing the speed oil AL
trains to IL or Is miles hour solely on account OF the
worn-out aud rotten condition OF the rails Broken
wheels. rails engines and trains OF the track, have ped
OF daily almost hourly, occurrence for the last TWO
months. caused mostly by defective rails. Fully LOCO
broken rails were taken from the track In the month oil
January while the number removed on account OF lai
inaOn, crushing, or wearing out much greater
February will show still worse record than January
The condition OF the at the present date Is such "s W
give much anxiety and apprehension for the saiey "
trains. We cannot and do not attempt to make tue
schedule time with trains nearly all lose from Two 10
five hours in passing the road aud has been oh
By the exercise OF eXtrcme cau2n We have been ape
thus far to escape scrious accident"
We print the above without special emphasis
the reader will easily discover the important
points 1t is none of our work-the testimony
is official; it is by the best-iuformcd officer OF
the Company, one upon whose judgment the
directors are bound to rely and whose sugges-
tions they are supposed to carry ont.
Here, then, is a road strongly condemned as
out of order and dangerous by the man whose
especial business it is to know its condition.
Yet. 50 far rs we know, not one step OF inn
portance has been taken to put the track IN
order Over this track trains are run at all
hours Of day and night. taking the fearful risk
implied in the above report. Over this road.
in the most dangerous part, came the fated
train of Wednesday morning. The Coroners
Jury declare that the disaster WAS caused by
a broken rail, as we stated in our paper yes
tcrday The Superintendent says that 1000
broken rails were taken mp in January Com
ment is almost unnecessary.
We do not assume that accidents can be
entirely prevented by any amount OF fore
sight or care. But we feel certain that, taking
their own testimony, the Erie directors have
incxcusably neglected their road. Had they
spent, upon the repair and careful superin-
tcndence of their tracks, half as much as they
have used in litigation in our courts and
legislative operations ut Trenton and Albany
the chances are that no snch disaster would
have occurred Yet the legal war goes on ;
the Investigations progressed Yesterday ~
coolly rs if nothing unusual had occurred :;
the great mon Of the great corporations, ana
their fifty thousand dollar counsel ON either
side went ahead rs usual; the tracknen at
Port Jcrvis put down new rail; the trains
rau rs before the crushed and burned cars
were left where they fell the dead and half
dead passengers were sent of to their friends; 4;
our Western connections were restored, and the
whole matter was over. II is true there WAS
no occasion to stop the snailmg OF counsel
while Carr's Rock victims were buried;
Congress adjOurns upon hearing oi the death
of n former member; 50 does the Legisla-
turc. sometimes; but we presume the grcnt
corporations could not afford 10 stop their legal
wrangle on so trhiug an occasion ~ the Kill
ing of a score of their clients. prOyeIb says,
Corporations have no souls The Erie man
ayers give new proof of lts truth.
But the public are not dOue with this diSas-
ter They have rights that cannot he ignored,
and sooner or later they will find legal means
of holding railway companies TO strict reSpon-
sbiiy The days of cheap rails wooden ears,
sheet-iron stoves. neglected tracks. and care
lessnesS of employees, mdst soon end. The dl-
rectOTs concerned in this latest catastrophe
should profit by the event, and make huSte to
show works meet for repentance The people
are shocked at their seeming indifference, and
current of feeling is setting in which VIII not
bc satisfied with whitewaslIing reports and
fair promises. They want actual. visible
improvement. better rails. iron ears. full secur-
ty against fire, more careful superintendent,
and everywhere recognizable attention on
the part of railroad managers and agents to
thcir safety and comfort. The public care
very little for the Great Erie War" in the
Courts they do care for their lives. and must
have that care shared by the men WHO take
them in Charge.