The New York herald., 1869-06-22
TEE ERIE RAILROAD ACCIDENT.

Further Particulnrs-The Recent Changes Of
Officers Grand Mistake-How the Work.
mon Regard the Observation-Disclosures on the
Ruins-What Might Have Been.
All that was to be seen yesterday on that part of
the Erie Railroad which crosses the Passaic river
was q locomotive steaming angrily backward and
forward on the east side Of the bridge; tugboat,
hauling of broken timbers found in the water be-
low; q derrick, standing idle for the present;
o squad Of workmen above, below, astride
the timbers and floating on portion
Of q wrecked car which made an ex-
celent barge for the nonce, and on which one Of
the men was fishing and poking with long pole to
take soundings Of the bed Of the river where loco
motive No 151 lies At no time does blundering
become SO visible as 10 an emergency Of this kind.
In the endeavor to patch up the bridge hastily on
Sunday beam was spliced on the sides Of the
broken pieces thus throwing the whole strain on
the riveting bolts, which would be unequal to the
pressure Of carload Of passengers. There was too
much vain glory IN that department Of the
business denominated the superintendent to
grant admission to suggestion from o
mere spectator, even though that spectator
happened to be one Of the most eminent
engineers the United States survey in re Depart
ment Of the No rthwest. But as he remained incog.
the Erie men set deaf ear to every observation
which involved an Improvement on their plans and
little sacrifice OF pride. But with regard to the
splice, the beam II placed underneath would sup
port the weight instead OF throwing on the three
quarter bolts. This was soon brought to test.
Inc Cincinnati express train, containing some
thirteen cars, was moved across by car at seven
O'Clock, but passengers would not venture across
the ohasm. The first empty car moved slowly on to
apprehension that the car was about to tumble
down. and the w0rkmen accordingly made them
the Eez
The passengers followed cautiously over the loose
tnbers but the more timid availed. themselves OF
in q handsome little cottage at the bridge, whose
boat did good service In ferrying over the pas
T6e train that went over was made up OF empty
cars, so that the loss viii be comparatively
tri1ing. Eye witnesses describe the accident as
ment The cars chased each other over the preci-
reminded one of flock Of sheep jumping in q crowd
from height. Thirteen cars disappeared, but the
ps H s
Ryan, was driving at the rate Of sixteen miles an
hour In the endeavor to get up steam SO that when
he reversed there was not steam enough to check
the onward progress Of the train. The bridge was
not opened to Its full swing that the inner side
also broke down the draw on the eastward track.
Ryan was . new employe, on which TACT hangs
tale When Mr. Riddles resignation was accepted
intendent with Instructions TO reduce the expenses
OF the road. How that policy has been carried out
can be brleny shown. The hands ia all the work.
shops were reduced, and the men Of course came
under, The same plan was tried with the brake
men, but they struck and came out victorious. In
order to reap fruits OF their victory they attacked
the superintendent again BY demanding an increase
Of wages and they defeated him on this issue also
The iremen caught the contagion, and their demands
were complied with. The engineers come next on
the list, but they have not yet struck. A new
method OF subduing these men Is that OF
,decimation. An efficient engineer Is turned
out, and Is succeeded by man named
Ryan. He drives his train into the Passalc
river, or, to put 1t In the mildest way, he
allows 1t to run IN Now for the results OF this
policy. so far from decrease In the expenditures
there has been an increase OF $150,000 under the
new management. The workmen are sulky, they
conspre against their boss and defeat him. They
feel that this disturbed condition In the relations be-
tween employer and employed cannot long con-
tnue The smash up al the Passaic bridge another
result and the workmen regard It as one OF those
occurrences made necessary in order to open the
eyes OF the administration to the error OF their
policy. But had this been a passenger train who
would contemplate the result without q shudder2
The consequences would be too appalling to specu-
late upon. Even now the public confidence In Erie
is shaken TO such extent that the passenger trac
Of the road is on the wane.