, 1869-10-18
D,scus"ion ON Halfway Accidents.

From the .Stsr Fork Eesntnp Fest, OF. IL
The suhlect Of railroad accidents was discussed
at Tire meeting OF The New iotk 6ocetJ OF Prac-
ssxl ESnen,assting; = 'ast eysnag Jsaes Whit
cnsstbp VAS opened bg The reading VI Al elabo-
rate pap+r on The subject. prepared By C. Williams
= ctg1 and neeoanieA ena2nees q thls eseJ.
esssc.ua attention to the Importance ot the sub
Jec on hccount 0f the sakt tnteraaLs i0v0lve,! In
1ss 'S. ,T1 fs .%, to rnsa Pc 20 sgsoa o.
power 10 maize the desreu improvements He ro-
ter1td with great emphasis 10 The great difference
this country and Europe- THIS dluerence Is most
Iolc1s!y shown BY the fact thA Easnt,ean f4Il nAy
lif' ctors are Willing to 80 to twice the expense on
culp.ble asa,dce 81 our railway men, sho viii risS *
the lises Of Thousands Of patseagers rather than
exPend dollar IN improvements, was poscsedly
na. caure an aec,dent nut only call for grea1 Dc
tiyy en- the part OF inventors, hu. stronger reple-
hes tLe tso'hf9lpets aud ettox!ness Of railway
1nrnts ofoush, 10 tight hy Inventors for iuiallny
tie great r Quirenents Of saetJ and rapid tra,l-
1t, the ~fi'tr nrst called attention TO those In
An.orR the ne : Ideas Tor rendering road sound
md 11bsta1,'al ts that OF tahsitinH with p!ank.
ln ahts arrangement Trenches lonEtldtnai Win
The ral a1s dug throughout those aecttons where
aTr blitt With eand, an.l suhstanttal and tucon.
tsessitle foundation is thus obtatueh tor the plank
fupt4lst HHEH AE lAlfl EluWftlAkel3 UpQ1 [u@
tIcnchre. TIE itrs having been laid upon the rub
Ellis, al! the advantages Of the aan,tpile ar. se~
cured to the road The drawing Of the ap1kea from
:Ee!r place hefpR vefY Important cauee OF ncct-
Lebte, tue writer affirmed that some sEikgl capa+
bic oi taxing 11m hold on the w0o1 was need
ed. 4 spike split about one-ha!f tts length,
and beye1Ied at its points tn such manner that
lLe branches senRrAse In drVln4--such 8s has
Lately been brought before the punllc-wou,i t~ 4
utefGl substitute for the Ordinary spike Improve.
Dtats ID chatrs, track guards, eaicty switches,
Ac, were DISCUSSED.
Alter The reading Of the paper the meeting was
aIdEeestd by Mr. Ahram s. Hewitt. He gave To
the society = large ncmteT OF tntereartux facts
clnccfflDg the comparative inertia OF Btetl Aa!
irrn rattA lie gave 1t ~ bis opnton taat on rohl4
Nhefa tarfc f. great amount OF tr1f1lc, and
heasy er9tpes running 81 ntRh speed mrs used,
Eteel musl feplace tFuu. Un the rD2ds where tue
traffic Is small speed flow npi engines lIght iruu
raiI1 will abswer A. we'll Both steel and Inn
| rlu are liable to fracture; but from the tacI
| thai the percentaae o1 the brezka9al Of steel
rails Ii less than that Of !EQn rnlls On the sooft
[ Of eafety steet has the Advantage ct iron. In
no.nt OF endurance steel far exceeds Iron
1 Where . good weld CAD be ootaincf bet#eep The
Heel and iron, steei capped feil Ia lust ~ duEa
! hte al steel rail- tue only daneteace t,etweer
! The two beng the greater cost Of .ttesl Aitel
further discussion and the exhibition. Of .oodell
| OF railwsy improvements. tue meeting adjourned
| The sunFct will l.e resumed At lhe next meeting
| to te bed November 10.