Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1871-10-04
What is the Remedy 2

NIldt II thc htintul
No conceivable accident on railroad or
river could surprise us so much as TO take )
up our morning paper and find therein no
report of any accident. Only Wholesale
manslaughter horri6es us. Ofsingle maim-
ings and individual homicidcs we make
no account. At every railroad ticket
office there starcs down upon the traveller
the unpleasant warning, ENSURE your
lives against accident" and at every
newsstand this adomition is enforced by
the story of some disaster, perhaps enliv-
ened by dreadful pictures, which assures
the reader that the warning is rot an
unwise one.
Men naturally begin 10 ask why travel
ling should be so dangerous in America,
while it it is safe in England, France,
and Germany.
Something is due TO the immense
amount of travel something TO the nature
of the country, and the character OF the
roads something to the miserliness Of
slulless corporations, in more haste to make
, money than to protect their passengers; |;
but more is due to public sentiment, which
outside Of the newspapers, accounts speed
more important than safety.
We had the misfortune, year ago, to
l. be on train at the mouth Of the tunnel
: in Jersey City, at the time when quar-
J rel between the Erie and Morris & Essex
- railroads was in progress. Two rival
! trains at the entrance Of the tunnel claim
Y en- precedence, and neither would yield
~ to the other. We waited three hours fol
10 the dispute to be settled. Meanwhile
IS crowd of passengers gathered round onc
+ of the engineers, and urged him to rul
IS into his rival and demolish him. That 1
c duel was not fought out on the spot, will
'n engines for arms, was due to the goo'
" sense of the engineer, not to that OF thu
Gu passengers. True, the demand was pre-
nu ferred only by few, but they were tn
III no turbulent, noisy, demonstrative passengers
l'e The rest sat still in their seats.
c" We go up and down the Hudson two @
'e' three times a week in a boat which claim
$50 to be the fastest on the river. The prld
eo which her passengers take in her speed
ne noticeable; and if, by-and-by, faSt(
'n' boat is made, that passes her, We ventul
er' to say that her owners will feel less chai
M rim than her patrons. When she max
.'' an unusually quick trip, with tavorH
u" wind and tide, the captain is the recipe
use of many smiles and compliments Wh'
eNS she is longer than usual on the way,
ii'- counters frowns and grumbIing, That
ory never puts on an extra head OF steam
ui overcome untavorable winds aud tides.
do runs recklessly through the occasion
all .lL;. wn ,r,donoc not
logs, Is uuc ~ us ONu HiuUS"NNt NV
VI that of the travelling public.
eau Those of our readers who commute "
pre- bear witness, probably, that he is the pt
iou' ular conductor who always contrlves
p''- make up lost time when he is late.
o"u one asks what risks he runs unless th'
mug is an accident. No one approves OF stea
H's boat-racing. But we have noticed, wi
no' on the steamboat, that no one approve:
ioo'' being passed. 1t is always the OF
l''n' boat that ought not to race.
no'' The first step toward aremedy for tn
INV innumerable and constantly recurring
"'' cidents is public sentiment that shall
'''9 . mAnd in travel safety above speed or
% :" ury. Whom the public really insist u
au'0 it, those who cater so the public will
! 'no vide it. An occasional and fitful dema
however, is not enough. 1t must be
10 W stant, habitual. IL must condemn,
~ 10 merely accidents, and those that occa
ga" them but the spirit which hazards dar
eiao alike. when the accident is avoided
loCN' when its occurs. Christian Weekly.