The Portland daily press., 1871-08-17

There is no dimnntion yet III the puolic
interest in the late remarkable series OF rail-
road accidents. Five serious disasters, result
ing in the death of six persons anu '"o
wounding of not less than fifty more, oceui
ring since the 26th of June, cannot pe "e
dismissed with few reflections per''"en.
each particular case. Such an dcc"inu'"''oi
of horrors is calculated to cause lorsetiu'hess
of the extraordinary exemption nom disaster
,,hiob the case and skill OF the officers and
o,o,,ovees of the railroad companies have
hitherto afforded to the travelling public of
Maine A suspicion of general laxity of man
aeement and pernicious degree of incompe-
tency. where hitherto extreme vigilance and
marked efficiency have been popularity sup
posed 70 exist, las no doubt arisen in many
minds. Conclusions are hastily reached un.
der the excitement and anguish caused by a
great railroad disaster, and it is not wonder
full that injustice is often done under such
circumstances.
We have on previous occasion contended
that the Portland & Kennebec Company, on
whose lines four of the five accidents have oc-
Cured, were not to be held guilty of criminal
negligence by reason of the disasters at Flee-
port and Hallowell. In the first case brok-
en- axle and in the second case the negligence
of a conductor, who had been up to that mo-
meme a model of fidelity and prudence,
brought the fatal consequences. But the
Later accidents have been of different char,
acter. The last and by far the most serious
casualty is now the subject of legal investiga-
ton, and we shall not presume to promulgate
a theory in advance of the findings of the in
quest. But all proceedings in the ma tier of
the 7th of August smash-up are now closed
by the discharge of the conductor Fairbrother
and the engineer Nichols and the suspension
of the conductor Waterman. Our purpose in
writing this article is to enquire whether
there are among the employees of the corpor-
alton any more men of the same stamp, and,
if SO, whether it would not be better to dis
charge them now than after they have caused
the death of some OF the unfortunates vino
are committed to their care? OF the men
above named we understand that Farbroth-
er, whose train iran at the rate of twenty
miles an hour into passenger car standing
motlonless at station where he must, in the
exercise of common discretion, have expected
it to be, is somewhat celebrated along the
line OF the road as person of peculiarly reck-
less character. We hope not to do injustice
TO man who has already received heavy
punishment in the loss of employment, and
possibly the rumors circulating among the
requenters of railroad stations are not to be
relied Upon. But we have repeatedly heard
II stated with some particularly that Fair
brother is not only reckless but Incorporate.
1t is said that on the morning when, abetted
by the toe obedient engineer, he ran the en-
glne OF his train into passenger car, collis-
ION OF the same needless kind was narrowly
escaped farther up the line, that at Winslow
he was earnestly demonstrated with by Wa
terman, conductor of the forward train. for
running so close upon him, and that. instead
OF receiving the reproot in proper spirit, he
was at the time or Immediately afterwards
guilty of the inconceivable folly of boastins
that he would ''pass Waterman before he got
to Augusta, if he had to run through him.
giving the engineer instructions accordingly.
We do not state these things as facts, but as
current rumors that may be merely the gossip
growing out of the present excitement. Nor
do we entirely credit the whispered statement
that some other employees of the company
are ehargeable with defects of character SINH
lar to those attributed to Fairbrother. But if
there is the shadow of foundation for such
reports the company cannot, for their own
good, as well as for that of the public, be too
prompt in discharging from their service
those whose conduct gives rise to them.