Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-02-15
NEW HAMBURGER DISASTER.
views OF Resident OF New Hamburger
1.-the White Signal the Cause Of the
Disaster.

Disaster.
To the Editor Of the Netr York TyJb,pas
SIR: Atleast twenty-one human be-
ings, men, women, and little children,
met a horrible death in the ~aDpalIing
catastrophe on the Hudson River Rail-
road at this place on the evening OF Mon
day last. II the calamity was, in the
fullest OF the word, an accident.
and unavoidable by human care and
effort, we a only turn away heart-sick
from such a specialize; but II blame at
taches anywhere, those in fault should
be made to feel the heavy censure Of
public opinion, even il they are found
10 be beyond the reach Of courts Of law.
The dead have passed through their
agony-the anguish Of the bereaved rela-
tives is beyond our comfort; but II All
this misery has been brought about BY
any neglect, or careleSsness, OF omission
OF proper precautions, then let the Gull
pablo ones be judged IS they deserve.
/ have no hesitation in expressing the
opinion that at least one act Of criminal
remissness Of duty on the part Of the
Railroad Company did contribute to
bring about the accident. 1 base this
grave charge upon the following state
ment Of facts, which is established by
the best evidence: Eighty rods south
VI AU Wv A0NAAA1A NAo AAAA
road track crossed a draWbridge-the
one on which the accident happened, and
which was entirely consumed. At this
draw bridge, az I am informed, there
has been q Waterman on duty day and
night, winter and summer, since the
railroad was opened, twenty-one years
ago, until within the last two months.
When navigation closed, in the begin
ming Of the present winter, the two men
who had been watching the drawbridge,
relieving each other day and night, were
taken away from the bridge, and, by
order Of the local superintendent OF the
road, stationed at q water tank, situated
seventy rods south Of the drawbridge,
to tend the tank, TO supply locomotives
with water from the same, and to flag
the trains from that point instead OF
from the drawbridge. But the men,
who relieved each other every twelve
hours, were likewise ordered to see that
all was right about the bridge, and 10
light the SigJsGi on the top Of the bridge
toueT at n~jghtfdI. Thus the safety sig
nal was kept burning while the man
who had il in charge was stationed near
ly a quarter OF n mile of At the water
tank! On the fatal evening the safety
signal lamp at the bridge was burning
Rs usual.
The testimony Of eyewitness varies
IS to the time when the oil car ran upon,
or leaned over on the up-track, to the
instant Of the collision with he express
train but it seems not TO have been less
han three minutes, one man placing the
interval at ten minutes. The Waterman
Et the water tank thinks the express was
a mile and a ball, or nearly that, from
the drawbridgs when the freight train
reached IL. Considerable time was nee
--.0-gn- NA-M --zkaAH- - - - 49,. I
minutes - before the freight engineer
could stop the part Of his train which
had got over the bridge, and give the
alarm to the Waterman at the water tank.
Now, during this short, but precious
interval, the treacherous safety signal
was burning its white hame-a false
beacon TO the engineer Of the doomed
press, who could see that light every
rod Of the way for and three-qusrter
miles, and who had a right 70 rely upon
II As indicating all we'll at the bridge.
Had the Waterman been at his proper
post at the drswbridge, be could, within
half a minute after b 70 oil car tipped or
of its track, have changed the white
TO the red, while the express train
was yet mile away, and this dreadful
accident would, in all probability, have
been aVerted. The Thought il awful, of
hat safety signal burning brightly on
its mast till the raging FIRE below burnt
the supports and the lamp fell from its
in the blazing wreck. To station
\ Waterman 6 quarter OF q mile away
from q signal on a d~rawbridge, and d.
rect him to light the light and keep il
burning, while his chief duty was 70
lend q water tank eighty rods distant,
to me . criminal recklsssneSs on
the part OF the railroad company, or of
one or other OF its officials, which should
not 90 unpublished.
If our criminal statutes do not cover
the case, surely such violation Of the
rule Of law enforcing the utmost dill
gence on the part Of common carriers,
10 insure the safety OF their passengers,
should render the corporation liable in
damages. 1t would be well for the safety
OF railroad travellers II such culpable
recklessness, contributing to the destruc-
ton, would suffice 70 send 20 the State
prison those against whom It should be
proved. -