Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-09-14

Inc railroad commissioners have been led by
the recent disaster at Revere and the facts dis
closed by theinquiry into IFS causes toissue cir
cular addressed to the railroad companies of the
state inviting them to meet by their proper Off
GERS at the rooms of the commissioners in Bos-
ton, on Tuesday next, for the purpose of consid-
ering some necessary reforms in railroad man.
agement. The commissioners say that the evil
dence at the Revere inquest established certain
facts OF great importance to the railroad interests
of the state, three of which in particular de-
mand the attention of railroad managers if rea-
sonable precautions are to be taken to prevent
such calamities in the future. The first of these
is that the Revere disaster need not have occur
red if the railroad company had not attempt
ed to operate single track branch road with
out The aid of the telegraph, which is one of the
oldest, most ordinary and least expensive of APP
pliances for operating railroad. The second
tact Is that the engineer Of the Pullman train
discovered the train before him in time TO pre-
vent the collision if his train had been provided
with brakes operated simultaneously from the
engine instead of the old-fashioned hand brake.
The third fact is that the stations on this part
of the road were near together, and every facili-
Nv existed for very perfect system Of SIGNALS
ldcating the proximity of trains, but no sncb
Msstem was in use, or had its adoption ever been
Considered by the company. The circular adds
1--WE now desire to call your attention to the
wet that, in so far as we are informed the
srtgect to avail itself of all the familiar precau.
Mons against accident which have been referred
10 has not been peculiar TO the Eastern railroad
No. ~ g.fN n,-1 a.
single road in the state, and indeed but one il
New England, which has thorough telegraph
&c system; they do not know of one which hal
perfectly equipped even its fastest trains witt
the most approved brakes or the best form o.
cafconstructOn toprevent 'teescOping' in cast
oieollslon. Neither at the time of this accden
was there single road in Massachusetts which
uSeu any system Of signals to indicate the tim(
OF passage OF trains. In few of these respects
was Inc Eastern railroad behind the Other
ROADS Oh tue state, and in certain of them il was
~ autance VI almost all ltwould seem, there
that this disaster took place upon the Eastern
lnsteadof some other Massachusetts rnad
Under these circumstances public oninion
very justly and very distinctly calls for imrnn.
diate and decided action both on the MARI If tbis
board and of the railroad companies, The Sact
that sufficient safeguards have not heretofore
been and are not now thrown around the trov
cling public is painfully felt. The existence Of
this sentiment can hardly fail to leave q deer
aud lasting mark upon the railroad Legislation
of the state, and for obvious reasons it is yer,
desirable that the essential reforms which vii
surely be cXacted should at once be Yoluntaril
initiated by the corporations themselves. Tn
members Of this board are, therefore, very sole
ltous to mature as soon as possible, for legisa
i've consideration, such system Of safeguard
as shall az once secure throughout our railroad
IN inc greatest possible degree the nla1iHlunl 0
security TO travellers with the minimum Of eX
Jense 10 tue corporations. In entefing upol
ms duty we would anxiously solicit aid from
All sources, aud especially from those directl,
concerned IN the management Of railroads"
This action Of the commissioners will he mi
Yersally approved. To suggest such reforms il
railway management, to concentrate public Al
tention upon them and submit to the legislatur
the draft Of bills that will enforce upon reluc
taBt companies the employment Of reasonabl