The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-12-19
For the REGISTER.
The Great Collision.


exactly north Of Bunker Hill, and west
of Revere, but so near that the ear might
have caught the shrieks of the wounded,
and the eye have seen the glare of the
burning cars. There are few or no roads
on which there are no chances for the re-
currence Of similar scene. In nothing has
community been more unanimous than in
the exculpaton of Superintendent Pres
colt, who had previously resigned, but
who thereupon returned to the road and
continues on it. Let us then look at the
affair as lesson on rairoading.
The Eastern Railroad originally run
from Portsmouth, n. H., to a ferry at
East Boston. Its freight terminus is
still there, but the passenger trains make
double curve, from Revere through
Chelsea, Everett and Somerville, and
passing between Charlestown and Cam.
bridge, crossing the Boston and Maine and
titchburg tracks, enters Boston between
them and the Lowell. At Lynn, eleven
miles out, the singe-track Saugus Branch
starts more inland, passes many thrifty
villages and comes in at Everett. The
road, some years since, asked leave to lay
a double track on the branch; and the
Legislature refused.
If train from Portland is late at
Lynn, the Sangus train must wait for it,
and no train can 20 out on the branch
till 1T comes in. And for want of sid
ing at the junction an outbound Sangus
would detain the next behind it.
Now let us go back to Saturday even.
ing, 10Th of August. 1t is the busiest
time in the week, Of general exodus from
the city. A camp-meeting is in progress
down the road, which closes its gates
from Saturday to Monday. Another af.
fair down the road demands special ac-
commodation, which is given with great
reluctance. In August all the world is
on rail, and the business of the Eastern
demands all the roling-stock that can be
had, and more. Every tain is off time.
A train should have come out of the
Branch at Cos; others should have en-.
tered there at Gao and 7:10, followed
by the Beverly train on the main line, at
1:24' and the express at S:S. The in
train did not come out of the branch till
about :; one Saugus train was then
waiting for it with the Beverly next be.
hind, and next the other Saugus mt of
p(ace, and then the express. These four
were spread off half way to Boston The
Beverly supposed the express next it, as
usual, and that therefore the express
knew the exact chance of collision. The
express, on the contrary, when the block.
ade broke saw its predecessor enter the
Branch and thought its way clear. In a
long straight stretch neither train was
seen by the other. Revere stands on
curve, and the Beverly, when it stood
there, was visible but little way. Just
after 1t left the station, the express came
into it, braking up too late.
All this was due to to the second Sau-
gus following the Beverly instead of pre-.
cedlng it as usual, and the Beverly train
being unaware of that fact, while the ex-
press in turn knew not that the Beverly
had been detained after its start. Why
were not all the parties aware of the
case because Of the confusion. The
station was swarmng with impatient men,
struggling for seats in their proper trains.
Mr.. Prescott, x-superintendent and vol
unteer' was aiding ON the platform, and
the best was done that could be ia the
unavoidable emergency
III was vary in,roh. al, th;n1. a. "a
the fast train and the slow one should be
SO spread as to be ont of sight on all the
straight stretch and collide in the curve.
Had their distance been less they would
have seen each other if greater the
Beverly would have been out Of the
curve
The Beverly conductor has been blam-
ed for not sending back a man to warn
another whom he supposed to have been
waiting behind him at Everett. His first
duty was to get on. The road was blam.
ed Tor not having siding at Everett
junction. 1t would have let forward the
Beverly or express trains and they would
have colided sooner or not at all. The
siding has since been built. The road is
blamed for want Of cars it was building
to the full capacity of its shops and buy.
ing all it could find 1t is still increasing
lis rolling-stocs, and now uses more than
the public ought to demand 1t has since
obviated confusion by placardng the cars,
and putting consPicious caps on the en-.
ployecs.
Massachusetts, has Board of Rail.
road Commissioners whose duty it is to
see fair play a road has dangerous
rules, runs of time, crowd its passengers,
or Is derellct in any thing, it is their du.
ty TO see to it. That Board ought long
since to have insisted on automatic coup
lihgs, brakes operated from the engine
and telegraphy at every station. 1t is
the right of every passenger to know
where is the train he is to take, and if
delayed, what the hindrance is. 1t is
the duty of the manager to know at ev-
cry moment where every train is. 1t is
the duty of the engine-driver to know
that the track is clear before him to the
next telegraph station. And it is the du-
ty Of the State to see that the roads are
properly run. Lastly it is the duty of
the people to elect legislators who are
neither rogues nor fools; and | count
that every man who voted to refuse the
road permission to lay second track
was either one or the other.
For more than twenty-five years
have regarded the Eastern road, the
most pleasant that runs out of Boston and
its cities, Lynn, Salem, Ipswich, New.
buryport and Portsmouth, land it has al.
ways allowed you to stop any where on
a through ticket as well worth visiting
as any that you will find strung along
40 miles of any other road. And if its
great carmity shall not be to the profit
of all New England it will be a great
pity. I'm.
Congress.
HOUSE COMMITTEES.