The Portland daily press., 1871-03-22
-. excuse for Railroad Disasters.
PORTLAND.

q
prise. 1t IS found that cold does not hare
tendency to make iron more brittle, oue on
the Other hand qives IL greater tenacaty ana
lessons its liability TO break. mus We oiu
an eternal farewell to that siereo'ypeu eAo"'e
for broken rails, wheels and axes 'he GA
treme cold weather" The frost was sup
posed TO account for the terrible disaster
at Nv Hamburg. on the Hudson River Rail |
road on the sixth of last month The ice |
king broke the axle OF the oil car, it was said,
and all else was unavoidable. But in the
light of this new revelation of science and Of
the history of the tragedy, it is clear that the
frost is actually conducive to accident. but in
very different way nom what is generally
supposed. On the fatal night in question the
three brakemen Who had been stationed on
the freight train in compliance with the Su-
perintendents orders were very cold, and, de
serting their posts, two of them sought warmth
and shelter in the ''caboose." 1t was not
by breaking iron but by relaxing discipline
that the cold hurried its victims to their
death at New Hamburg. From that dIsas-
ter, though, as we now measure llme, long
past. we have not yet gathered its whole in
structive lesson. George William Curtis from
the EASY Chair" OF the last Harper speaks
of 1t in way that reminds us more than
anything he ever wrote Of the style of the
author whom, of all that ever lived, he
most venerates-Charles Dickens. 1t was
MIR. Curtis's fortune to visit the scene of the
disaster the day after it occurred, and though
he does not so much as refer to the details OF
the dreadful catastrophe, the impression it
made on men and on nature are most wildly
greatest OF novelists waen treating like themes,
by suggestion rather than description.
Broken iron being thus unexpectedly taken
out OF the category of unavoidable acct
DENTS" the conclusion is inevitable that, as at
New Hamburg, the want of discipline among
the employees of railroad corporations is the
most prolific source of casualties The SER
vice in which they are engaged is comparable
only with the military or naval service in re-
spect to its danger and the weight of its re-
sponsibilities. We have been much impress
ed and interested lately in reading the little
pamphlet containing the rules AMI regulations
FOR running trains on our Maine roads-sub-
stantially those, we believe, that were drawn
up by Hon. S. Z. Corser, now one CT the
Railroad Commissioners when he was SUPER
intendeht of the Portland District OF the
Grand Trunk road. Let the reader obsel We
the multiplicity OF arrangements in regard to
the time of different kinds Of trains .:nder an
al inf 10 r;a - a
rules regulating the conduct and prescribing
the duties OF engine drivers, conductors,
brakemen, firemen, baggage masters, station
agents, track-repaireIs, repair and ballast
trains, and then reflect that the disregard or
ignorance of these rules on the part of the
least important subordinate may involve the
lives of all on board given train equally with
like shortcomings OF superintendent or
other high officer. II, therefore, there is not
intelligence, sobrieiy and underwriting vigi-
lance in the entire force employed, from the
general superintendent down TO the humblest
section man, there is no security from danger
however great length of time chance
may seem 10 give impunity 10 ignorance, in.
capacity and laxity OF government, as on the
Hudson River road.
Every employee is furnished with copy Of
the railway code We have mentioned, and is
required TO master perfectly all pertaining in
any way to his duties that is contained there.
In, as well as all the time tables and special
orders established from time to time Under
such circumstances it is an obvious conclu-
sion that subordnates, as well as the higher
officers, should be men not only OF intelligence
but of some education. A section man who
cannot read, might, by neglecting plai,.
duty, destroy a bundled lives. To recur onoe
more to the New Hamburg disaster, the pres
ence of the brakemen at their posts and the
observance of the following rule which Super
intendent Cerser prescribed for the govern.
ment of conductors on the Grand Trunk
would have prevented the accident:
II any train breaks down, or is delayed on
the road, the first duty of the conductor
and OF ali persons connected with the train,
Is to see that every precaution is used to pre-
Vent any other train from running into the de
Iayed train. One, and in all cases of danger,
too efficient men must be sent backward or
forwards, as the case may require, with red
hags or lanterns, at least halt mile, to stop
any PPiodculnS lre1n. NO wish to have the
sienai men 60 on in the delayed train, must
prevent their gong back at least half mile
aud stopping until the approaching train is
stopped, and il third or fourth train is fol-
lowing, the same precaution must be observed.
This rule is of the utmost importance.
Whether any such rule is prescribed by Su-
perintendent Toucey on the Hudson River
Road, or whether the observance of his reeu-
lations is mildly enforced, we do not know.
Above all, to insure the public against &C.
cidents, every person occupying the highly
important Office of Superintendent should be
man who possesses not only great executive
ability, but familiar acquaintance CIT is here
that Superintendent Toucey of the Hudson
River road is shown to be grossly incompe.
tent) with all the details of the work that per.
talns to the running of trains. They should
be men, too, who have more than the ordi-
nary share of those qualities that go to make
mp successful military leaders, so that they
can perform with SUCCESS the absolutely essen
tial duty Of thoroughly drilling their subol d.
mates in the rules they prescribe and enforc.
ing obedience 10 his orders as uniformly and
az relentlessly as an Oriental despot.
The positions held by superintendent on |
the main lines leading out of Boston are per-
haps more important than any like officers in |
the country on account OF the large number of
trains passing each day over single track. |
We are told that the gentleman holding them
have without exception risen from ',the
ranks" and their acknowledged efficiency is
due in some measure, no doubt to this cir.
eumstance. One of them was brakeman, |
another "hand" in a repair shop, and all be- |
gan at the foot of the ladder, becoming ac-
quainted in their gradual ascent with all the |
details of the business.
word in regard 10 our Maine Superin-
tendents. Last winter the Railroad Com.
mssoners were severely censured in the Leg
stature for speaking With commentator of
these gentlemen in their report. We think
that the complimentary notices were certain
ly trfle indiscriminate, giving rise to a most
amusing difficulty in avoiding verbal identi-
ty OF all.tsion to the multitude of efficient,
competent" and "aclive" railroad officers OF
Maine. But it is clear to our mind that the
did this rather as an obsery-
ance of traditional usage than in spirit of
lndue Cancellation and difference toward the
'ailroad companies. As matter of taste we
should prefer not to see such superfluous GER