The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-09-08
WHO Is TO BLAME?

The low estimate which railroad
and steamboat officials place upon
human life is alarming, and calls for
rigid examination and prompt cor
rection. It will doubtless be found
that familiarity with danger creates
indifference and recklessness in the
conductors and engineers; that back
of that, inspectors are bribed to pro
nounce worn out boilers and car
whee Is safe; but that still back OF
that, the fearful cupidity of stock
holders retains in employment in
competent and careless men because
they will work for less wages. Grant
ali this, and yet, is there not a more
remote-humanly speaking, primal
cause? Admit that stockholders
employ inexperienced or reckless
conductors and engineers to increase
their profits, why is this not prevent
ed? Railroad companies are char
tered institutions-they must get a
permit from the Legislature and the |
right of way from the people. know
they are called what they have be-
come, giant monopohes; and that it
is commonly conceded that passen-
gers shave no rights which they are
bound to respect" 1t is true that
both our State Legislatures and Con
gress are controlled by railroad
rings; that they can procure or pre-
vent the passage of any act they
choose. But are they not accounta-
BILE to any power? Cannot those who
gave them birth, regulate their opera
ton? Let US see. Railroad and
steamboat companies are common
carriers; if they were limited in speed
and if the cars and boats were hon
estly inspected and competent and
cautious men employed, there would
be at least, much less danger Of col
lisions and explosions. But what
prompts these officials to require
such speed? Is there no demand for
it? Why were the '1ightning ex-
press" trains that rush so swiftly
along as almost to take ones breath,
invented; Does nobody travel in
them? On the contrary, is not nearly
all the 'through" travel in them?
Why, I again ask, this fierce demand
for speed? Why do rival lines plom-
inently advertise their superior facil-
tiles for making time? 1t is because
the people ask it and patronize the
fastest lines. Is it any wonder that
the officials, seeing how readily the
people sacrifice safety to speed, feel
encouraged still more to jeopardize
life to crafty their cupidity? The
people then are fairly chargeable for
the numerous boiler explosions, train
collisions and the consequent terri
BILE loss Of limb and life. It is in !
their power to elect Legislators who |
will carefully restrict railroad and |
steamboat corporations.
l think our press are not a little |
to blame. Many Of our newspapers
are the organs, so to speak, of such
companies. They receive their pat
ronage and puff their lines of rail
roads and steamboats,. If catastro-
phes occur, the press in that vicin-
ity are silent Newspapers at a dis
tance make a great ado, but not be-
ing In the vicinity, their structures
are little needed. Officers of the
law are also remiss in duty. Should
one man kill another, he would be
punished TO the extent of the law,
unless protected by wealthy and in
fuential friends, but a wholesale
slaughter and roasting on a railroad
hardly distuTbs the serenity of tbe
gentlemen in ermine, nor indeed is
the anger of the community greatly
excited, however much the afflicted
relatives may wall Surely Presi
dent and Secretary So-and-so are
not guilty Of murder! o, no; they
have too much money and power.
And doubtless these horrid massa-
cres will continue to be called in
scrutable visitations of a wise and
loving heavenly Father! What
blasphemyl
These wholesale murders and
maimings are altogether too preg-
nant. Is itnot q wonder, with sueb /
avarice, incompetency and reckless
ness, that they do not oftener occur?
Let the sovereign people rise and say
this thing shall end. Let them de
mand that these public carriers shall
use less speed and more care. Make
them feel thSt human life is of too
much Importance to be trifed away
ke a worthless toy. Try some Of
ese aristocratic gentry, and if
v be convicted, hang them with
compunction than you would
bghwayman, for their crime is
er and more damning.