Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-02-11

man TO DC constantly III uGtcuualce at tDlS SLY.
nal does not yet appear; in other respects the
letter OF the regulations seems to have been
conspcuously at fault but the administration
was grossly deficient which made it impossible
to comply with them. OF what use was it to
require brakeman to be stationed in the mid
die of the train, when everybody on the train
knew that there was no place provided on which
he could safely stand2 OF what use to require
a signal-cord when it could only be strung
through the brake-handles in such way that
it would not run freely, and, therefore, could
not convey the necessary signals? The conduc-
tor thought it was of no use, for he testified, ut
is the order of the road to have it strung on all
trains, but that night we thought il not worth
while" In regard to the station of the brake
man, he testified: 80 far as orders are con-
cerred, twas the duty of one of my brakcmeu to
be in the middle of the train. | obeyed the
orders so far as the box cars were concerned
A brakeman cannot stand with safety on the
platform Of an oil car"
The New York legislature have instituted an
inquiry to ascertain what precautions can be
employed to prevent such disasters. 1t will not
need laborious investigation to convince them
that some of the most common and essential
safeguards were wantonly and habitually neg
lected on this road. Reasonable care and atten-
ton to these details, which the public under
stands TO be ri gidly enforced on all railroads do
ing considerable business, we may fairly con
clude would have m.,de this terrific slaughter
impossible. Whether any special measure of
precaution not now in common use ought to be
required or not, it is reasonable TO demand that
railroad whose passenger traffic is so enormous
and carried at so high a rate of speed, shall have
men enough on all Its trains to discover at once
anything which is wrong, and take efficient
measures to ward off the danger that may
follow; shall have its cars so constructed
that men may safely remain at tre
stations required by their orders, and may
transmit Signals with promptness and certainty;
shall have all its signal stations constantly
manned, and shall enforce upon its servants a
minute and unvarying obedience to all its regu-
lations. lfitis true, as several of the New York
papers have stated, that the Hudson River road
Is one Of the most carefully managed roads in
the country, the average of railroad manage
ment must be appalingly loose and reckless, SO
much so that the comparative infrcquency of
disasters is not due to the care of railroad
officials but to the fact that, leaving all precau-
tonary or remedial measures out of the ques-
ton, there is only now and then such a combina-
ton of circumstances as will lead to the wreck
of a train through sheer carelessness.
The prospect of an amicabc settlement of all
our differences with Great Britain, through the
labors of the joint commission SOON to assemble,
gives very general satisfaction. The commits
sioners on both sides are gentlemen of high
character and ability, we'll fitted to deal with
the matters in dispute, some of them, by their
special knowledge of the facts and the history
Of these controversies and others by their famil-
iarity with the principles, by the application of
which the conflicting claims of nations are adj
justed. The commissioners, in behalf
of the United States, are all well
known to the public, and all with
out exception have the confidence of men
of all parties in their ability, patriotism and in.
tegrity Great Britain has given unmistakable
evidence of her desire to end all her difficulties
with this country, and there is reason to believe
that she is no less DESTROYS than we are for the
establishment of those principles If intemation-
al law for which we contended during the pro.
gress of cur civil war, and for the first time in
our history is really disposed to seduously cult
vate Cur friendship.