The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-11-05
aTse}inA 8fgistrt.
Terms, ~ Nail, in Advance
A WoFSl Tor Nvttchmen

| "A new YORK correspondent of the
Boston Journal says: The recent terri.
bic accident at saybrook, and the mar
row escape from one on the New York
Central. owing to the displacement Of q
switch, naturally call attention to the
class of men employed in this impor-
tant department Of public service. As
general rule corporations get the
exact talent they pay for. A first-class
man in animportant place is not usually
secured at third rate price. Accidents
will occur from misplaced switches,
without regard to the wages paid, the
steadiness, sobriety and intelligence of
the employees, simply for the. reason
that switchmen are human. A very
high degree of responsibility is put
upon them. In the Jury of incoming
trains, the rspiditv and often uncertain
y OF their movements, the responsible
lily felt aud the fear that they will make
a mistake often unnerves long expe.
rienced switchmen aud throws them
into confusion, so that they have not
the slightest idea what they do; and
accidents which are attributed to uesli.
gence and inattention to duty are the
result solely OF fury.
One of our most successful and long
tried railroad superintendents, iu refer
ence 70 the Saybrook disaster, said to
me the other day that no human fore
, sight, no long experience, and no care
could relieve train from the danger
resulting from misplaced switch. 81
had in my employ switchmau who,
Tor twenty years, served the company.
He was as steady az the day was long
l was standing near him one day when
he turned the switch for q freight train
He did not know that was near. He
turned the switch back, and 1t was all
right for an express train that was
laundering along. When the train
whistle sounded announcing the ap.
proach OF the train, be went deliberately
to the switch and turned it back so that
the lightning express would dash right
into the freight train. / yelled with all
my might, Reverse your switch. He
sprang to the hapdle, reversed it, and
had not second to spare. The train
flew pact with the velocity Of light, and
was out of sight and hearing III mo-
ment. The man could give no account
OF his conduct. When the whistle
sounded an impulse seized him to turn
the switch, as be bad an impression that
it was wrong. 1t was not negligence,
it was not inattention to duty, for he
was painfully in earnest. But he was
confused and paralyzed by fear, and
did not know what he was doing. Such
accidents are likely to occur on the best
managed roals in the world"
Government regulates everything
about the Euglish railroads. The road
bed is laid under Government inspec.
ton, and royal oversight is taken Of
every rail. No road can cross another,
| or cross highway, on the same leve;
bridges or tunnels must be resorted TO-.
| It is felony to cross the tracks from one
side of The station to another. Switch
men are made the subjects OF peculiar
care. They are choicely selected lot
OF men. A house is erected over the
tracks, enclosed on all sides with glass
windows, carpeted and warmed. The
handles OF the switches come up in this
room, and are ornsmented like the han.
dies of q beer-fountain. They are all
numbered. and are called "points."
Conspicuous in the room is the painted
caution, mind your Points. The
room is light, made warm from q fire
and made CHEEKY by a carpet and 1ow-
ers. Here the switchman takes his
position, sheltered from the storm and
wind, 10 room comfortable and
CHEEKY; if lie makes mistake some
thing more than reprimard and dis
missal await him. His offense is a
crime, and the State will punish him
by fine and imprisonment. With all
this outlay, accidents occur-swltches
will be m,splaced-and statistics show
that there are more such accidents In
ENGLAND than in America.