Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-10-25
TIE RAILROAD DISASTER.

The conclusion of most intelligent peo-
pie in regard to the cause of the railroad
disaster nj Seahrook IS that it was owing
to the negligence OF the switch tender.
1t is incredible that the switch could have
been properly placed and thrown over by
the engine, or that any one could have
naliciously displaced it. The switch ten
der stoutly declares that he placed the
switch in the right place after the freight
train passed on the side track. The in
vestigation now going on may be able to
obtain facts conclusive in the case. 1t ia
demanded by the public that the inyesti-
cation shall be thorough and impartial.
and no doubt it will be. If the company
employs careless or inefficient men it is
responsible for them. The safety of the
travelling community requires that the
company be held to strict account for I'M
faithful men as well is for rotten bridges,
or any other defect in the road The Bos-
ton Advertiser has the following fair re-
marks upon the, Eastern Railroad, with
suggestions as to Improvements to be re
quired on other roads which are worthy of
notice.
The Eastern Railroad Company must Of
course bear the pecuniary consequences of its
servants neglect OF duty, il such shall By
found 10 he the cause of the disaster. This
is peculiarly hard 10 bear Just at the time
! when that company /, recovering from the
Revere accident We presume that there is
no one Of our Massachusetts, railroads which
| las introduced more Improvements or which
has been run with greater care during the
past year than the Eastern. This was partic-
ularly noticeable during the jubilee and
camp meeting seasons, when there was an
abundance of cars, and when the trains were
run with entire promptness. The score or
two Of new cars, furnished with the Westing-
haus brake and the Miller platform, the zig
| nal system and the general efficiency of the
| management have been a common sahloct for
remark. Yet, although other roads have had
accidents precisely like this in kind, none
that has taken place has been so disastrous as
this one at Seabrook. If there is such a
thing as iil-luck, surely the Eastern Railroad
has fallen into it.
| We cannot refrain from mentioning on,
fact that has been brought out already by The
ih'estsat"is .o' '"e 'c" spePeis' namely ina
all the injured persons were IN q car that hat
not the Miller platform; while other cars
before and behind, were almost unnjured
This is conclusive as to the value of the
platform in cases OF collision, if any new
proof were needed. The arrangement with
the Maine Central road requires that corpora
ton to furnish cars for one of the trains, and
we believe none tf the Maine Central cars
have either the Miller platform or the air.
brake 1t is worth considering whether it
would not be wise on the part of the State to
| require that no express train shall be run in
Massachusetts, withon; these or similar safety
appliances on every car. The company that
has information nat there are means OF stop
ping trains quickly and of preventing "tele-
scoping." and neglects to avail itself of such
Inventions, ought not TO be permitted to have
its cars run over Massachusetts roads.