, 1873-11-20

Tho discussion fn Great Britain relative to tho
purchase OF tho railroads by tho Government
haa had, at loast, tho efroot of bringing before
tho public much valuable information In regard
to the management Of railroads. We gave. in
in our article 3 day or two sgo, comparative
atatomonts relative to tho private system Of
aroat Britain and tho State system Of the Con
tinont. Public safety was likcwiao discussed,
and 1t WAS made ono Of the nnin grounds to1
advocating State control. Sir Robert Peel, In
tho debate on the Railway Purchase bill, IN
troduced into Parliament in 1844, suggested
that. whether the State assumed tho manage.
mcnt Of tho railroads or not 1t Was, perhaps, the
duty Of the Government to construct one line
for the purpose Of establishing model Of man-
agement In the interest Of tho public safoty.
Tho same idea has been revived in
tho later discussion Of tho question. Mr.
William Gait maintains that the eo-called
railroad "accidenta !" almost invariably Co.
cur through tho neglect Of the companies
to provide tho mesns Of prevention that have
been invented. The Same Is true Of thla coun-
try. Tho block system Of lights, already In use
on somo Of tho British railroads, has never yet
boon adopted in Amezios, aud various syatemB
Of signals used In England, which enable the
railroads to run 30 many trains and run them so
rapidly, aro not employed at all with us Many
OF our American railroads arc still operated with
out tho Miller platform and tho Westinghouse
air-brake. Tho tnsufacionoJ Of pay and tho
ovcrworking Of employees arc also responsible for
many Of the catastrophoa that occur on tho rail-
roads Of both aroat Britain aud this country,
In tho former, 1t has boon found that the dam
ages which railroads arc required to pay to
tho injured and the hoirs Of the killed fur
niah no great amount Of restraint upon the
management in tho intercst Of public safe-
ty. 1t is the smallest, but .ono Of the
various items that enter into tho expense Of run
ming railroad. The number Of those who Lost
their lives by railroad accidents In Great Britain.
in 1872 VAS 759, and there we're 1857 injured.
A very large proportion Of these consisted OF
employees Of the company. The compensation
for injuries amounted to 291d in tho pound, Or
about centa Of cvory IS required to dcfray the
expenses Of operating Ill the roads in the King
dom. Tho slaughter OF this year will largely
excead that Of last year, and yet 1t La predicted
that tho companies will not have paid out any
more money for personal damages Various At
tempts hAvo boon made IN tho British parlia-
ment to compel tho railroads to adopt such pre-
cautionRry measures aa commend themselves at
once to common judgment, such as the block
syatem, which throws llghta mile to the
hoad and a milo to the rear Of moving
trains. But, as 124 railroad Directors arc mem
bora Of the House Of Commons, and sixty-two
railrond Directors In tho House Of Lords, It can
be easily comprehondod why theao measures
have always been defoated. II tho State Legis-
latures in this county would turn their atten-
ton to this feasure Of railroad management,
much might bo accomplished in tho interosts Of
public safety In travel.