The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-07
DANGEROUS Trans.

There is not a passenger depot in this
,ity TO which it is safe to drive carriage of
any sort-not one that can be reached
without crossing railroad tracks. The
and the Peoria. and the c, V. NJ.
Co. railroad passenger depors are in the
same building. All haYe equal rights there
for passengers, and the building stands in
the midst of net work of railroad tracks
and is an unsafe, land dangerous place. The
Western Union is at the depot of the CIR.
|. & P. and that is as dangerous trap as
could be designed. It never should have
been built. 1t is practically out of town, is
as unsatisfactory to our people as it would
be if located in Moline, and is as positively
dangerous to teams and passengers as it
could be made. No man ever rode across
the tracks uear 1t with feeling of safety
And when you get across, on one side arc
tracks and moving trains, and on the other
a precipice over which it would be death
for team to go, and not the slightest
measure of safety or guard or fence to
prevent going over. Hemmed into mar.
row space, no man or team is safe either
there, or in going in or getting out.
On Saturday evening about 9. 3O,a string
of carriages, express wagons, mail wagon
etc., going to the Chicago night train, had
been delayed at the crossing by an out
going freight. 1t is said there was no flag
man, and no light, except on the outgoing
locomotive. The Bellows House 'buss was
ahead, and as the rear end of the trair
passed the crossing, Alfred Boughmann
the driver of the Bellows House 'buss.sup
posing the track to be clear started to drivt
over. AS he got upon the track he foune
another train backing down. There wal
no light and no person to warn him not II
cross. A second must decide what b
would do. Should he apply the whip ant
save his team and himself?-or jerk bacl
his team and save his passengers? HI
pulled up, with all his strength, back
ing the 'buss off the track a
the rear car struck his horses. Baugh
mann jumped and struck upon the car {
fat and was carried back by the train il
safety The horses were crushed-on
killed instantly; the other having broke
jaw, bruised head and injured internally
In the 'buss were four passengers. The
gQt out without injury, except one ma
slightly bruised on the head. The bus
is total wreck-said to be not worth r.
pairing. The living horse was taken t
Hartzelrs stable and is under medic;
treatment, but will probably die.
The other teams, warned by Baughmanl
did not get upon the track.
The horses were especially valuable as
hotel team, because they were so perfect
safe. Nothing could frighten them, ant
besides being valuable of themselves, the
were especially valuable to hotel ma
who looks out for the safety of his guest
At present the Bellows House is usin
the Rock Island House 'buss and team.
We suppose there can be no question {
to the liability of the Railroad Company
paw all damages. At place prepared |
the company for teams to cross; at an hol
) when they are invited there by the cor
pany to deliver or receive passengers; Wi
no fagman to warn drivers of their DANCE
no lights to show drivers when the ira,
is clear; no signal of warning on the da
end of a train backing down on the riv
r side of another train when it was impos
i BILE for driver to see it or hear 1.-THE
/ things. if true, make case SO clear tn
there can be no question of the liability
e the company to pay the damages, Fort
t nate indeed is it for the company tn
it is only horses and carr iage; that no h
man lives we're offered up on that 70
J that leads to death.
s We hope this accident will lead to Il
inauguration Of measures of safety at tn
crossing, and to the removal of the dept
either on the south side Of all the tracks,
: back to its old site, corner of Madison al
Illinois street,
;, | hereby respectfully invite everybo
to call and examine my beautiful stock
clothing and furnishing goods.
II |. BAMBERGER.