Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-02-16

Investigations o.
A COPY of the Congressional Re-
cord containing the action of the
House on the lst inst, has been sent
us. We find from it that the aeci-
dent of this place, has stimulated
legislation to provide more thorough
investigations against accidents up
on railroads. Unanimous consent
was asked by Mr.. Garfield to intro
duce and have referred to the Com
mittee on Railroads and Canals,
bill, for the object named. No
member of the House, said Mr. G
needs to be reminded of the dread
full railway disaster that occurred at
Ashtabula, in my district a few
weeks since, surprising in its accu-
mutation of horrors any that has ev-
er occurred in the history of rail
roads. The bill provides for means
to inquire generally into the causes
OF such accidents, and to obtain such
information on the subject as may
enable the engineers of the country
to divise new safeguards for the
travelling public. / understand the
committee has the general subject
under consideration. The bill was
drafted at my request by Charles
Francis Adams, Jr., of Massachn-
setts, who is perhaps more thorough
lY acquainted with the great qnes-
tions connected with railways than
any other American. / submit with
the bill letter from Mr.. Adams,
which think will be of value to the
committee and to the House.
II has been suggested that spe-
cial bureau should be created by
Congress to procure statistics upon
the subject. But / do not think
that is necessary. 1t has been
fault in our legislation in recent
years that we have multiplied bu-
reaus too much. The bill l offer as
sumes no authority over railroads
and creates no new national Office.
1t requires a board of officers of Ar
my engineers to examine and report
upon such accidents especially as re-
suit from constructions of engineers.
l should be equally well pleased if
the duty were enioined upon the
commission recently created for the
purpose of testing iron and steel.
Up to the present moment, the cause
of the Ashtabula disaster does not
appear to have been ascertained.
The questions of practical engineer
ing science involved in that accident
are of the highest importance, and /
hope Congress will aid in making
such inquiries as may solve it. l ask
that the bill and letter may be pub
lished, and l move that the Commit
tee on Railways and Canals may
have leave to report on the subject
at any time.
There being no objection, the bill
10 provide for the more thorough in
vestigation of accidents on railroads
was read first and second time, Or
dered to be printed, referred to the
Committee on Railways and Canals,
with authority to report at any time,
and ordered to be printed in the Re
cord with the accompanying letter.
The bill is as follows:
A bill to provide for the more thorough in
vestigation of accidents upon railroads.
of Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, That the
President of the United States IS hereby
authorized and requested to appoint a
board of three commissioners, who shall be
officers of engineers Of the Army, to in
uuire into the number, causes, and means
of prevention of accidents on railroads in
the United States, the number of persons
killed or injured thereby, and the most ap-
proved means of preventing the occurrence
of the same. And it shall be the duty of
said commissioners to hereafter investigate
such accidents on railroads as may in their
Judgment be accompanied by circumstan-
ces of an unusual or unexplained charac-
ter, and specially report upon the same.
SEC. 2. That the commissioners appoint |
ed under the act shall, in addition to their
pay as officers Of engineers of the Army, |
receive compensation for actual travel and |
other necessary expenses incurred in the |
duties herein designated.
SEC. 3. That, in addition to all special |
reports from time to time made, the COM |
missioners herein provided for shall at the |
close of each year forward to the Secretary |
Of the Treasury general report upon the |
subject of accidents upon railroads in the |
United States during that year, which re-
port, together with any special reports |
which the commissioners may have made |
during such year, shall be submitted to
Congress.
Mr.. Adams letter is omitted.