Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-09-17
Aanraster fntelliaenfer.
SATURDAY EVENING, SEPT. II, 1881
Let Us Protect Ourselves.

0AVOhDAY EVENING, SEPT. Ia, 1881.
Let Us Protect Ourselves.
The blood of the man who was killed
at the Prince street crossing is upon
those who have not needed the fact,
which has been SO obvious to everyone,
that life and limb are daily put in peril
at every unguarded crossing of the
streets by the railroad. The railroad
company's officers are responsible for
this slaughter and should he held liable
for it criminally and civilly; but blame
also rests upon the city authorities who
permit these dangers to continue when
it is in their power to abate them. The
attention of councils should be given to
the regulation of these crossings. They
have the power to require the railroad
company to put watchman wherever
they consider one to he necessary ,and they
should exercise it. A little while ago a
vigorous effort was made to enforce the
ordinance regulating the speed of the
trains, and large number of suits were
brought to recover the penalties incur
red. They seem to be sleeping prob
ably awaiting the slow progress of their
turn for trial to come. When they are
tried the railroad company will have a
bill of damages to pay which ought to
convince it of the superior economy of
guarding its crossings. 1t is remarkable
that such a measure of reasonable pre-
caution is not taken by the railroad Off
cials of their own free will. Corpora
ti0ns have no souls, but railroad
presidents have; and why are they
willing to have the blood upon
them of their fellow-citizens and to
incur the just reproaclles of their fel-
low-citizens to save few dollars which
no one asks them to save? The Penn
sylvania railroad company is fully able
to pay for all necessary safeguards to
life in running its trains. Its officers
have a deservedly high reputation for
the care they bestOw upon the safety
and comfort of those who ride upon their
trains. All their appointments arc rs
perfect as they can be made. The road
bed is the best in the country, and so is
the rolling stock. Why then is
it that men vino are SO careful
Of the welfare Of those whom they
carry are so regardless of the safety
of the people of the communities through
which their trains pass When it is
clear that train crossing Il street at
grade endangers the lives of those it is
apt to meet, why is it that the officers of
this rich and well-provided company are
not eager to adopt every reasonable pre-
caution to prevent accidents We do
not know; unless it may be that they
consider that the passenger who has paid
his fare has bought the right to be
carried safely, while they owe no.
thing to the poor man OH the
road who has paid them no tribute.
Whatever the reason the ugly fact is OBJ
vious. The railroad officers will do no
thing to protect the lives of our citizens
that they are not compelled to do. Shall
they not then he compelled ? Shall they
not be hanged when they commit murder,
and imprisoned when their crime is
manslaughter Shall thcy not be
muIcted in heavy damages when they
injure life or limb And shall not the
authority of the city be exercised to re-
quire the safeguards from them which
common prudence makes necessary ?
Let all these things be done !; we can
protect ourselves, and why not do it