Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1882-01-18
RsilrOsd safe Guards.

in New YORK, rlch anu utaTltthh'H5 III
its harvest of death, affords cause for
thought and reflection. and the question
poes from tongue to tongue, why 90 Such
accidents occur? When they are looked
into, the causes are generally traced L"
some neglect or carelessness on the part
Of some employees Of The road, and occa-
aonAlly to tue ni'ehisvous ds~ire at
some wicked person who places 0bstruc-
lions upon the track to crafty a pet
SOnal feeling of revenge, he may have
against the company. The latter are
difficult to avoid, but those resulting
from the carelessL ess Of the company,
should never occur II is sjckeriDg to
think that the New York Central disas.
ter was the cause ofthe carelessness OF
brakesma n, who had grown gray in the
service of The company. deherai'y
brakesmen are the victims, but IN THIS
case it is reversed. We can, however,
hardly expect perfection from poor,
weak, hu man nature, and the Old ada9e
that accidents will happen, will re-
main true to the end OF time. But here
is an accident that could have been
avoided in the first place by the brake: :
man, Melius, and in the secoLd place
by the company. The one single brakes
man, of course, is TO blame, but the
company is TO blame more. Why
should 50 much responsibility be
thrown upon a single brakesnan' II
was his place TO 60 back far enough TO
signal the next train, when his own
had stopped. That he did not 90 81
was his own fault, aud in default OF
doing his duty, he should be made 10
suffer. After ali it wa. care.essness
with no thought Of an accideut-th+re
never is thought Of that kind with old
experienced railroad men, They be-
come used To the service and never
dream Of danger. Melius thought there
could not possibly be any train within
miles of him, and there would be SUN
Gent time for his own 10 get away be
fore any other would come. Here was
his mistake. He had no right to Till. K
30. 1t was bis place TO obey the rules
of the company and 20 back with HI
signal until he met the next approaC. :
ing train, or until be had trav-rsed the
distance required, without ,iguyi!ug a
train. Here was his mi3taEe, ami il
cuse nor paliatiOn for Il. He slmp.y
did not do his duty, aud by his neglect
q dozen or more souls have bteh
launched Inro eternity, some % them
after the most iudesCiIDakIe aud hlrri.
bic sufierlngs. But the poor brakes.
man is not the only one to blame fer
this terrible accident The lar ger share
OF the responsibility after all must rest
upon the shoulder. Of the coInpanv
Why should the company pace much
responsibility upon single brakeman
and he alone stand between train vi
living human freight and death? Why
should hrakesman, some lines un,e'-
tered and unskillcd often without
the best Of mora character, be the ONLY
connecting link between life and death.
The company Itself should be held re
spOnslbie 50 long As it mas not adopted
every safe guard that can possibly be
made available in protecting human
lives. Here was leading New York
railroad that had not adopted The block
signal system in successful operation
on the Pennsylvania and other rail.
roads. Had tLi, been in Use, the terri.
Die accident, which for the las; few
days has chilled the public blood, could
not have happened. Any railroad tha
does not adopt the latest and most az
proved appliances and Inventions for
protecting human lives, should be mad.
to do 80 by the stern edIcr Of I4w A
law should be passed III every state.
compelling railroads 10 adupt the
block signalling system and ,afoty
patent coupler. The travelling publ,
have right to demand all railroad cor
poratlons carrying passengers, that they
provide, at whatever expens-, all rcA-
sonabie safe guards against collisions;
that the lives and limbs e pAsaen yer,
DE- lot put in jeopardy y the neg,:
gehct OF aDy one or two employees. and
IL Is ohvi"u, y for tie interest Of the
'oh ishy III financial 10 say nothing
Via haiI'al',n s"nsr, 70 take II,
o>most pi"c@u'iuI4 against such A, ci.
hrh'S' and II railroad corporation i,
NJ nhmndfuI VI j.,Ywn and the tn-.r.
eS's OF thepubiI", ~ 20 nrg.cct to max,
theSe wire precautions, They -houd h.
r'miho'd Ct then by a,rIn gpyj..IIru
legal enaCtiuents.