Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-01-22


hightful disasters have been repOrted-one on
land the other at sea-iHvolving In the aggregate
An appalling loss OF life. The first of these occur
red by the running down OF the Hamburg New
York steamer Cinnbria, BY which over four hun
ored human beings were hurried TO their fate; the
other was the burning OF awrecked passenger
tEain On the Southern Pacific railway. where the
loss OF life was less only because fewer persons
were on boarl than happened to b. on the sunk
vessel such results as these are shocking enough
when all reasonable precautions are taken to pre-
vent them; when they spring from greed or neglt-
gence they are little less than crime. And 1t Is
not too much to Say that I'm both these instances
human life has been needleSsly sacrificed. There
f5 little reason TO doubt that the use OF an electric
light and yigilant watchfulness would have pre-
vented the fatal collision on the North Sea; while
the adoption OF long and much needed device lot
heating railway passenger cars by steam or hot
water pipes connected with the locomotive would
have materially reduced the number OF deaths by
the railway disaster. since the victims in this case
seem TO have been burned to death, Instead or
MANNED or killed, IS usually the case I'm the de-
railment OF trains Ii the fornality OF cOroner's
inquest Is observed IN either case the verdict will
doubtless be that nobody was to blame; but intel
hgent people viii know better. Nothing is palmer
than the fact that the horrors of the one calamity
could have been greatly mitigated, and the other
prevented entirely, had due precautions been
taken by those upon whom the responsibility
properly rests, and who should be held 10 rigid
count for not adopting them.
The Post calls upon It's city contemporaries to
Unite with Ii In helping to get new gas company
chartered. We can say in response to this call
that we pay the Present gas company high
price for very Indifferent gas and We shall be glad
10 encourage any bona flde attempt to provide bet
Ter and cheaper ga. But THE STAR has no time nor
space to give to bOlstering up the schemes of the
speculative gentlemen who are on hand every ses-
SIGN with alleged charter bills for gas compa-
nies, but who have no other object than TO compel
the present company TO buy them on the effect of
which naturallylS TO increase instead OF cheapenng
the price OK gas 1t may be that the present pro-
Ject is not OF this sort, and that those pushing 1t
really mean what they say Ii so, they should
get their charter without delay; but their fran
chise should be accompanied by stringent pro-
yiso fOrbiing IT'S sale or Transfer In any shape TO
any other company. The citizens of Washington
are not IN the mood to endure the evils and dis
comforts OF having the payements pulled up in all
the streets OF the city by sham gas company
who are operating solely 70 compel purchase OF
their franchise. The experiences of the people Of
Washington with various telegraph companies
who, under the pretense OF building competing
lines to the Western Union, have filled up the
streets with clumsy poles and webs OF air-strung
wires, and have then sold out to the great monop-
Oily, have taught them a lesson.
The outlook for Mes,rs. Window and Ferry as
their own success ors in the United States Senate
is anything but encouraging to them. Both men
have determined following, but, in each case,
the numoe is short Of that requisite TO elect. The
opposition Is stubborn, and the situation In both
Minnesota and Michigan, Indicates that compro-
mise men Will have to be chosen. 1t is not often
that caucus nominee who fails OF election
through several days balioting ever reaches the
yNal
animoSitieS and grows more bitter as Ii goes On.
Messrs- Window and Ferry, with the organized
support they command, viii probably be able to
dictate their successors. In Nebraska and Colo
RADIO the balloting CONTINUES in scattering man.
NET, and II both these states 1t Is not improbable
that new men, free from the antagonisms that
have been aroused will win the prize
inspired by The tnefficiency Of the police In that
city, the thieves in New York are growing holder
every day. The latest and most audacious of their
reported achievements the robbery of the
tary Oh the Mining Stock Exchange, in his Office,
on Thursday, In broad daylight, and the snatch
Ing In ole OF the streets OF Brooklyn on Saturday
afternoon OF a satchel containing s1,O2O from the
hands OF the man who WAS carrying it to one OF
the factories III that city for the purpose of nay.
Ing OH it, hands. SO far the cuprits I'm either
case have, not been apprenended. Clearly the
tine would sem to be nearly at hand for some Of
~ W IOllOW tue Oll-Ilnle example
OF San Francisco. and establish a vigilance com
Eittee.
Dublin Is again in an uproar OF excitement over
The discovery OF secret organizations, banded to
gether for tie purpose OF aSSdssinatng OFF cials
These disclosures should be received with some
grains OF allowance, as they are based upon the
testimony OF informers, men who confess to have
been participants In the assassination plots. Or
the other hand, the bloody scenes that have been
enacted In Ireland give the color OF proof to the
statement that asSaSSinations are Systematically
planned and executed. Every well-wlsher OF Ire.
land Will join in the hope that the men who seek
TO employ murder and ASSES nation as means fol
attaining political ends may be discovered and
punished They are the worst enemies OF thai