Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-01-02
lancaster fntelligenrer.
Railroad Management.


The message OF the governor OF New
York TO the Legislature just convened,
speaks among other things Of the work
Of the board Of railroad commissioners
Of the state, which was organized In
February I, 1888, under law passed In
1882. These commissioners have gen.
eral supervision Of the railroads Of the
state. They inquire into all complaints
made against the companies and exam
Inc the condition Of the roads, bridges
and equipment. Every accident occur
ring in any part Of the state Is at once
reported to the board. They find that
from Feb. to Sept. l, 1888, period OF
eight months, "a passengers were Killed
on railroads in the state, and lis in
jured /; Of the employees l10 were Eilleh
and 300 wounded Of other persons 40
were killed and 146 injured. The most
of the latter class we're hurt at road
crossings. The number OF these cross
inos in the state they find to be 6,ssl OF
these the number where the view OF the
railroad is obstructed on the highway at
$50 feet distance from the crossing is
1870.
The board has further considered the
question CT freight rates and has some
measures prepared to submit to the Leg
islature. 1t has required the filing OF
quarterly reports by the railroad compa
MES exhibiting their financial condition
which the governor justly considers a
most important step towards ameliora-
ting the injury done the country by its
present irresponsible railroad manage
ment.
lis certainly most scandalous thing
that one man or one clique of men should
be able to seize great railroad property
belonging to them but in small part, TO
WELD it for their own advantage, without
any knowledge on the part of the stock
holders of what is being done with their
property; and sometimes without even
the knowledge of the directors. See
Henry Wizards case. The executive
committee OF the O. & I. company Is
now engaged in looking into the assets
of the company to see what it owes and
owns it being an actual fact that the
company's own executive committee had
no idea of its debts or credits. Willard
had been blindly entrusted with the
management and the nominal managers
among whom was one Of the firm of
Drexel & Co., only aroused themselves
to inquire what he had been doing as
they picked themselves odt of the ruins
when the concern was wrecked.
Certainly corporations which work
under charter from the people with
special privileges and great powers,
should be required to statedly report
what they are doing that it may be seen
that their privileges and powers are not
abused. The books of all corporations
should be at all times open to the states
inspection. Every state should have
department especially charged
with the examination into the
working OF It's corporations. 1t
is not only railroad corporations
that need inspection and oversight. 1t
is sad to think of the time wasted during
this year by the Pennsylvania Legisla
ture that might have been 80 prohtabl!
employed in giving the people the pro
lection they 80 sorely need against cor
poration wrongs. There are man
measures loudly calling for place o
our statute book, and it is a matter
the deepest regret that the present lie.
islature is so justly offensive to the pee
pie as to make it inexpedient t) ask il
recall for their consideration.