Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-07-09
The So-Callcd Accident on the Norfolk and
Western Railroad.

railroad OnlcldlS 10 pui on lntI otu''J lh-
caps:
The So-Callcd Accident on the Norfolk and
Western Railroad.
70 tie Eiaor Of ne Disp1tch:
Is not time for suffering public to
take stems TO protect itself from the many
accli7lts by which our railroads are DESTROY
inc 30 many valuable hvesY The late hor-
rbleoccurrence dh the Norfolk and West
ern road Of whichrcpOrters were not allow
cd to inform themselves by gong 10 the
spot. has been examined into by the Com,
missioner of Railroads for tins State, and
he informs the country that no one
is to blame. as we learn by your
issue Of last Saturday. Is II posi-
bic that such sacrifice of human lie
has taken place and there Is no one TO
blame am not one of those who would
lay such things 10 the door Of accident. In
almost every case an investigation Will snow
that they are the results of gross negll-
Cence Enough has h~en made pubic IN
this case. il spite of the railroad officials,
20 show that This last holocaust was the re-
suit of the misconduct OF the railroad OH
cials. 1t is undeniable that there had been
a long-cOntinued rainy season. winch had
s0ftencd the railroad banks, and should
have caused the company 10 be more
than usually careful. On that night
there was cloud-burst over a part OF the
track And yet the Inflated train was run
at high speed in the nighttime over
- deep ell. through which there was "a
water stream, and no means were taken 70
ascertain the condition of the track, 80 far
AS has been known. was in Philadelphia
soon after the occurrence and met an OH
cal OF the Pennsylvania road, which Is
better managed than any American road |
know Of / asked him why such an accl-
dent was allowed 10 happen 10y railroads
as the one Just reported near Lynch
burg lie replied that Il came from a want
of the proper number of track examiners
that with his road tho track was examined
by n track-walkcr before the passage OF
every train, and lie supposed that the want
Of money had caused the Norfolk and
Western to neglect this preeaution. which,
if taken, would have prevented the acci-
dent. On my return met a Lynchburger
who informed me that it was reported IN
that city that the Norf )lh and western mad
taken their track-walkers on some time
previous on the score Of want Of money to
paw them. However this may be. II IS APP
parent that had the railroad officials caused
the track to Ice properly examined before
the passage Of the wrecked train the tram
would not have plunged into a vashout
and further. that after such rains II was L he
crossest negligence 10 run a tram rapid
" over the track before II was carefully eX-
AHMED
In view of the want Of this reasonable
rrecaution cannot look upon the occur
renee as anything but granddaughter. If
the people owning the road are too poor to
run it properly they ought TO advertise
that fact and let the travelling public avoid
the route. II the failure to run IT properly
and with safety is he result of greed, then
they are doubly culpable and should suffer
tho penalty Of the law.
The public will have to protect itself
from such accidents. The voters Of the
State should see to 1t that their representa-
tiyes pass laws TO prevent them. Is 1t not
time to require all railroads 10 have double
tracks and thus TO avoid collisions? Can
they not be required to keep their tracks
under constant supervision toy track-walk-
ersf | sincerely hope the public will not
lapse into state Of carelessness rs to its
own safety, hut will make the last great
catastrophe the occasion of new regula-
lions upon its railroads. Respectfully,
w W H.