New-York tribune., 1891-12-27
TIE HASTINGS ACCIDENT

The deplorabe railway accident on the liud-
son River Railway presents two distinct lines
Of reflection. One is the public necessity Tor the
indictment and prosecution for manslaughter OF
railway officials through whose criminal negli-
gence death is caused. This disaster indicates
clearly the responsibility OF the brakeman who
neglected to signal the approaching train. A
Niagara Falls special train had been stalled on
the road by the stoppage of local train for re-
pairs TO an engine The brakeman, Herr1ck
was promptly sent back three-quarters OF mile
to signal the approaching St. Louis express lie
reached the station of Hastings, went inside to
talk with acquaintances, and allowed the express
10 thunder by without warning and to destroy
the Niagara Falls train. This would seem to
be a toerably clear case for an Indictment for
manslaughter. If the brakeman had entered the
Niagara Falls train and shot down dozen pas
sengers in cold blood he would not have been
more directly responsible for the deaths which
were caused by his negligence.
The other line of reflection exposes the COM
pany to criticism for protracted delay in intro
drcing the block system OF signalling. This has
been tested on the Pennsylvania Railway dur
ing the last twenty years and found to be
safeguard against accident, but owing to causes
which the Central management will find it
difficult to explain to the satisfaction OF the pub
lie it is now in operation only from the Grand
Central Station to Spuyten Duyvil, although ar
rangements have been made for extending 1t 10
YOnkers and POughkeepsie. Under this system
it is implacticable for train to pass one tower
until the track is clear as far as the next tower,
distance of 5000 feet. The services OF forget
full or disaffected brakemen and red-lante1ns are
dispensed with, and the sections OF the railway
are kept under constant surveillance from the
signa-towers. A prominent official OF the Cen
tral system states that the accident at Hastings
could not have occurred if these 81 gnal- towers
had been in operation. That is practically AN
Indictment of the company before the bar OF
public opinion. After the terrible warning that
has been received measures ought to be taken ait
once for providing the entire line from New
yorl, M Ruffalo with the block system We
have no doubt that the management will do this.
The only explanation of Herrcks neglect
which has been offered is that still another tram
was scheduled in advance of the st. Louis ex-
press Owing TO special causes this train had
been taken off for that day, but Henick, not
knowing that the service had been changed, mis-
took the approaching light as that OF the tram
which ordinarily stopped at Hastings. AS he
had been at the station from five to ten minutes
he had had ample time for ascertaining the
change of schedule and warning the ST. Louis
express. His neglect was utterly inexcusable.
So also will be any further hesitation on the
part of the Central management to put the block
system in geper1ll operation. We are not sure
but that it is the duty of the Legislature to pass
law making block signalling positive require
ment of railway construction and operation in
this State.