Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-01-25

and the company organized July 3, 1881
IL viii connecs with the Maine Central
Railroad st Ssowhes4n, ssi the SJmsrseI
railway at NUrridarwock. The length OF
he road is shou. five sud one half miles !;
he route being along the north -ide of III
KenDebec river. We are otfie II IL =
tufm d that ,he worsi1g survey was made
last October. ard thaE the directors have
advertised for proposals to build the rosd (;
that the Maine Central Railroad Company
have made pr posiHon TO the com 3suy 20
lease the road upon term, Which have been
accepted by the company. The dir c ors
hope to get ii under contract and have it
bli. the ming summer
Train Service, Stations, etc.
Much has been done within tue psst few
years. by railroad corporations and mans
gers, by Improvements IN train service, t.
promote the comfort AMI convenience Of
rsyelers 90 their roads. Much more roomy
sud attractive passenger cars are now used
than we're formerly.
Station buildings on nearly all of the
iLcipai lines of railroad in the State, have
been rebuilt or repaired and enlarged, snd
made comfortable and convenient. By the
use OF modern methods for beating, il prop
erly cared for, not only q more uniform
heat is obtained, but passengers ears can
De easily KEEP. clean and neat.
q tbi, connection, We 4. sire 70 especial.
ly commend Order No Gel recently issued
by The General Manager Of the Maine Ger =
tral, TO station SCENTS and trsiu men, rels-
tive o keeping water closets in stations and
passenger cars, free from dirt aud otje.
nor able od0rs.
We egret to be compelled to say, that,
IN several railroads in this State, there is R
sad want in respect 10 these important maj
lers.
A more perfect system of ventilation c
passenger cars is still much needed. The
sck OF automatic regulation OF the systems
Of steam hesiag, aud the neglect of train
men whose duly il ia to care for same, otter.
causes passenger csrs to be over heste J.,
and, with the otdinsry systems Of ventiS-
ton, the air soun becomes vitiated and
ppressive. To obtain fresh sir, pa5se gers
Are too frequently eompe led 10 open car
windows, which are 50 constructed, ths',
~h,le these who open Windows may obtsiu
'euporsry relief, al additional discom Tort
is Their by forced upon those who unfortu-
n ,teiy sit behind them.
The comforts, eonvenieucas and even
luxury that now surround those who Iul-
ney by rail, is more keenlv appreciated by
oder travellers than by the r,sng gepers-
zion; s. but for the want of more per-
feet sy stem OF ventilation and regu atiou OF
temperature in cars, former discomfort Of
rsvei by rail, would be largely ,verco ne.
At the present time, no unIform style Of
CONSTRUCTION Of passenger cars is adopted
or ADJ. red 20, ard evsry thing connect
With ventiisti9n OF cars, is apparently in an
experimental stage, no uniform method
seems to have been approved or sd opted.
We trust that these sut cts will receive
more attention FIR rs'lt"sd managers in
tn future, AID thss uniform and approved
methods Of hes.ing and ventilating passed.
ger cars will soon be adopted.
Accidents.
TIE returns from the various railroads
operst d in this State show remarkable
freed IN from fatal accidents 10 passengers
OI' of tire 5 SOP 6i6 passengers carried
on .tesm faitr a . in Name only one was
killed AMI oHiy five injured; and out Of
3 il3 355 passengers carried en- electric
and Uth-r stree. fsllr ads, only one passei =
ger is reported as injured
As will De seen By tae special rspor's
hereinafter arlnted, two serious sccij rts
to pssssIgs siue occurred OF the Bosom
and Maine i.siirosd sy stem during the "
bus happily only one person was kill-l,
and thoush some employees were m
or less hurt no passengers rece,v q
any msteri'l jlr9. These two sccii- MS
sere. rs this board found on investis stion
stributsb e net TO sny defect or wsnt Of
repair in road or rolling stock, but mainly
to the Carelessness of employees.
A series of rear collision accidents, such
IS fhess, have occurred throughout the
country during the past year, and are
apparently increasing 10 number each year
Probably the cause Of all or nesrly all of
these accidents, was csrelessness en- the
part Of operatives or employees. If that be
true, it shows a lack Of care on the pirt Of
railroad managers, in selecting competent
man, snd properly trsiuiDg sn0 fitting them
T. discharge the impor,s t duties necessarily
entrusted 10 them.
The lives of the travelling public ou2bt
rot to be entrusted 10 the care OF men who
are employed through fsvori,ism, or for
rh- ress IN tina. ihey miy be wiiliog to work
for low rate Of wages.
As Te have said 10 our former report, we
believe that to secure ffi;iency Of trsinmen
al1 other employees OF railroads, ssysle m
OF grazing in esch department, and promo
tons in tbss- and to other departing nts,
based upon careful eXsmi1s gio1s and ss a
re~sri for care and fSitbfulDess and COM
potency shown, sh1uid be m DE-. Re q
mesns of stimulating men q these respects,
corre,pondirg rate CT comgen
sstion should follow each promotion.
We are Confident that il such
q policy should be adopted by railrosd cor
p jrstioGs. greaser Efficiency would be Sc
curel. We too belis We that there is lack Of
uniformity in rules and regulations for the
movement Of trains throughout the county
that ought not to exist. and that set Of
general rules thst would D. applicable to
the movement of trsin. on all railroads
shou be agreed up1n and sdoptsi Were
this done, ,rsirm n would receive = uniform
educstton ard training that, shen once &C
CURED would be las'iDg and beneficial to
mem, and which, We think. would tend 10
make the m more efficient wherever en-
pioyed.
The filio .irg table sho~s the number
aud sprsrent cause of all accidents occuI-
ing on rsiirosd. in Maine during the year
ending June 30, 1891.
TRAIsMES. - Coupling and uncoupling.
trsinmen killed, O: mjared 6. Failing
from trains and er gi1ss, XII ed, 2; l. jd-ed,
/. Collisions, / killed injured. O her
train accidents, l killed, l Injured A.
stations. killed. O,b=- causes. killed.
rossl, killed snd 10 injured. Switchmen.
figmen s1d ws'camen. Coupling and IN
coupling, killed Otter ,-si1 accidents,
killed. ToEsl. 2 kllle1. o her empl1ves.
Falling from trsins ard engines, l killed
Othe, rsin accidents, III lre3. rotsl,
killed snd il jured.
Passengers. Jumping on trains ! killed
Collisions, injured. Jump from trains,
| ipJlred Totsl. | killed and ipjdrei.
rrespsssefs. At stations, killed. O.her
causes, 8 killed.
At highway crossings. injured. Other
causes, 8 Injured. Total, 8 Killed AMI
injured
Diners. O!her train sccidenss. ? killed,
hirsd At highway crossings, killed.
Total, killed snd injured. Grand total,
% killed ard 90 injured.
Electric and Horse Railroads.
Passengers. Collisions, hjurei.
Trespssser-. Osber cau,es, injured.
rossI. II lred.
Respsctfulls submitted.
D. n. Mos7LAsD, Rsi'fcai
A W NuDs, Coumi.soners
Roscos L 6owERs If Msins
JONAH q Z: r c: =: : c. 6: