Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-11


%I Y. east and west those
.!ulIlIll ll!an occurring in this Sec
T 8: :: ::
the Alleghenies would
not have taken place
had that system been
~-f0 in use out there. The
ois wreck on Long Island occurred
on road that is supposed to
work block system. but an investiga-
tion OF the accident demonstrated that al
most every impeachment possible was thrown
IN the way Of its successful use The ter
ribly fatal wrecks that occurred in the west
would one and all have been averted had
the dependence not been placed in the eff
cheney OF running trains by Geographic
orders and holding them apart the regula-
ton period OF ten minutes. After the great
exposition has become has been" and the
different companies count up their gains
and losses those that figure in the former
class will no doubt expend a good round
sum in improving the safeguards of a sue
cessful train service. and those in the latter
class can contemplate the folly Of putting
of too long improvements that would have
landed them on the safe side Of the ledger.
Carelessness of Employees.
A majority Of the so-called accidents on
the western roads have not been caused by
the failure of rolling stock. bridges. or
roadbed to stand the strain put upon them.
but to the terrible carelessness of employees
IN places Of great responsibility. The COLI
sion in Michigan. in which some twenty
MAI lin
to unacceptable Masses was caused by
the reckless disobedience Of plain orders on
the part Of officers in charge of one Of the
trains. The block system would have pre-
vented this. Apparently these officers
readily took the risk Of continuing beyond
the point where they had been directed to
stop. knowing that at any time they might
meet another train on the same track 1t
will be remembered that they were able to
escape by jumping off just before the colli-
sion that sent twenty-six passengers into
eternity. The collision in Illinois, a few
hours earlier between a limited express and
train Of coal cars. could not have taken
place II those in charge of the freight train
had exercised ordinary care and observed
the fundamental rules Of the service These
are the latest additions to an appalling list
Of blunders and instances Of reckless DISC
bedience which have caused great loss Of
life since the beginning Of last summer, and
the latest collision, followed by fire that
left only the charred bodies Of many VIC
Tins that cannot be identified. Is the worst
of all.
1t is true that in the last months Of the
great exposition many railroad lines were
overtaxed by the sudden and exceptional
growth Of the passenger traffic. which has
found them poorly equipped, both as to the
safeguards which were needed and the
employees required for the work. 1t is prob
that were trustworthy under old conditions
had become unreliable and even reckless
under the strain Of overwork But while
the people generally may be interested in
the discussion of the underlying causes Of
such a series of dreadful events. they are
more deeply interested in suggestions as
to the action which can be taken to prevent
such carelessness and disregard for the
safety of passengers as have been shown
this year.
Heavy Penalties Necessary.
A question to be considered is the PEN
alties which a company may suffer. Are
they heavy enough? The loss Of property
a great corporation. The conviction Of a
conductor or an engineer or a train-dis-
patcher on a charge Of manslaughter can
exercise very little restraining influence
upon the company that employs them. But
II 1t were possible to collect through the
courts large sums In damages for the lives
that are lost the companies would be much
more careful both in the supervision Of
their employees and in the establishment Of
block signals and other safeguards. For the
twenty-six lives sacrificed in Michigan the
relatives of the victims can recover from
the company at most $4,000, or $500 for
each life. If this limit, which Is imposed by
the laws in most of the states. were removed,
such terrible slaughter as this would be so
expensive to company that The establish
ment of approved safeguards would not be
neglected, and every possible effort to in
sure the efficiency Of train officers and the
preservation Of passengers ives would be
made. Under present conditions a railroad
company suffers much smaller loss in
money when a passenger is killed than
when one is crippled.
This is illustrated in a story told of the
late Gen. Butler In q collision in Massa-
chusetts some years since a prominent man
was killed and his son had both limbs sew
cred above the knees. 5000 was all the law
allowed for the death, but there Is no limit
in the matter Of damages allowed a cripple.
Gen. Butler had the boys case in charge
and sued the company for $4,000 The latter
| wanted to compromise on $4,000. This made
the general indignant and he told the COM
pany II they didn't settle for the full amount
he would raise the claim to $50, 900 and, what
was more, he would collect 1t. Knowing
the generals ability the counsel for the
company agreed upon conference to be
held in the formers office Gen. Butler had
the boy brought to his office, who had recov-
cred from a terrible experience of having
both limbs severed about six inches below
the thighs. Placing the boy on a table in
the office in front of the visiting counsel
the general said in an impressive voice:
You killed that boys father. his mother
has been dead some years. and that is the
condition you have left him in to face the
world. What do you think jury would al
low me in damages were to place the case
plainly before them?"
The SIS, 900 was paid the next day.
Speaking to an Evening Star reporter
about the lessons taught through the i'm
mense traffic of the worlds fair and pros
pective improvements as a result thereof
an official of one of the local roads, one day
during the past week, said:
Valuable Lessons Learned.
"All the eastern roads have made money
this year, and those of the western section
that have not come out ahead will about
split even. Every observing railroad man
mas learned valuable lessons, especially in
the last months Of the fair. One of the
eastern roads was driven into adopting the
block signal last winter through an acct
dent to two Of its trains, for which 1t is
now thankful, for without that system the
road would undoubtedly have been choked
UP during the month Of October. The acct
dents east and west have taught us that
no system is perfect in the moving of
inc nd hacir ia 10 a no