New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-25
THE DEADLY GRADE CROSSING.

The embarrassing disaster in Pa>saic on
Monday night is the latest in long and melan-
cboly series. Abundant snow and continued
cold weather have made sleigh-rlding favor
ite form of amusement in numerous localities
where present conditions seldom exist and thus
Indirectly led to most of the accidents OF TINS
character which have been reported within the
last fortnight. Their swift succession and UNI
usual destructiveness have produced an uh-
wonted impression but the slaughter oil Inno-
cents on railroad crossings goes on throughout
the year and attracts little public attention
The railroad companies are not wholly le>pon-
sible. They share the blame with local a'l-
tborities and State Legislatures, and with the
people who excuse ignorance and indifference
on the part of their representatives,.
The tolerant attitude Of popular opinion on
this subject in the United States is exceedingly
discleditable. Speaking generally, there Is a
better excuse for grade crossings here than III
more thickly settled countries, because 1t Is
more difficult to dispense with them. But we
cannot see that this justification can be pleaded
in popuous regions, while i'll crowded cities
and towns their construction and maintenance
cannot be defended on any ground But be-
cause the evil has grown slowly il has aroused
little feeling i'm the process, and so II has grad
ually reached enormous proportions without
arousing decisive and general opposition. The
railroad companies are not solely at faut, as
we have said but nevertheless their RESPONSE
bility is great. and for one special delinquency
they deserve stern condemnation. Under the
most favorable conditions level crossings are
dangerous, but when they are wholly unpro-
1. xl.O T.. Qrnnt m
creased Through the parsimony OF railroad
managers many Of them are so left. constantly
or at certain hours. The Passaic crossing
where the disaster occurred on Monday night
is one of these After o'clock in the even
inc no hagman is there to give warning, though
the situation and surroundings are peculiarly
perilous Similar dead lines are to be found
in every part OF the county, ana we DO not
know that they are scdrcer in tins popnlous
neighborho0d than elsewhere. They are eX-
ceedingly numerous and every one OF them Is
outrageous
Legislatures sometimes take this grave mat
ter into consideration but little is done to
abate the evil. and we believe that in Tact the
total number of level crossings is steadily in
crca sing. even on established lines. new rail-
reads not being taken into account This sg-
| mites a gross and obvious neglect OF duty on
the part of lawmakers The cost of raising
or lowering the grade at all existing crossings
| would be enormous, and if that reform is ever
to be accomplished the expense of it must be
equitably divided and distributed over many
wears. But to keep on multiplying such danger
spots indefinitely is wrongful as it Is need
| less. A just and efficacous law forbidding the
construction of grade crossings hereafter III
this State and providing for the gradual elm
nation Of those now in existence ought TO be
passed without unnecessary delay, and other
States ought to undertake the same humane
work as soon as possible Massachusetts has
ac accomplished more in this direction, we be-
lieve, than any other State. IL is an example
| worthy of imitation.