The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-05-22
WORK OF FOOL KILLERS.
,xTy or THEM TAKE CHANCES
WIN THEIR LIVES.
ro,os Things the Wrong way-Raiiroad
Circles Furnish the Largest Percentage
of Them-Trying to Save Time.

-..,soized by every wide awake citizen In
~. land II would seem that the in
God circulation OF the daily press
',t cause a decrease OF such class,
,bc startling innovations In mcchani-
.rnliances can be. no doubt held
..,rslhlc for the rapid augmentation.
t,rnv assurance that everybody knows
,oach about everything that nobody
7s any special oversight or care. and
. ir fact. everybody would be happier.
"a General affairs much better conduct
% n everything was just let alone. would
-..inlv be a very comfortable doc
.--e But this administration condi~
...s II affairs has. apparently, not been
cached as yet.
A FOOLISH AND DANGEROUS TRICK,
r,-ring the great rush Of travel to the
,r.-ld's Fair last fan. several gentle
~,,r from cultured Boston occupied seats
t tho smoker Of a special train. II
v.uli be supposed that the scenery along
,ne route. books. cards. or. at the worst
r,rvcrsation would have kept them busy
major part of the route, but they
f..nd sreat amusement in pulling the
,.rhrake cord. and stopping the train
several times before they were caught
IN the act. II is difficult TO believe that
.bev could possibly be ignorant Of the
danger 20 which they might be exposing
yourselves and hundreds of others by
such insane folly. and the only agreeable
ABDUCTION TO be drawn from that incident
,s hat the fines imposed upon the cul-
rr3ts were sufficiently large TO deter
then and their silly compeers from
attempting such humorous conceits in the
future Trains last fall were run quite
close together and the horrible wrecks
were quite sufficient 10 demonstrate the
crudeness Of railroad travel. even at this
late day without having the passengers
themselves add additional risks 10 the
chances of their reaching their destina-
tions without the aid OF the aWe-lhSplr-
irE ambulance wagon.
In almost every walk of life this spe-
cies Of idiot may be found, but against the
credit of the railroads Of the country
there is charged about Co per cent. for
the DEVELOPMENT thereof. In conversation
with an official OF one of the local ran
roads recently, reporter broacheu lie
subject of the recklessness shown by
many people while travelling on or WORK
ing for railroads. The official sald'
RAILROAD MANS TALK.
..Your designation of this class of peo-
nile as 'fool-killers.' Is most rehned
vvav of putting IT, We railroad men use
a harsher expression, which you news
DaDer men generally designate with
dash. That that dash is very expressive
cannot be denied, because our mehtoi,
the genial Depew used the expression /
speak of at d big railroad meeting oiiy
las. week in New York. and the news
noners the next day lent refinement 10
his words by using the dash.
"But to return to the subject Of TOOL
killers" the official continued, Il wouid
like 10 ask few questions. WY VIII
a stout man persist In running Ioi
trains. and after be has caught them'
make us summon a physician AT lle
next station 20 keep him from dying Oh
orr hands through a stroke Of apopeXyF
That happens about once month OUT
Of this station. year In and year out ana
Won know how frequently we run trains.
We have reached that point where we
retain our breath and let them go.
really think the breath wasted in pour
ing advice into this class Of travellers
ears would raise a small-sized cyclone
ST massed together.
Again why will people persist IN
getting off of moving cars backwards
This class is generally a younger one
and the action results from seeing some
one on the platform whom they Know.
They will first get down 20 the last step
on the platform and as the train shoots
into the station. and by their friends
give a shout Of recognition, and imme-
diatelv step of without taking their
eyes from the faces Of the dear ones
The climax is. Of course. sublimely RI
diculous TO the unsympathetc on-lOok-
crs. but extremely painful TO those most
interested. including the railroad officials.
our trainmen always keep a sharp look
out for these fool-killers' but time and
again they persist in making an exhibit
tion Of themselves.
IN HURRY TO GET OFF.
Then there is the suburban commuter.
BY rights. We should kin or cripple one
Of this group daily on an average. Our
patent appliances save many lives. When
q train is fully half a mile from the
terminal station they begin TO move,
nose in the forward cars toward the
Platforms. and those in the rear cars to-
ward the front ones In both cases there
Is a saving Of only feet and seconds in
distance and time, while the risk they
Iun In being jolted from the moving
train is a great one. Almost every day
! have cases reported TO me Of hair
breadth escapes Of these people from
injury The danger lies principally. In the
crowdng on the platform; a jostle from
a Ow-traveler; the car swerves as il
rounds a curve and the unfortunate one
re-ains consciousness In the hospital.
This Is another class we have dscontin-
ued talking advice 10.
You remember that horrible accident
that occurred no. long since just out
side the city wherein a young lady was
killed through walking around the end
Of q train AMI In front Of a swift aD-
preaching express? Well, il was only the
day after that accident occurred that
Wel-known real estate man of this city
came within an inch Of losing his life
IN exactly the same manner. All trains
slack up as much as possible when pass
Ing another train that Is at a standstill
al a station. but 1t frequently happens
that slippery rails and heavy trains pre-
vent any great dminution In speed. That
was the case in both instances | speak
o. The poor girl was in a hurry and
couldn't wait for the train she had ira
veled on 10 pull away from the station
and give a clear view Of the track and
lost her life 10 gain Q minutes time, In
the case OF the real estate man. he was
drawn 10 that locality by curiosity and
business interests. principally the former.
re had. no doubt. read the details OF
the accident In the papers. Then ne
comes out the next day 10 that Identical
station. walks around the rear end or
the stationary train as the luckless VIC