The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-03-16
RAILROAD COLLISIONS,
Horrible Results Of Some OF tho Latest
Suggest That Something Must BE Done.


A majority of the so called accidents
on our railroads i'll the last three or four
months have not been caused by the fail.
ure of rolling stock, bridges or -oadDed
to stand the strain put upon them, bu5 TO
the terrible carelessness of employees in
places of great responsibility. The col
lision in Michigan was caused by the
reckless disobedience of plain orders Oh
the part of the officers in charge of ono
Of the trains. Apparently these officers
readily took the risk of continuing be-
yond the point where they had heen di
rected to stop, knowing that at any time
they might meet another fast train on
the same track 1t will be noted that
they We're able to escape by jumping of
just before the collision that killed 20
passengers.
=, The collision in Illinois few hours
sarier between limited express and u
strain of coal cars could not have taken
place if 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 in
stances of reckless disobedience which
have caused great loss of life since the
beginning of last summer, and this latest
collision, followed by fire that left only
the charred bodies of many victims who
could not be identified. is the worst Of
all.
1t is true that in the last few months
many railroad lines have been overtaxcd
by sudden and exceptional growth OF
passenger traffic which has found them
poorly equipped both as TO the safe
guards which are needed aud the en-.
ployees required for the work. Its prob
able, also that on some roads employees
who were trustworthy under old coudi.
tons have become untrustw0rthy am
even reckless under the strain OF over
work. But, while the people generally
may be interested i'll discussion OF tho
underlying causes of such a. series ct
dreadful events. they are more deeply
interested i'll suggestions us to tue action
which can be taken to prevent such
carelessness and disregard for the safety
Of passengers, as have been shown this
year.
Are the penalties which company
may suffer heavy enough! The loss OF
property in collision is not an impor-
tant loss for great corporation. The
conviction of a conductor, OF an engineer.
Or train dispatcher on charge of man
slaughter can exercise very little re-
straining influence upon the company
that employed him. But if it were pos.
Mble 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 26 lives sacrificed ia Michigan
the relatives of the victims can recover
from the company almost $3.50. 900, or
5000 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 80 expensive
to company that the establishment of
approved safeguards would not be neg
lected, and every possible effort to insure
the efficiency of train officers aud the
preservation of passengers lives would
he made. Under present conditions q
railroad company commonly suffers a
much smaller loss in money when pas.
senger is killed than when cne is Grip
pied. New Yarh rSpaa
The secretary of agriculture in HE
annual report, just submitted to con-
gress, points out that very large share
Of our imports of foreign goods consists
of agricultural products, which he
thinks should be grown ia this coun-
try. Among others he mentions wool.
tobacco and sugar. all of which are di-
rectly and deliberately attacked by the
new tariff measure before congress. Ii
Secretary Morton be sincere in his dc.
sire to build up agriculture, there is evil
IDENTIFY some difference of opinion i'll the
cabinet. because the president has ex-
pressed his approval of my" measure
submitted in the shape of the new free
'rade bill.