The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-05
TENDERS FOR TROLLEY CARS.
THE CITY COUNCIL TO LOOK INTO
THE NATTER.

THE NATTER.
Some Reasons for the Better Protec-
ton of Pedestrians Needed-The
Mayor says Something Ought TO he
Done-If the Electric Railway Car
Had Been Equipped With Tenders.
the Little Courier Girl Would
Probably Not Have Been Killed.
Little Georgia Victoria Courier, who
died from injuries received by being struck
by an Electric railway car on Montgom-
cry street. was buried yesterday after
noon. Coroner Goette investigated the ac-
cident and decided that it was unneces-
sary to hold an inquest. everything which
could be brought out at an inquest being
already known. and there evidently be
ing no one on whom the blame for the
accident could be placed.
The killing Of the little Courier girl, the
recent killing Of William Butler on Bay
street. together with several other fatal
accidents and the numerous serious ac-
cidents which have not proved fatal, all
Of which have occurred within the last
four years. have caused a general belief
that something ought to be done TO pro-
tect the public from the dangers which
constantly attend the operation of the troll
ley cars.
Trolley cars being regarded as one Of
the new and necessary evils OF clNlliza-
ton everybody is agreed that accidents
must occur occasionally, but the senu-
ment which has now developed is that
these accidents should be less frequent
than they are. That there Is such senti-
ment is demonstrated whenever a. jury
gets a chance to give damages against a
street railroad, which It seldom talls 10
do when there is any possible grounds for
finding against the railroads
As il is well known that the operation
of the street railway lines has not proven
profitable, it would appear 20 be good bus
mess policy on the part of the rallrOads,
all questions Of humanity ana pubhc
rights aside, to avoid the heavy damages
which they are constantly called upon 10
pay, by taking every precauuon 10 pre-
vent these accidents. The ordinances pro-
hibit the street cars from running beyond
a certain rate of speed, but there is no
way of establishing the speed at which
a street car is running at any given time
Besides, nobody is inclined TO make a case
against the railroad until some damage
has been done Even allowing that the
street cars were always run within the
limit of speed allowed them by the Ordi-
nances that would be no guarantee against
fatal accidents. II is all the same lt the
car hits a person Win car gong
at the regulation speed and the
motorman with his back turned talking
TO the conductor as they are frequently
seen to do on some lines the chances
of serious accidents are good. This is
especially the case. if there is a dark
stretch of street ahead at night and the
car is behind time. Several of the streets
along which the lines run are very
thickly populated, and several of the
squares through which they pass are
the popular Fairgrounds OF the children
Of all ages. The fault of these accidents
is by no means altogether with the mo-
tormen. The wonder Is that with the
reckiessness displayed by the children in
playing around the railway tracks that
fatal accidents similar TO the one in Lib
erty square do not occur much oftener
1t almost takes the breath of the pas
sengers away al times to see little chill
dren run across the tracks just ahead
of the cars.
Vannahians who have had the opportu-
nifty of visiting other cities are asking,
Is why the Savannah street railway COM
panles do not make use OF the apph-
ances for preventing fatal accidents
which are now in use on nearly every
street railway in the country
In most cities the use Of Tenders IS re-
quired by ordinance. They are adjusted
TO the front platform of the car and ex-
tend out in the shape Of a scoop. They
are Hight and strong, being made of
frame Of gas pipe, with a knit wire COW
erlng, and are easily removed from one
end OF the car to the other. With them in
use accidents such as the one of Thurs
day would be almost impossible for car
In striking person would either throw
the body one side, slightly bruised, or
would hold it in the net until the car was
stopped.
City ordinances in the north require the
use of these tenders, ana as they are nee
essary safeguards to life and limb. within
the reach of any railroad company, it Is
hardly questionable that a lack of them
would be held by the courts as a question
of negligence to be decided by a Jury. in
the trial OF a damage suit raising this
point.
Mayor Myers. when spoken to on the
subject of the numerous trolley accidents
yesterday, said that he thought it very
likely that some action will be taken by
council requiring the street railways to
adopt every means Of protecting their
patrons and pedestrians from injury
The matter has not been discussed at
all, he said, but the recent accidents
VIII, / think, be sufficient to bring the
matter to the attention of council /
think It proper that the street railways
should be required to put in use whatever
the safety of their patrons and the public
generally"