The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-10
49, -
CITY OFFICIAL PAPER.
SEATTLE, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10.
THE MURDER on THE SANTA FE.


provide against ali accidents on railroads,
but II Is beyond question that precautions
can be taken to prevent such murder as
occurred on tie sante Re on Wednesday.
The fact fEat two express trains travelling
I'm opposite directions on > single line
should be permitted to take the chance %
collide ful head on Al a speed Of forty
miles an hour shows a recklessness which
could only arise from a sense Of security
against punishment.
II will be time enough 70 direct condern-
nation against those apparently charge
able with neglect when they have had an
opportunity OF being heard. but there are
some general principles which apply 20
such cases apart from the question Of per-
sonal culpabilify. There IS always rea-
son given for emitting 10 prevent an acct
dent caused BY failure 20 observe running
directions. An official reason could be
given in the explanation that an order was
sent to a wayside station for the califor-
MIA express 10 take the siding there. but
that order was not delivered and the
westboupd train passed on TO It's certain
destruction. tie train men expecting 70
pass the fast mail at EmpoEia in accord
ance with the usual custom. Another rea-
ron Is given Ia the explanation BY the en-
gineer OF a freight train which followed
one Of the wrecked trains. He says that
the danger signal hung out by the opera
Tor at the wayside station 10 warn the
passenger train 10 stop was burning So
dimiy and the glass was smoked 50 badly
that he could not see 1t til he left his
cab anu nad gore close up to IT,
But i, does not matter so far as the
blame IL concerned. wsltch OF these two
faults caused the shocking accident. Any
one OF half dozen trialng defects might
have prevented the delivery Of the con-
trars order to the engineer, The order
was given. and Notwithstanding the fear
fui possibilities Of danger nobody seems
10 have bothered any more about Il. The
eastbound mail train should not have been
permitted TO so beyond Emporia until as
surance had been received that the order
directing the California express to take
the sidlng a. Lang had been delivered and
Its receipt acknowledged h. the eonductor
In charge Of that train.
This Is not laymans conclusion sug-
gested by the accident after the cause
had become known. II Is rule wei,
recognized Ia scientific ralroadlng. IL il
the idea upon which the inteslecklug sys-
tsm Is based. The object Of the order vas
10 enable delayed train to catch up lost
must otherwise also lose tlme. bat such
delays avs not inffeeuent. and such
chang % orders not unusual by the
interiogklng system no fast train could
take ~ a stretch e. ra1 untll an abso-
lutte assurance had been received that
the ,rein eomIng from an opposite d.
rect,on aeknoW lodged rs receipt Of the
change In the schedule Even . the or
Ger had heon correctly sent to the dis
patching telegraph operates. the most
tfifIng accident 20 the telegraph uira
night prevent lts delivery 20 the recelv-
inx clerk. ans collision would become
Inevitable = The train had already start
od en- the section between two telegraph
stations
A broken wheel OF an accident 10 &
part of the machinery ca locomotive
or a broken rail-, forms suca an accident
as cannot always be guarded against
even wien The best u caye. ba, tbs fail
ure to ~alul~e compliance with so slnnle
a rule a. that Involved uader .he inter
eking SYSTEM Is absolutely criminal In
the absence az an acknowledgment by
the engineer aF conductor II Ire train
whess schedule VAS altered, the only al
,rraative. e course. weu1d he 90 submit
70 she telay esuse3 by holding tae srain
a. rmporla, fslt thai Inconvenience wsS
$ mere srias computed ;n the possibilities
90 Ices 90 ne 50 reek'epaly yssl<ea by Sc
pending az one sIlxat chsree.
There % 10 governing body in the
Uasied States waese saty Il s. % make
regassssons sppis}nx go tAs Whole rail
rcsa system. sad tn thgs respect We eaa}d
~s'l afc,s 90 take a lesson from Ene-
isse T..era tho railroads are subjected
- TIE consvol az fae Beard o. Trade. a
s-sHca - tie government Whose fuac-
tioas are somewhat rcseusalad by those
az re Amevie8n Interstate cnnsnsr-a
cessH:itsloa. Z has no executive Hu-
thorify. but SIS erscess tovesslr4ts evsvy
aec'ksnt ssa rerSrt 20 gee egara Can-
e-s.~ las taken step is tAs r.xst Slyec-
tssn y etvsnE tte oecswlss&sa authority
"a easssve regulators requiring the use
ct sarsty brakes sra haaa srous oa
estslt trasaa. Tats resrlstsn e sse
eesns'.,Ssios's authority eoe,3 very pror-
ss,y r. sst-reea - see ae less tenpsvysrt
ta&tt,r q making tesassitsas az isasy
~ tae co~tsa, ~ ya.avasos roaming
thv asa n.ora ,has one state,
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