Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-03
WOULD NOT BE CRUEL
THE RAILROAD COMPANIES NOT
DISPOSED TO HURT PEOPLE.
DEAD AND WOUNDED COST MUCH.
This Fact, Aside from Human Con-
alteration, Makes the Management
OF Transportation Lines Exceed
fngiy Cautious.
fnRiy Cautious.

fnEiy Cautious.
When a man would build n house. he
ats down and calculates how much IL viii
cor 10 do so, and then he pours all his
money out OF the shot-bag and counts
that up. IL the cost and the contents oil
the bag are about the same IN amount
he goes ahead with the housobuilding. If
q king would so out 10 war he first has
a grand count OF his soldiers-whether
with 10000 men he can meet his adversary
with 10000. SO. too. the man or corpo-
ration which builds a railroad or street.
car line first sits down and counts the
cost.
The sources OF revenue are the pas
sengers Onigh officials OF other roads and
newspaper-men excepted who will travel
over the route, the local and the through
freight. over against these figures OF
credit are the rows and columns Of debts.
Expense! EXPENSE.
But a railroad fnancier would be but
short-sghted unless he saw the fitness
OF putting aside a small contingent to
pay the costs Of the eyes, arms legs, and
lives of the people whom his road will
grind up.
THE LAW AS LAID DOWN.
The law upon tho subject Of damage
Is curious In appearance at first glance.
II says thst ST railroad cuts off . mans
little finger at the third Joint it can be
Eued for $1,000 $4,000. $4,000, or $4,000.
IL mans light, however. is pulled out
at the nostrils OF the iron steed, his heirs
can sue only for $1,000. with the very
slim chance of getting that amount. An
Illustration Of this occurred in n Richmond
court only a few months ago when a lady
was awarded by the court more for the
loss OF a single limb than her people
could even have asked for had she been
killed outright So this item. or the dead
and wounded column of debts of
railroad is by no means insignificant.
And this fact has made the corporations
which, the saying has it, have no hearts,
hut pockets. over which they keep fierce
watch-dogs take greatest caution TO re-
duce their death and burial account TO
the lowest figures.
IL may possibly be true that there Is an
Increase Of railroad casualties and fatali-
ties upon those Of the past ten years;
but this is not at all attributable TO the
lack Of increase Of caution on the part
OF the railroad officials 10 prevent them.
II IL rather because there are more peo-
pie working on the railroads, or more
persons, or their friends, who are willing
to go into litigation over severed limbs
and heads than formerly, and more legal
lights that have leisure upon their hands
10 shine in this direction. OF course.
there are many more suits entered against
the railroads than are ever productive Of
n cent TO the defendants for all their
trouble and the lawyers for all their
talk. And so, when the matter Of cases
Is left out, and only those instances
considered where the defendant is given
judgment, the care and caution of the
corporations put them on true line Of
retrenchment.
TAKE CARE OF THEIR VICTIMS.
The railroad officials are most hui
namely kind to the injured when an acct
dent occurs on their roads and aside from
any human feeling for their victims, 1t
pays, because it helps to stave off dam
age suits; and if not succeeding in this.
Il makes a right good record before a
Jury 10 tell OF the skilful medical at
tention the injured persons received
along with the injuries-free Of charge.
The officials of the railroads which
enter Richmond have always been es-
pecially active in doing as little damage
to life and limb-and have in good mea-
sure succeeded-as compared with other
roads. 1t is true that the Richmond
government requires gates put at each
street railway-crossing, or any popular
thoroughfare, but it is doubtless the rail-
roads would do so anyway to protect
themselves. They are also required not
10 exceed a certain rate of speed in run
ming through the city limits, and TO ring
the bell-driving the i'll people for squares
around into spasms. But it also serves
the very valuable end of letting people
know what is going on, and where, so as
not to Internationally walk over it.
DOES 1T, BUT NOT ON PURPOSE.
A great many persons have noticed
that shifting-engine runs across the
Atlantic-Coast Line bridge just before
the northboupd trains are due in Rich
mond, and have thought this was an
extra precaution taken to see that the
bridge track was all right. But il is
found that this is not the case, and
would not be necessary, as trains are
passing over the bridge almost every
half-hour. However it has often been
noticed that an engine chases across
the bridge few minutes before the ar
rival of a train. IL is also true Of the
Chesapeake and Ohio tunnel Onder
Church HID that trains run over this
subterranean track every half-hour or So
Where there are no regular watchmen
at unimportant crossings, flagmen from
The trains are always sent ahead to see
that the way Is clear, and the gates are
closed.
THEIR EMPLOYEES THEIR VICTIMS.
Accidents, then, for these reasons are
narrowed down largely TO the employees
Of the road, who have become reckless
from intimate association with danger,
and at isolated points of the company's
lines. The killing or injury Of a cti-
zen near the city except from causes for
which he is most responsible is a rare
thing. indeed.
THOSE STREET GATES.
Many a child has wondered how on
on earth, where things are not done
without a cause, that a Waterman can
let down the railway-gates on both
sides of the street at once while only,
apparently closing the gate on the side
he is. The fact is, as the older person
understands IL, this is a feat accomplish
ed only by some very intricate wire
pulling, underground, which, like politi-
cal wirepulling, the common people never
see or understand.
The street railways are also equally
as cautious 20 prevent accidents and con-
sequent damage suits. The companies In
Richmond have made il an invariable
rule that the conductor of each street
car must run forward across each rail-
road track his car passes. and see that
no train is coming. The motorman,
though in a good position TO see. is not
allowed 10 use his judgment In the
matter at all. Even if he can see the
track for a half-mile each way. he must
not cross till the conductor has first