The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1899-05-30
Strictly Independent In Politics

TthtHeN1 was 70 htNfNt kNf NAN
collision between the Grant strees
electric car and the Northern raelfe
train, Somebody should be made to
sweat for Il, The responsible trans
portation company. whose cmploye
or employees were negligent. should
pay damages 10 all Of the victims %
the disaster. This namhy pamby
talk abou, the dinieulty OF fixing the
blame rs calculated &c excite the
righteous Indignation OF the com
manfty. Was not there a collision ?
Were not many persons iniurcds
Was not one man killed. Then let
the responsibility be f,xed and all Of
this foolish talk about nobody to
blame cease at once. Collisions do
not happen BY chance. Somebody Is
responsible. In the case Of tho dis.
aster at the Grant street crossing. IL
ought not TO be difficult to fix tho
blame and then nncte out the penalty
and assess the damages.
Two questions arise IN connection
with the part which the Northern
Pacific played in the disaster. Was
there a Waterman on duty at the
crossing at the timsT IL not. why
notf Was the engineer % the train
running AZ a speed IN excess Of the
10 miles per hour allowed by city
ordinances Statements arr made.
and 50 far have not been rrfuted.
that no Waterman was on duty. and.
furthermore. that the passenger train
was running at a speed exceeding 10
miles per hour II these allegations
are sustained. the Northern Pacific
railroad will have hard too To clear
itsek OF financial responsibility 70 the
victims. There will also BE- matter
Of criminal carsiessness TO be deter
mined.
In the case of the street railway
company. two questions demand an
swerS Did the motosman attempt
TO stop his car. or merely try Co slow
down. as 10 too oftsn the habit Of
come motormen at railroad cross
fnssT Did this riotorman not know
that the track was always slippery
at ghss particular place during vet
weather aad did the company not
know a., Wet weather has BEEN the
rule for months. and n the nl-fatei
electric car that vas I'm the collision
sfipp~d along the rails out upon the
Northern Pacife track. II was simply
because the nosorman did not apply
the brakes soon enough 10 stop. pay
inx no regard 10 the experiences OF
the past at that particular crossing.
In most large cssies ordinances are
rigsdiy enforced compelling street
cars to stop 50 feet from the cro~--
inxs % s.eam railroads. ard then the
conductors must 90 ahead ard zee
that the tracks are clear. A faith
full observance Of such a rule of pro-
cedur. would make crossing acci-
dents In Seattle impossible.
The entire community In vitality In
terest~d in tina matter. No one can
tell nj what r1me he or she may De
the next victim Of careiessue.s at a
railroad crossing. The fact that most
motorrnen are careful does NOT re-
move the element 81 danger. fer
there viii always b. a fe~ careless
ones to cause catastrophes. unless
rigid rules are enforced 10 avoid dan
ger. Arrest and Imprisonment for
running a street car across the track
Of a steam railroad without first
making a ssop TO ascertain whether
OF not a train is approaching. is the
right penalty TO impose upon any
notormsn who does such criminal
act
Ia il 10 be hoped that the coroner'a
inquest viii be Of the most search
ing character. and that the ques-
ton Of responsibility for the horrible
accident viii be placed where It be-
longs.