The San Francisco call., 1899-09-19

Spreading rails, negligent trainmen,
storms and in the last accident in Ala
media fog have been blamed for the
wrecking of trains and the manning OF
travellers. None of the heads of the COM
pany will make any statement that seems
to throw any light on the menacing state
of affairs. When they are asked concern
ing any or all of the accidents they an
sWer that the company would prevent
them if it could; that it feels the loss OF
its cars and its engines; that it does not
like to be put to the expense of sending
Wrecking trains and surgeons to the scene
of every accident, and that If there is
any possible way to avert the disasters
they would only be too glad to learn it
and to put it into practice Immediately.
Then the officers or the company allow
the impression to get out IN some way or
another that the fault hes really with the
tralnmen who diSobey orders Unfortu-
nately for the tralnmen, they dare not
tell Should any one of them feel cour-
ageouS enough 10 deny the lnnuendOeS of
the heads OF department he feels that he
would get his discharge in short order
Consequently the men Keep mum and the
accidents go on happening with the regu-
larity of ClockWork.
some explanation from the railroad peo-
pie, has about finished building uE a
theory of its own to mt. the series Ii & OF
well-founded rumors that floated up from
the south shortly after the wreck of the
train bearing delegates to the National
Educational Association convention at
Los Angeles. Two women were Killed on
that train and any number OF others
badly shaken up and bruised, escaping
death only by a miracle. 1t was said that
that wreck was caused from the fact that
the engineer of the teachers special was
asleep at his post, absolutely unable to
hold up his head by reason of the fact
that he was overworked. Putting two
and two together-and for this purpose
there are more than four accidents-the
people have come to the conclusion that
there is only one theory that will account
for the nearly score OF accidents that
have occurred along the line of the South
ern Pacific during the present year. That
theory, which has attained the proper
tions of an uncontradicted rumor, is be-
lieved by a great number of people. 1t is
that the policy of retrenchment 1naug-
urated by the Southern Pacific Company
at the beginning of the year is response
bic for all the accidents, in that 1t COM
work when they are nearly dropping on
their feet from sleep. while 1t has cut
down the force of trackwalkers to the
danger point.
This policy of retrenchment, rightly or
not, has been generally attributed to
General Manager Kruttschnitt. A re-
porter for The Call paid a visit yesterday
to his office for the purpose of interview
ing HIM in regard to the recent criticisms
of the management growing out of the
frequency of wrecks on the system. The
general manager was very busy with his
correspondence and would not say till
to-day whether or not he cared TO give
out an interview. Traffic Manager Stubbs
was asked for an interview on the So
called Kruttschnitt policy of retrench-
ment said to be responsible for the recent
accidents on the road and for the delays
in the overland train service. He gave
out the following:
Mr.. Kruttschnitt's policy, whatever
it may be, good bad or Indifferent (and
I believe it to be good, for he is one of the
best transportation men in the country
Is not responsible for the recent accidents
on our roads nor for delay to the over
land train service. The latter. 1 am in
formed, is largely due to failure of our
connections to make schedule time, which
is followed through to destination with
increasing loss of time, because the heavy
traffic of the Southern Pacific Company
precludes the possibility of it's making up
the time lost by It's connections, as has
been it's custom under ordinary condi-
tionS.
THE disposition to make the general
manager responsible for the disobedence
or forgetfulness or carelessness of train
men is unfair is harmful to him person.
ally and a positive injury to the public
The press loses its force and dimfnishes
its power for good when it becomes per-
sonal."