New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-13
TROLLEY ACCIDENTS"

gratifying report comes from Albany that
the State Railroad Commissioners have been
aroused by the multiplication Of trolley car acct
dents. called, 10 the necessity Of enforcing tn
adoption of additional safety appliances. The
particular deficiency TO which they are direct
ing their attention is the lack Of a brake pos
sessing sufficient power and adaptability to en-
able mOtormen TO stop their cars quickly In case
of emergency, and they are arranging series OF
experiments for the purpose of determining
which of dozen different patterns claiming SUI
periorty is most efficient In operation. We sup
pose 1t is not unjust 10 the Railroad Commits
sioners TO say that they are generally regarded
rs having accomplished less within their sphere
of action than was expected by sanguine per-
sons: but the public is always glad to see them
addressing themselves 10 a practical defect or
abuse in the transportation business, and in this
instance their proceedings are Of more than or
binary interest and importance.
A wholesale slaughter like that near Bridge
port last Sunday naturally produces great SEN
sation and causes an outburst Of Indignation
and ceusure. while a long succession of single
fatalities, such as has been recorded against the
trolley roads of Brooklyn, attracts comparative
" little notice. Yet the death list on the other
side of the East River is hdeous one, and II is
growing steadily We believe that II had reached
a total Of two hundred and fifty a week ago,
and since then there have probably been sew
eral additions. We are quite ready TO admit
that the conditions there are difficult, perhaps
extraordinarily so. The traffic is immense, the
streets are crowded and there would seem to
have been an abnormal degree Of carelessness
on the part Of those who have been run down.
But such considerations do not absolve the COM
panies from responsibility for the safe operation
OF their lines. If they choose to operate trolley
cars in the face of special dangers they are
hound TO adopt special precautions, TO be inCes-
sanity looking for means Of reducing the risk Of
accident to a minimum, to employ only compe
tent men, paying whatever is necessary to Sc
cure high standard Of intelligence, prudence
and sobriety, and TO furnish in every way prac-
teal proofs of their sense of responsibility and
of their solictude to satisfy, and indeed to an
ticipate. every obligation.
With conscientious desire not 10 give undue
weight to unverifed accusations. do not hes
itate to say that the transportation managers Of
BROOKLYN and trolley companies in general fall
far short of this standard. There may have
been some excuse for them in the fact that the
growth of the business has been exceedingly
\ rapid The possibilities and requirements of
The trolley system Of streetcar propulsion were
not fully foreseen. The necessity for an equip
ment of the highest quality was not perceived
when the process of converting horse railroads
into trolley lines was begun, for neither the ex
mansion Of traffic nor the rate of speed which
the public has grown used to- and perhaps de-
mands. was taken into consideration. But time
enough has elapsed and unexpected conditions
have become sufficiently established to render
such excuses uDtenable. The managers wei
know what the conduct of their business morally
requires of them, and they make serious mis-
take If they congratulate themselves that Their
legal obligations are not yet equally stringent.
The Railroad Commissioners are considering
not only the subject Of safety appliances, but
the question Of the fitness of trolley road EN-
ployes for their work The latter branch OF