Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-08-01
ENGINEER's PLEA.
Man at the Throttle Writes Concern
ing Railway Accidents.
Thlstle. utah. July 30. 1900.

''''''' 0'"i' Jul! o. l'y'
10 the Editor.
In a recent issue of the News I mo-
tice an article entitled Too Many Acct
dents" That the truthmlupss of this
rs beyond a successful dispute. mo- ONE
acquainted Herewith win doubt but
as the above mentioned editorial is
founded ON the Recommendations of
those who have suffered from the accI-
dents. I trust the News win allow
me. through its columns 90 give its
numerous readers an impartial Wow OF
the other side of this important ques-
tlon. A great many appear t1 think
that o train. even though running at
the speed of from forty To- sixty miles
an hour. can Doe stoppri no au instant
I'm "a distance of less than 100 feet. this
rs both unrea souablr and unjust. A
passenger train ln mll speed cannot be
brought 20 q standgtul un a less dos-
tance than from two 10 three telegraph
poles without risk of serious injuries
10 the passengers. ] have seen engine
GERS on the RIO Graude Western with
the tears trlckiug down their chicks
and every tissue OF their bodies irpmh-
ling when any serious accident has
been caused by their trains There are
many difficulties and unpleasan,nrss
that the train men have 10 deal with
] do not think that any engineer would
desire 90 do any damage To- anything.
or anybody. hence ] believe that almost
every damage whatever done by trains
"a beyond the control of the engineers
at any rate. the causing of any Injuries
or death TO human beings is undoubted.
Is strictly AGAINST their wishes.
+ have been working on the Rio
Grande Western tracks FOR upwards OF
six years. and 1 do not remember ever
having seen q man driving team stop
al railroad crossing to listen whether
"a train was coming: but ] have seen
several times That if they saw o. train
coming. and close by. instead of WALTZ
ing 20 lot the train pass. put the WhIp
20 their horses to hurry them across the
track right lu front OF The train. which
20 me appears TO be dangerous fool-
hardness as On many places the road
crossings are not what thpv ought 90
be. as there usually h an uphill null
20 get on 20 the truck. and chat Is n
many cases the horses are liable to yet
stuck" while on the track. This dam
ger could De greatly Iassenel by maxi
ing the roads at every crossing level
with the rails. for at least two rods on
each side also think Do would Doe wise
20 make 10 n law. Tor every person. az
least every team on coming 10 a rau-
road crossing where they cannot see
the tracks for az least ten telegraph
poles 90 stop 20 listen whether a train
was not coming.
As in regard to the killing OF animals
by trains, through ms own obeprva-
ton, feel justified ln saying that this
80 also TO great extent unavoidable. I'm
the irst place the railroad companies
do all they can 90 Keep an livestock out
side OF the fright OF way Boy fences
cattle guards and other devices. which.
however. Us almost impossible. especial
ly during the spring. summer and FAM
there being always and almuH every
where lots OF grass. and other kinds
Of feed inside the railway fences. but
everything eaten off outside Of thnr1