The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-04

negligence within this year. and there were
eleven killed at crossings last year and
twelve reported by the coroner as killed on
way! Not a railroad has a foot or right
OF way In Indianapolis. They all have,
the steam and the trolley. the right to run
speed and other conditions, and they nave
no other right. Whereas they seem to as
sumo that they own the city and especially
the streets, and that everybody must look
out and not trespass on their right of way;
II they do il is at the trespassers' peril.
Now, We have had about enough Of this
denance OF law, this utter ignoring or the
contract under which they all operate.
But the number of deaths caused by the
criminal negligence which constitutes
everyone OF them a case of manslaughter
does not measure the calamity their dis
regard OF life and limb has caused All
over the city are men and women who are
contempt of law; some of them are dis
abled for life. Only last week one woman
received a judgment in court for S2,lO for
injuries received through the daily and
hourly violation of their contract with the
city and the disregard OF the city ordi-
nances regulating speed. The ordinances
limit the speed of both kinds of cars to
five miles AN hour, yet the steam cars
never abate their speed on entering the
city until near the center of the city, and
then only slightly, while the street car
schedules its speed at ten miles an hour,
including stops. and every mploye is re-
CURED 10 work 10 that schedule. This
leads frequently TO not stopping at all for
Would-be passengers, or allowing but little
time for getting on or OF. The painful
lifetime hurt received by the woman who
recovered the award of $2.iM was caused
by the sudden jerk of a car in starting as
soon as she entered and before she had
time to get a seat. Others have been
wounded for life or a long while by not
being allowed time TO get on.
And now comes a proposed city ordnance
which, rightfully enough, provides lhat
boys shall not jump on or OFF moving ears
just for sport, but passengers may. Would
it not be wise to ordain that the cars must
stop long enough TO allow men and women
TO get on and off with safety? But Will
not the damages they have to pay 10 the
not quite killed deter them? Not in the
least, though in the aggregate they are
large. Not Not one case in twenty gets INTO
and residence of everybody they hurt and
keep track of him or her. III serious
enough to attract attention they offer a
small compensation, which Is usually ac-
cepted rather han go TO law, and the
same reckless speed is kept up. They can
we'll afford 10 pay many thousands an
nually for the privilege of making a speed
that enables them to do the business of
the city with not more than two-thirds the
equipment it would require to render serv-
ice according 10 contract, hence this maim-
ing and killing will go on until the State
protects the people against the wholesale
manslaughter and crippling.
In the early years of the Peru road, when
all that part of the city along Pogue's run,
north of Washington street, was COM
mons, the custom was to put on full speed,
as if out OF the city. One day a child
was killed by the cars. The grand jury
indicted the engineer and he was tried for
manslaughter, and he escaped conviction
only on a technicality, but the speed of
all roads within the city was much reduced
by this PROMPT action, which indicated that
the killing of a child when going at an
unlawful speed was a crime against the
State as we'll as an offense TO the indi-
yidual There will be no material change
in the speed of cars in the city until this
great ruth is recognized by the people and
the machinery of the Criminal Court is
brought to bear on the disregard of human
life by the railroads that enter the city or
occupy the streets. u. l.. SEE.
IpdianapOlis Dec. 2.