The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-12-22

OO@~
tions, and at the minimum Of expense.
The Old Street Railway Company lost
its capital stock in serving the WiI-
mington public; therefore, served them
for nothing; the old S~eacoast railroad
almost lost its capital stock; and the
Wilmington Gas Light Company con-
coded a. part of its capital stock to the
public service. The end is always one
Of two things: a remuneracive return
must be paid by the public for the ssr-
vices rendered or they must accept a
poor ard steadily declining service.
Grant this, and it must then be clear
that all injustice to public corpora
tons in the end must be borne one way
or the other by the public themselves.
A few years ago, the city of Detroit
| wanted rapid transit; the railway lines
: were being equipped with electric cars.
! and Mr.. DUPONT, n of tne best street
! railway managers in the United States,
said that he would give them rapid
transit if the city authorities would
| give him moral support; they agreed TO
this. and Mr.. Dupont ordered al his
cars when leaving the barn TO start
out at highest speed, and not to slow
} up for anything. Within a few days
there were some accidents, and among
others q car and a fire engine cOl,id-d
! at a crossing. The case was carried
I into court, and Mr.. Dupont made the
statement before the judge that IN
equity the driver of the fire engine was
to blame. because he knew perfectly
we'll that the cars ran OF that street,
on one track, at high speed and at fire.
quent intervals, whereas, the mOtorman
could not know that the fire engine was
coming. The court decided the case in
favor Of the street railway company,
and Detroit has ever since had rapid
transit with perhaps as much freedom
from accident as other cities. The peo-
pie simply adapted themselves to the
conditions. No matter how safe II is
planned to make q proposition Of this
kind, the public also adapt themselves
to it and are, therefore, but little if
any safer than they We're before. |
have seen quite small boys in New
York play tag, foot ball and Other
games on a street where there We're
many rapidly driven vehicles.
If the public is 10 be properly served,
some reasonable conditions should lac
agreed upon by common consent ana
the people should be willing to accept
a fair share of the risks which are a
condition Of living in the twentieth CEN
fury. 1t should be considered the neg
ligence of a parent if a child too young
to care for itself was allowed TO cross
2 street on which there was known 30
be constant danger and peril. 1t should
be considered criminal negligence for q
weak-minded person, a deaf person, a
BLIND person., or u person too Ola 10
have their normal faculties TO expose
themselves to dangers with which they
are unable to cope, or do not under
stand. When an accident, which Ill
most deeply depIore. occurs there
should be no attempt to throw all the
blame on Il mOtornan, simply because
he is an employee of u corporation.
Witnesses a always be found to DIFF
fer, and usually some who are Only toe
glad to vent some personal grievance
or spite.
I feel that it is fair TO have the indiV-
idUals serving corporations Judged Is
the same standards as other indivii-
uals are judged; treated with the same
consideration and fairness that you
treat yourself, OUT family, your doctor,
you lawyer, your minister, OF anyone
else who serves you, with only human
Intelligence and foresight In any of
these cases, where accidents, or mis-
Judgments, o. ineXperience, or bad
judgment or misguidance occur, it is a
regrettable affair, but we are accu5-
toned to these risks: in a word, it is
life. h public at large suffer with the
sufferings of the public corporations;
there are a few temporary beneficiaries
the small lawyers, who for the benefit
Of a meagre subsistence are wiling 10
resort to a class Of practice which is
considered unprOfessiOnal, and stOop to
work up cases for themselves. These
men are legalized 10 harass everything
which promises remuneration 10 them,
and they have ample time 20 devote 20
the creation of public sentiment and
causing it to be misguided.
1 feel, Mr.. Editor, thai public corpor-
ations should give good service: but It
is not to the public interest to Cypress
them, unless it is clearly proven h a
they are grossly negligent Dr. inefficient.
The best citizens of every vocation
should lend encouragement and moral
support to the public service, rather
thu to permit it to be crippled by M
possible requirements and conditions,
and in so doing they are themselves ben
Gifted by the upbuiid.ng and progress
Of the community. The other course
leads towards the extinction and stag
nation of all interests. Progress CT a
city is the resultant between the forczS
in il h:ch tear down and destroy, and
those which build UP and max for al
vancement. The future Of Wilmir gton.
therefore. rests with its citizens, AID
the Intelligence they how will be a
measure OF the growth Of the place and
its industrial and commercial future.
Respectfully,