Arizona republican., 1903-01-31
Railroad Accidents and ''Plug" Oper-
 ators.

Next to the details of the appalling wreck on the Southern Pacific nea: Tucson. public interest has centered in the question as to how such catastTo- phe could occur. The anxiety to know definitely where the blame rests was met by the exclusive announcement III this paper yesterday that Operator C1ough had confessed that the blunder was his. If the dispatches to this efrect stated the truth-and later information confirms them-it will be some satlstac- ton to know that the system Of oper- ating railroads is not at fault, except uossibly. in the selection of suooIGi atas for service at unimportant sta tions. And this cannot be charged tol a defective general system of operation
 It appears that the remarkable list of railway accidents of the past few months is due nearly altogether to the blunders of inefficient telegraph opera tors. The frightful accident on the Grand Trunk a few weeks ago, the sickening slaughter on the Central rail- road of New Jersey the first of this week, the accident of the day follow ing on the Pennsylvania. wrecks of al- most equal magnitude in other parts of the country, and now this indiscriba- ble horror in Arizona, are all accounted for by mistakes in orders" And these mistakes uniformly seem to be made by operators at small statiOns-points where the ordinary duties do not call for the highest degree of zeal and in telligence.
 It is extremely seldom that a train leaves the rails except from collision, and it is just as rare to find the train crews at fault. Indeed, there are few other walks in life in which such char acter, fidelity to duty and precision of performance are so regularly mani fested as in the positions of railroad conductor. engineer. and fireman. When all the facts are ascertained it is So seldom that a conductor or engineer has made a mistake or otherwise failed in his duty, that the record is surpris ing. And it is admitted by everybody that when the rules in force for the moving of trains are strictly adhered to, accidents are next to impossible. For years, the best talent that the op- erating departments could produce has closely followed the working of the rules, and from time to time changes and improvements have been intro duced, until now the system as a whole appears to be as perfect as human in genuity can make it. It may be said without exaggeration that every rod of the roadbed is under the constant supervision of competent officials; the rules for the selection of men for the positions of conductor and engineer are rigid to a fault, and the regulations for their guidance are, as We have seen. substantially perfect. The result is. d high grade of efficiency of which all Americans may feel proud.
 But wrecks continue to happen, and of late they have happened with such frequency that one of the principal topics of discussion throughout the country is the question of responsibil- ity for such loss of life.
 As we have indicated, the weak spot seems to be in the telegraph service. And here the fault centers in the en- ployment occasionally of an operator whose technical skill is inferior, or whose general intelligence is not what it should be, or whose physical condi- 
 constant. The excellent system to which We have referred embraces com pletely the general dispatching of trains. The dispatchers at the division points are chosen with exceeding care. They must be not only operators of ex- ceptional speed and accuracy, but must be. withal. men of high intelligence and character and proved aptitude for the railroad business. But too frequently plug operator is employed for ser vice at some out-of-the way point, the fact being overlooked that an emer- gency may arise which calls for clear quick brain, and a decision of mind of which the plug is not capable. This Arizona disaster is a case in point Had Operator Clough been alert and keenly attentive to his duties. it would have been impossible for Conductor Parker to fail to receive his proper orders. But having permitted a mistake through failure to be alert and keenly attentive to his duties, had Clough, upon noting the mistake, possessed the requisite presence of mind and decision of judg- ment, he unquestionably could have prevented the wreck by making signals which would have attracted the engi- neer, or by himself boarding the rear of the train as it drew past the station,