Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-01-06

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Moro RniIwax Horrors.

The railway accident that took place
near Connellsvilie, Pa, "Wednesday night,
bringing death in most hideous form
10 more than sixty passengers, and the
accident Saturday evening near Grand
Rapids, Mich, which caused the death of
twenty-five passengers. give frightful
confirmation OF the int tate commerce
commissions conclusions regarding the
shocking mortality from American rail-
way casualties The commission has de.
clared the annual record OF killed and
MANNED to be disgrace to the Ameri-
can people," and no one can read of
these latest disasters without feeling that
the characterization is justified. Even
if ii were true that under preset. meth
DDS of railroading such catastrophes could
not be foreseen or prevented what should
be said of the system or lack OF system
which fails to provide for such proven
ton? Is the science Of railway manage
ment still so primitive that collisions can
not be guarded against? 1t is the bust
ness of railways to transport passengers
safely and it is the prime requisite Of
that business that they supply every con-
ceivable precaution necessary to prevent
killing people Accidents cannot be ex-
planned away. 1t is the fact that they
occur and not the reason for their oc-
curing that constitutes proof of ineffl-
cheney. Ii they are not due to gross
negligence that fact only emphasizes the
innate and essential faultiness of the sys-
TEN. The railroads must stop this
slaughter of their passengers and it is
the duty of Congress, of the State Legis-
latures and of the courts to compel them
to stop it.-Chieago News.
-
Within four days fully one hundred
persons were killed in the United States
in railroad accidents and as many were
seriously injured Two Of these acct
dents-that on the Baltimore and Ohio,
near Pttsburg, and that on the Pere
Marquette near Grand Rapids--haye
cost ninety lives, and the list may yet
be increased.
Both of these accidents might have
been avoided if safety of passengers and
trainmen had not been sacrificed to de-
sire 10 make time" While the Balti-
more and Ohio wreck was due immedi-
atcly to timbers which had fallen from
a freight preceding the passenger train,
the real cause was an eff,gt to make up
for lost time. And although the imme-
date cause Of the Pere Marquette col
lision is given as the blowing out Of the
red signal light at McCord. the real
cause seems TO have been an attempt to
save time.-Chicago Post.
-
When life depends upon so uncertain
a thing as me burning of a light in the
face of blizzard. it is evident that re-
forms must be instituted in the operation
of railroads, The case of the pere Mar
quette road is but one Of score this
year-one of many horrors which would
have been ayerted had the block system
been installed, a system under which but
one-seven,h Of the railroad mileage in the
country is now being operated. In every
body of men some incompetents are
found. Even the most efficient men oc-
casionally make blunders or are guilty Of
errors of judgment In the case Of rail-
road men, errors may mean many deaths.
Congress should pass a law compelling
railroads to install the block system and
take other precautions. Possibly it would
be wise to have track patrol in addi-
ton TO the block system. AT any rate,
the travelling public must be better pro-
tected.-Chicago Journal.