Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-01
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More Railway Horrors.


The railway accident that took place
near Connellsville, Pa, Wednesday night,
bringing death in a most hideous form
to more than sixty passengers, and the
accident Saturday evening near Grand
Rapids, Mich, which caused the death of
twenty-five passengers, give frightfuI
confirmation of the interstate 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
IL 1t were true that under present 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 preven-
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-
pldluGu AWAY. IL is TIE laCl lIlul tHey
occur and not the reason for their oc-
curing that constitutes proof OF inetf-
cheney If they are not due to gross
negligence that fact only emphasizes the
innate and essential faultiness of the sys-
tenn. 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.-Chicago 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 Pittsburg, and that on the Pere
Marquette near Grand Rapids-have
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 to make time" While the Balti-
more and Ohio wreck was due immedi-
atey to timbers which had fallen from
a freight preceding the passenger train,
the real cause was an effort to make up
for lost time, And although the imme-
date cause OIL the IeFe ldTQuellc tOl-
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 the burning Of light i'll the
face Of a blizzard, it is evident that re-
forms must be instituted i'll the operation
of railroads. The case of the Pere Mar
duette road is but one of a score this
year-one of many horrors which would
have been averted had the block system
been installed, a system under which but
one-seventh of the railroad mileage in the
country is now being operated. In every
body Of men some incompetents are
fC&tnd Even the most efficient men oc-
cas:onally make blunders or are guilty or
errors of judgment. In the case of rail-
road men, errors may mean many deaths.
Congress should pass law compelling
railroads to install the block system and
take> other precautions. Possibly it would
be wise to have a track patrol i'll addi-
ton to the block system. Al any rate,
the travelling public must be better pro-
tected.--Chicago Journal.