The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-21
DANGER TO THE LIVES OF
THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC.

| WllIln Tie D0TIOu Oh Two years
there have been two serious accidents
in Wake county in North Caro-
| lima, due TO rotten cross ties on the
+! North Carolina railroad. In the first
accident, it was only one of those in
Iexplicable interpretations of Providence
that saved the lives of half hundred
passengers. The rotten cross ties
| were SO rotten as to occasion much
| comment and criticism. But, though
| a number of parties sustained in
juries, nothing was done by any au-
| thority to punish the criminal negH-
| gence or to see that the track is put
in good condition. The wreck this
| week at Morrisville shows that the
lessees of the road have not put it in
safe condition, and that every pas
| senger who travels between Green's
| boro and Goldsboro is in danger of
| injury, because the Southern Railway
does not spend enough money on
| maintenance and equipment 70 make
| the road-bed safe, or furnish suitable
motive power to make connections.
| The service between Greensboro and
| Goldsboro is eXecrable-nO schedules,
no decent cars no fit engines and
equipment Conditions exist that
make accidents due to nothing but
criminal negligence. How long is
| this disregard of the life and comfort
ard convenience of passengers to con-
t,nue?
Nou If tho owners or leSSeeS of
, the North Carolina railroad We're not
| in receipt of a very small income
| there might he some excuse for
the parsimony and niggardliness that
marks the management of the road
when it comes to providing for the
/ safety and comfort of passengers. But
what are the facts?
Last year the Southern Railway,
which has leased the North Carolina
| railroad earned above operating ex-
penses S95S,86I. 1t paid rental of
$286,OOO. leaving a net profit OF $751;
664, or nearly seventeen per cent net
profit on the four million dollars stock
of the company. The road actually
earned about twenty five per cent net
| OH the par value of its stock. Its own
ers gGl of the earnings seven per cent
and the Southern Railway, which
leases the property, got nearly seven
teen per cent.
| And yet, with net earnings of $672,-
664 without the investment OF a dol
lar, the Southern Railway does not
spend enough money to give decent
| service or to insure the safety of the
passengers it transports on that por-
ton of the line between Greensboro
and Goldsboro.
! Is there no remedy: Under the terms
of the lease there seems to be nobody
specially charged with the duty of
compelling proper service and safety.
Here are the only provisions in the
lease relating to the matter:
North Carolina Railroad Company
| to
Southern Railway Company.-Lease
Date 18th of August. 1895. Book 1884,
| page 645.
And for the consideration aforesaid
the said party of the second part doth
| covenant with and obligate itself unto
| the said party of the first to keep the
said railroad bed, superstructure
depots, buildings, houses, shops. en-
gines, cars, fixtures and other property
of every kind and every part thereof
so leased, let, 'farmed out" and deliv-
| cred in equally as good condition and
| repair as the property is at the date of
| this lease or to keep in the place of
| the same like things of equally good
| condition and repair, and to return
at the end of the said term of ninety
| nine (99) years or at the termination
/ of said lease to the said party of the
1 first part the said railroad, road bed,
superstructure, depots, houses, bull l.
ings, shops, engines, cars, fixtures and
| other property and all and every part
| thereof in like good condition and re-
| pair or other property, when any part
! OF said property shall be worn ou: de-
| stroyed or abandoned as good III Quail
ty and substance and in like good orr
| der and repair. But there shall ne
no claim or liability during the con-
| tinuance of this lease or at its terni-
| natlon by the party OF the .,acond part.
It's successors or assigns upon the party
of the first part, its Successors or as
/ signs for any improvement Of said
property conveyed by this lease, over
the condition of the said property at
the date of this lease but I'll such
! improvements shall be and re-
| main the property of the party of
the first part, it's successors and as
signs, subject to the provisions of the
lease as hereinafter set forth And for
| the faithful keeping and performance
| OF the covenant obligation last
aforesaid .he said party of the second
part doth covenant with and oblige it,
self unto the party of the first part
TO execute to the said party of the first
part bond good and sufficient at all
| times in the ability of its makers to
pay in the sum of one hundred and
thirty thousand ($130,900) dollars
conditioned for the faithful keeping
| and performance of said last named
covnant.
provisions for return of property in
case of default and them s. :"
1T is further agreed by and between
| the said parties that a fair valuation
| and inventory of said railroad and all
| and every part and parcel of said other
property shall be made and taken on
January 1st, 1896 by two competent ex-
| perts, one to be selected by the party
of the first part and the other by the
party of the second part who shall in