The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-03-24
"He was asleep at his post"


Wornout from overwork telegraph operator in
Colorado fell asleep and his neglect of duty caused
wreck in which 20 persons were killed and many
were injured.
The operator says he was overworked; that he
had been on duty 80 hours. The railway company
asserts that he was not; that his hours were from
7 o'clock ut night until o'clock in the morning
and that he was not obliged to work longer.
A court will attempt to prove which statement is
correct, but punishment Of the offender will not
restore life or assuage the grief of those bereaved
The Chicago News, in rendering an opinion on
this disaster, says:
"If the operator at Adobe was actually compelled
to remain at his post day and night until he dropped
asleep from sheer exhaustion some one higher up
in the management of the railway should be made
to undergo criminal prosecution So long atroci-
ties OF this kind can occur on our transportation
lines It will be futile for the managers Of American
railway systems to try to free themselves of the
charge OF wanton disregard for human life. The
Colorado accident u barbarity which should not
have been possible in civilized country. 1t was
inexcusable, the factors contributing to it being
plainly classhabe as among preventabe causes. Yet
1t Is but of many accidents due to defective equip
ment or laundering and incompetent management.
Not until few railway officials hanged for
murder, or until right laws enacted and enforced
compelling the employment of proper methods in
running trains will safety of railway travel be
secured in this country"
suggestion of drastic treatment, yet some rem
edy should be found to better insure safety of trav
elers, and step in this direction would be reduc-
ing the hours of labor. The twelve-hour stretches
of teegraphers ought to be reduced to an eghthOur
day, ut least in stations where the duties are many
Another reform tending to safety would be the
placing OF second engineer in the cab of every loco.
motive hauling passenger train. No vessel dares
put to sea without maintaining lookout every min
ute of the voyage, and II lookout in the person
OF an assistant engineer for every passenger train
be adopted by tho railways many accidents would be
avoided. In case OF sickness death of the first
engineer while the train was in notion or disregard
of signals orders his place could be filled or the
omissions of duty corrected by his assistant.
The Navy Department will attempt to prevent
the of naval titles for commercial and advertis
ing purposes, step which is in good taste and likely
to be pleasing to everybody except patent medicine
manufacturers and promoters of schemes The atten.
ton of the department was drawn to the Admiral
Prindle Mining Company, and the retired officer
whose name and title were thus used was officially
reported for "reprehensible conduct" and notified
that the name of the concern be changed.
recent business change in Jacksonville is
matter of regret in that commercial intercourse has
ceased with of its most popular ctizens-Ed Fet
ting who in disposng of his interests in the Fettng
Furniture Company to the Knight Crockery Com
panv is at present removed from the many whose
Measure it was to transact business with him. His
genial personality, coupled with enterprise enabled
him 10 build up q large and profitable business, in
he successful conduct he was greatly aided by the
advertising methods he used liberal advertiser, he