The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-12-07
Railroad Accidents.

The accident on the Southern Railroad
ON Thursday of last week, in which Mr.
Samuel Spencer of New York, the Presi
dent of the road, and Mr.. Charles d.
Fisher and Mr. Francis T. Redwood Of
Baltimore, and four others were killed ano
a number of persons were injured, has
aroused much feeling throughout the
country upon the subject of the care and
protection due the travelling public by
Railroad Companies.
That there are accidents, involving the
loss of life upon railroads, from unprevent-
able causes, we think is quite true. But
it is the belief Of many persons, who are
not disposed to unduly criticise railroad
management, that in many cases, lives are
sacrificed because the rules and regula-
tons of the management have not been
well matured, and especially because
through carelessness upon the part of the
employees, the rules are not ridgily ad-
hered to.
In the case of the recent accident upon
the Southern Railroad, the blame seems to
attach to the man in the Block Signal
Station, in permitting train to enter the
block before the preceding train had passed
out of it. Scarcely enough has been pub
Gshed tojustify an opinion upon the subject.
But if it should be so, that the second train
was allowed to enter before the block was
clear, it would be fragrant and criminal
violation of what we suppose to be the
rule of the company.
The Railroad Companies are bound by
every consideration of self interest, of hu :
mainly and of ultimate responsibility, to
insure, as far as possible, the safety of
passengers travelling upon their lines. And
to this end they should put the most trust
worthy men in positions where great re-
sponsibility attaches, and where the safety
of the public is SO much involved.
And then, their employees should not
be overburdened by excessive hours, pro-
ducing physical exhaustion and thereby
rendering them unfit for useful and careful
service. The men in the block stations
should be picked men, picked for their in
tegrity and good habits, we'll paid and
given short hours, and then held to the
strictest accountability for the proper dis
charge of their duties. And, indeed, the
same thing should apply to every depart
ment Of railroad work that involves the
safety Of passengers, who confdingly enter
the trains, and who have right to demand
that they should not be needlessly slaught-
cred.
We are glad to note the fact that the
Western Maryland Railroad has, in the
past, been singularly free from accidents to
their passenger trains. Except for the
terrible accident, year or more ago. they
have never had an accident of a very
serious nature. A number of wrecks have
occurred upon the road during the past
summer with their freight trains. But
when we consider that SO many trains have
been moving on single track, and extern
sive repairs have been going on at the
same time, it is not to be wondered at that
these wrecks have occurred.
But astheroad progresses in the splendid
career which seems to ebefore it, and with
Antoine new trains, it is due to the public
obbing tAscst regulations known to rail-
hey also nela' be adopted by the man.
rsrictest adherence to