The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-07-12
PLEASURE HAS
BECOME A PERIL
Passengers on SaItair and La
goon Roads Are Not Prop
erly Protected.
COMPANIES CAN OFFER
NO PALLIATION
How Long Must a Suffering
Public Wait for the
Remedy?

How long must a pleasure-loving and
generous public walt and suffer until
the Saltair and Lagoon railroads make
proper provision for It's safety and
provide ample equipment for It's ac-
commodation and convenience? The
people of Salt Lake and of the entire
State are liberal patrons of the resorts
named, and from their generous purses
the management OF the roads derive a
large profit. The people patronizc the
resorts because they must have recrea-
ton, because they must get away from
the Jading toll, heat and turmoil OF the
city. and because the outings have been
arranged and contracted for weeks
ahead. And It is the bounden duty of
the respective managements to see to
IL that the patrons have the highest
measure of protection.
Patrons Are Not Protected.
Suppose a passenger on a Saltair or
Lagoon train should fall from a car
car thronged far beyond It's legiti-
mate capacity-what provision is there
to stop the train so that aid and succor
could be rendered the injured? None
whatever. There is no means of COM
munication between the coaches and
the engineer on the locomotive, and
some one, at the peril of his life. would
have to climb from car to car so as
to the engineer and TO have the train
stopped, and by that time 1t would be
miles beyond the scene of the occur
renee. II the accident happened In the
gloom and darkness of the night, the
cars without q light. the victim would
never be missed, and he would be
left to die or to be ground to pieces by
a following train. There is nothing to
prevent such an occurrence; the
patrons have no protection.
There Is No Palliative.
1t is no palliation for the company
to offer the excuse that II a passenger
desires to return to the city on a GER
tain train and the coaches are crowded,
that he Will Insist upon climbing onto
coach and riding on the outside.
The company transported him to the
resort. and Its legal duty compels it
to provide him with safe and suitable
transportation for his return. It's con-
tract calls for proper and sufficient
equipment, and If 1t fails to provide
that accommodation, then 1t fails In Its
plain duty to It's patrons. A rule can
be made and enforced that no pas
senger shall be permitted to ride on
the outside of car. This rule might
diminish the receipts. but 1t is a duty
the company owes the public. and It
should not be permitted to neglect that
duty.
Public Pays for Its Pleasure.
The public pays for it's pleasure, and
1t contributes lavishly. 1t pays for its
safety and protection, and it demands
II. 1t pays for that which 1t does not
receive. The resort companies cater to
the public appetite for rest, recreation
and amusement and when 1t accepts
the invitation Of the caterer it does so
virtually at its peril. How long must
1t continue to suffer and wait?
No Connection With Engineer.
Wednesday evening the train leaving
Saltair at o'clock consisted Of eight
cars. careful inspection Of the train
by a Tribune representative before 1t
left the beach showed that the cord at
tached TO the bell in the engineers
cab was carefully coiled over his head,
and was not attached to the cord which
was IN each of the three closed cars
following. but not connected and
knotted at each end Of the car.
This Is the grossest kind of careless
ness. If, indeed. 1T Is not criminal care
lessness. There is absolutely no con-
nectfon OF any kind whatever between
the engine driver and the train crew.
One of these days there will be an acci-
dent. There will be a slaughter OF the
innocents due entirely to carelessness
and lack Of management on the resort
railroads running out from Salt Lake.