The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-11
Fixing the Responsibility.


The coroner's jury which investigated
the Baltimore and Ohio wreck at Terra
Gotta on December SOth, held for the
action of the grand jury the engineer
and conductor OF the train which did the
damage, the train dispatcher at Balti.
more, the division operator. the engineer
and conductor of the injured train, the
trainmaster and the telegraph operator
at Silver Springs.
Superintendent Galloway testified that
all the rules relating to the movement
of trains had been Violated by one or more
of these men, Asked if he was sur
prised at the disclosure apparently show-
ing laxity among the operatives regard
ing the rules governing their positions,
he said:
II am surprised at their disregard of
their trust. | can only say thai In
operating a railroad you must depend
upon the fidelity and rustworthiness of
the employees. II they are lacking in
that, / know nothing that will compensate
for it"
The coroner's jury put the blame direct
ly upon Operator William Dutrow for dis.
playing improper signals to the crew Of
engine 2l2o, but found the other operatives
mentioned responsible In lesser degree for
the wreck. Furthermore, it arraigned the
block system of the Baltimore and
Ohio In not affording satisfactory pro-
lection to the lives and property of It's
patrons, arraigned the system of wages
paid to tho presidents n signal men
on the road and recommended that all
block signal stations be kept open twen-
ty-four hours a day and no additional du-
ties given the operators aside from work
ng the signals and attending to their
Geographic duties.
The coroner's Jury seems to have done
its duty faithfully and courageously.
1t has held the railroad company respon-
sible for It's delinquency, but 1t has held
he delinquent operatives responsible
also. 1t is manifest from disclosures re-
Gently made that the railroad systems
generally need jerking Up. The manage
ment must see that the system and the
rules are In accordance with recognized
standards, and must use their best en-
beavers to secure good and faithful
men; that they must be considerate OF
the men and must not require of them
such ardrsnus service as to unfit them
for their responsible duties. After that
the operatives must also be held to strict
account and punished when convicted OF
criminal negligence or carelessness.
Colonel Hepburn, chairman of the
House Committee on Interstate Com
merce, takes that view, and in-speak-
Ing to a representative of the Boston
Transcript, said that until a law should
be enacted providing suitable punishment
for the criminal carelessness of railway
employees, tho best and costliest safety
devices that could he designed, would
be more or less useless.
Il think" said he, that the block
system IS the most perfect system yet
devised to prevent n certain class of ac-
cidents. but it is like every other system.
If 1t Is to be administered by
Observation-Disclosures and those individuals
selected are entirely careless about their
duties. the block system won't save hui
man life. | have sometimes thought that
all efforts that we have made in the
direction of safety appliances have simp-
ly begotten increased carelessness on the
part of men who, after all. have to hr
charged with their use, a feverish dis
position to jump upon corporations has
usually sought to put the responsibility
upon the corporations. independently az
the fact that employees are the instru.
mentalities that have charge of all OF
these appliances. The legislation has
looked TO the punishment of the cor
poratlons, and in few IL any instances
the punishment of the individual through
whose negligent use OF the appliances
or whose negligent failure TO nut them In
place and 10 preserve them in workine
condition, has made the catastrophe
possible. When we get to that point
that the law win provide adequate pun
ishment for the individual men who arr
d~ereilct. then We may he able to secure
from them a proper sense OF their re-
s~ponslbihtS, and II proper observance OF
the high duties with which they arc
charged, and while accidents will neve,
be entirely avoided, their nlmbe vii
then be very; ]alargely dlninished.P
This doctrine applies not only TO rail.
! roads, but to all corporations, ana ii II
Nthe most serious phase OF the corpora,