Connecticut western news., 1907-03-14
THURSDAY, MARCH IA, 1907.
THEsLAuoHTER OF HUMANITY


 The number of lives lost in railroad accidents thus far this year is appalling to say the least and the slaughter IS still going on not only ill Codnecticut but in all parts of the union. Accidents, par ticularly head-on collisions. have been so numerous of late that public sentiment against modern methods of railroadlng has become thoroughly aroused. The officials of the various railroads claim that every precaution to insure the safety of the travelling public is taken but Tn the light of recent events, the people are 10th to accept the statement as one of truth. One of the most serious accl- dents was that near New York City when a crowded electric train left the track and thirty or more people were either killed or seriously injured. The coroner who had charge of the case made a radical departure from the usual procedure and instead of holding the employees in charge of the train responsible for the death or injury of these people, he placed the blame on those higher up, the millionaires by whom the road IS owned. As result Cornelius Vanderbilt, Presl- dent Newman, Chauncey M. Depew and other were haled into court. Itis alleged by the coroner that these men are guilty of criminal negligence in permitting trains to run at high speed over road not calculated for it. The outcome of this case will be awaited with interest by highly incensed public.
 Several moves have been made by the national and state legislatures in an effort to reduce railroad catastrophes to min imum, such as prescribing limit to the number of hours railroad employees shall be kept continuously at work, in order that while on duty they shall be physically capable of doing their work in a proper manner. It goes without saying that it is by no means safe to place the lives of human beings in charge of engineers who have been on duty con- tinuously for forty eight hours or tele- graphers who have been working for several 'stricks."
 But when we consider the matter seriously, isn't the general public ill way responsible for existing conditions in railroading? In their mad chase after the almighty dollar the business man and the capitalist demanded the eighteen hour train from New York to Chicago and the railroad companies supplied that demand, the ordinary traveller reached the conclusion that the forty -mile-an- hour train was too slow and he clamored for something faster. To satisfy this demand the fifty and the sixty-mile-an hour trains were placed at his disposal. The fact that excessive speed is attended by greater danger seems not to have been taken into consideration. If it was considered the average traveller, both man and woman, was ever ready, in order that few minutes or few hours on a journey might be saved, depending upon the length of the said journey, to run the risk of being killed or injured.
 The question of safety in operating trains at this high speed, and at more frequent intervals than in former years. has been given much consideration (not particularly by the railroad companies during the past few weeks. Opinions of men formerly employed by railroads (that active employees rarely dare ex- press radical opinions if they value their jobs is well known fact) are to the effect that the limit of speed at which passenger trains may safely run on the average track is forty miles per hour. These men believe that greater speed is attended by constant danger particularly on curves where the greatest strain is brought to bear upon the rails.
 In addition to passing laws reducing the working hours to a period during which the railroad man should be able to perform his duties intelligently, care fully and systematically, it may become necessary before this wholesale slaughter of human beings is stopped to enact laws prohibiting the running of trains at & speed greater than the limit which com potent commission may decide upon as one of safety And at the same time some signal legislation might assist won- derfully in reducing the number of col lisions,
 Railroad accidents will never be rem dered impossible but more conservatism than at present seems to exist on the principal systems would go long way toward reducing them to minimum.