Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-01-08
RAILROAD WRECKS
CAUSE DISCUSSION
CONGRESSMAN CONNER OF THE
TENTH DISTRICT SAYS MAY BE
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP

s Ef LII 0tS EhlS SArS WNt 0e
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP
Washington, D. c., Jan. Tn my
Judgment the effect Of the recent and
numerous appalling railway accidents
will be to speadily lead to government
ownership of the railroads, unless the
railroads, on their own motion or as
result Of congressional legislation,
adopt measures that will render such
accidents impossible and insure public
safety in travel"
The foregoing statement was made
to Congl essman Conner of
the tenth district. Continuing he sail:
The people of this country will not
stand for the slaughter of people such
as we have witnessed the past few
weeks. They will demand Of congress
that the question be given most seach-
ing investigation at once, with view
of determining where the blame lies.
1t it is due to human carelessness
then demand will be made that the
railroads be compelled to adopt me-
chanical devices that are of such char
acter that accidents Of the unavoidable
class will cease. If congress has not
authority to handle the question; II It
shall be unable to compel, such action
on the part of the railroads; or II the
railroads themselves claim they have
done all that they can, then the people
will demand that the government take
charge of the railroads and conduct
them in such a. manner that a person
will not take his life in his hands
every time he boards train"
Lacey Takes Issue.
Congressman Lacey. OF the Sixth
district, seemed to question If congress
could do much in the way of compell-
ing railroads to be more careful, un-
less It would be to compel every train
to stop at every station and not pro.
coed until It should he definitely
known that the track between that
station and the next was absolutely
clear Of rolling stock.
"The trouble may be charged to
prosperity" remarked Major Lacey
"The country is too prosperous: 1t IS
doing too much business and the rail
roads are swamped with business hoth
freight and passenger The whole
scheme has become too big, and cum
sYsbersome There is q limit to the grasT
even of our cleyerest men; they can
not do everything and the fact Is the
4 railroads have become SO greai
| through mergers and absorptions anf
4 taking in of feeders and smaller lines
4 that it appears to be impossible to han
4 del them with safety to travellers. i
there were many more railroads ant
they were smaller 80 that the mana
gers and train dispatchers and othel
i officials had less territory to cover
j there would be fewer accidents.
Grows Sarcastic.
"But can tell you a sure remed.
for 1t all, continued Major Lacey. "Al
1t Is necessary to do is to revise thu
tariff, turn the country over to the de
mocratic party and these horrible &C
cidents, entailing the loss of hundred'
!, Of lives, will practically cease. Civ
us a democratic administration-an,
: evidently this Is what good man,
people appear to desire-and this con
gestion on railroads will terminate
There will be plenty Of room then o.
the track for all trains, without al
tempting to have two trains occup
: the same track at the same Tins
There will be no surplus Of freight t
be hauled and no shortage Of cars Q
of motive power. Half as many trains
half as often will do all the busines
and head-on and rear-end collision
: will become almost unknown"
Congressman Lacey is not dispose
FL 10 take Congressman Conner's vie'
E with respect to government owne
8 chip. He does not beliye the govern
v laent would be likely to run the raj
3 roads with less accidents than tn
f present management.
n Congress May Probe.
r 1t is very evident that the appalin
t wreck at Terra Gotta will serve us
e full purpose in that it will By reaso
4 of the fact that it occurred within th
9 District of Columbia, enable congres
8 to get at tho bottom of the accider
7 first hand. In fact tie District a.
e thorities are going after the railroa
officials and crew In manner TIL;
looks like business Later congres
J. will go over the same ground
Thus far it appe..rs that the trai
J, crew is attempting to saddle the blair
lon Inc operator; ta5 operator lays
! On 'iae engineer and the public is di
: posed to charge gcol deal of Il
J. hlarao upon the train dispatcher ar
/ tlie general looseness of the systey
3 III fact admissions have been made Z
ready which indicate almost crilnin
t,t.I ability on the pa cl officials
pc:nii!:ing r:.ies tc lie strained
broken repeatedly without apparel
notice
[ The managers of railroads are in d
spair over the situation. They clai
to have provided every possible pr
caution all of which goes for naug
Elbecause of the forgetfulness or car
gllessness of men in subordinate POI
tons Another phase Of the matt
also interests the managers and stoc
holders aside from the frightful mc
tality. and that is the hole such q
sIfidpnfc made in thu traacurv