Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-27
cARELEssNEss

NARELESSNESS is a glaring ele-
ment of the homicidal street car
~ accident. Even although curve
had to be rounded there was no excuse
for the ranming of Pasadena car by
Monrovia car running at fuil speed.
Even under ordinary conditions speed
should be reduced at curves. Every
reader knows there are motormen who
are absolutely contemptuous Of ordinary
prudence. They seem to think 1t is a
mark Of effeminacy TO be careful in
rounding curves, and a sign Of manli-
ness and courage to risk the lives OF
their passengers.
It must have often occurred to OBJ
servant readers that the false pride of
some motorman who wished to estab-
fish a reputation for being "dashing,"
or who wished to make UP time, would
result in an accident. If the entire
force were asked to "brace up" in mat
ters of discipline and also to run for
passengers and not for schedule only
there would be a marked improvement
in the service.
common knowledge. On street cars
that run out to or beyond the city
limits discipline is q matter of the per-
sonal choice or inclination of some of
the motormen and conductors.
Doubtless some of our readers may
have seen conductors standing at the
front end of cars, chatting with motor
men and allowing the car to whizz
past passenger after passenger at street
corners or at places where some sar-
castle wit in the company's service as
sures the public on a signboard cars
will stop on signal.
During the Elks' celebration the car
men were on their best behavior. Dis
cipline was strict; caution was OBJ
served. and the employees of the COM
pany achieved we'll deserved fame for
handling without accident the throngs
of q holiday week.
But, after the celebration, the Stop
piness and Generalization chiefly re-
sponsible for the slaughter Of Mr.. Ket-
tier and the injury of many citizens
began to be noticeable again.
Since car crews cannot be depended
on to guard the rear of the cars when
the trolley slips-a variety of accident
that is alarmingly common-then auto
matte protection, like that afforded by a
modern block signal system, should be
adopted, and in the meantime Coston
signals should be given TO the men, with
strict instructions to use them when
ever car is delayed by a slipped
trolley or by other accident. The Cos
ton signal is cheap and effective. 1t
burns a light like that used by coast
guards and by life-saving patrols. It
is easily carried and easily managed,
and even a green, inexperienced con-
ductor would be able to use 1t.
In the Coston there is sharp
spike, by which the light can be planted
firmly. The light throws a bright red
glare, visible for hundreds of yards. A
Coston planted at the curve as soon as
the Pasadena car was brought to a
standstill by it's indispensable trolley
would have been seen by the motor
man of the Monrovia car, who always
provided he was not absorbed in con-
versation with the conductor or crack
ing Jokes at the expense of passengers
left" at the stop here" signs) prob
ably would have had sense enough to
halt his car.
In the case Of an accident that was
as clearly preventable and avoidable as
this, the sympathy Of the community
with the relatives of the dead man and
with the wounded who are suffering
from the results of irresponsible negli-
gence will be very keen.