Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-06-06
TnEsEf1rU B1ItArg MAi,s1A L1Towr; iowa, 1910

down into the mud. The leading ten
der toppled over and the heavy weight
Of the engines coming on one side,
spread the rails.
"If there be primary cause of this
wreck. i'm our judgment. it was the soft
track resulting from the season and
lack of proper drainage"
"Second-Tt is true that all employees
testify that 1t is safe to run engines
ba ckward vet we are strongly OF the
opinion that such a method of moving
A nengine has in it a great element CT
Ganger We do not believe that the
lives Of people ought to be hazardei
by being compelled to ride in trains
drawn by an engine running backward.
except in the rareSt cases of absolute
necessity for short distances. and then
at much lower rate of speed than
% miles per hour 1t is dangerous for
a train to be led by the tender of an
engine. To some extent, it obscures
the vision of the engineer. In any
event. it is topheavy and easily thrown
out of balance Indeed. it is not an
infrequent occurrence for tender t,
leave the track when coupled between
an engine and other cars.
"Undouotedly, the tender of the lead
ing engine left the track and caused
the derailment of the engines and
cars
"1'hird--It is perfectly clear that 1t
is extremely dangerous TO run as
heavy train as the wrecked tram
upon "a track in the condition of the
Chicago Great Western track be+Wean
Marshalltown and Waterloo. While
one can not say with certainty, vet
from the fact that other ordinary trains
ran both ways over the same track
on the morning Of the list OF March
with perfect safety. ii is quite likely
that if trains Nos. 10 and II had not
been coupled together. but had run
separately. the accident would not have
occurred. We condemn the operation
of such a train as two heavy engines
and ten cars, mostly sleepers and steel
cars. in one train, unless the rail is
suitable for such a heavy train, and
the track IS adapted 10 it and in a
first class condition.
"Fourth-There is an element Of
danger in the operation of any train.
over any track. and at any speai
Every precaution should be adopted
for the purpose of elimina ting hazard
and danger The merest type in rail-
roadins knows that the placing of light.
wooden day coaches between heavy
sleepers and modern steel cars. great
~ increases the danger TO persons rid
ing in such cars in case of an accident.
in the seven rear cars of this train,
nor a person was injufed; the two day
coaches received nearly the entire
shock of the deraiIment. 1t is our opin-
ion that if these two day coaches had
been in the rear of the train, there
would have been of such an appalling
loss Of life. We believe when trains
are made up, that the lighter cars
should be in the rear. We are aware
that it is the common custom to make
I'D trains il. the manner in which this
train was made up. but the irrefutable
facts in the present instance. prove
that such a method greatly increases
the danger in case Of an accident.
1--WE believe the time has come when
greater attention ought to be paid to
the safety of the public, and railroads
should be compelled to use the most
modern, scientific appliances and meth
DDS of operating trains to insure the
safety of the travelling public.