Jackson County journal. (Sylva, N.C.) 19??-19??, 1915-08-20


hand, the collection Of damages out
or railroad revenues, as a punishment
Tor an avoidable accident, when there
can be no real compensation, is an
economic waste; it Furnishes the pub.
nc more than 1t Furnishes the stock
holders, as it deprives the public nv
exactly the amount Of the damages
or the ability Of the railroad to bro.
Fiue a.ii,-onal permanent facilities
Tor the use or convenience and safety
OF the public. Given the progressive
policy OF Southern Railway Company
70 make such improvements to the
extent Of its ability, it is Of interest
20 note that, in the last year a divi.
oend was paid by the Company, $50
t-2ts CT every dollar of revenue c..
lected from the public went in paw
ment OF damages Of all kinds. prac-
tlcally the same amount, 1888 cents.
went to the stockholders, while only
thirteen-hundredths of one cent of
each dollar of revenue could be ap-
pied on permanent improvements.
Sucn other improvements as wer,
made were necessarily charged to new
capital, thereby increasing the de.
mands on the fund in which the pub.
| Tic has so vital an interest It would
| pc the pleasure of the MANAGEMENT
! always to apply as much of the rev
enues on permanent improvements A
on dividends, II that was possible.
There Is, then, basis of interest "a
we'll as OF morals for cooperation BE-
tween the public and the railroads to
| prevent the recurrence Of these trax.
edies.
With deep sense of the respon.
s1olllty OF management in this mat
ter ana pledging this Company to 90
everything in its power which is rea-
sonable and consistent with the func-
lions for which it was chartered. an
peal to the public generally for such
cooperation in avoiding these serious
ana distressing accidents. In practical
II all cases they can be, and in most
cases are. readily and easily avoided
~ tho automobile driver acting unon
the familiar warning to stop, look and
listen at railway crossings. While
familiarity with the crossing sign.
Desss and the regular. schedules of
trains may breed contempt of.danger
surely every one Of us when using a
hsGhway can afford to sacrifice enough
Of bis time and his pride OF opinion
y have a practical assurance of. safe
~. On the other hand, the demands
OF commerce and Of public, transnor.
tataon do not permit railroad to stop
al its trains 1T all highway CROSSINGS.
II that was possible it would be cheap-
or Tor the railroad to do so than to
pay the damages. It is clear, however
mat 1T Is necessary that one or the
other OF the parties to crossing shall
stop it the largest measure of protec-
ton Of life and limb and pronertv is
TO be secured. II not from self-inter-
est, can not the automobile driver
yield the precedence as a matter of
courtesy to age, for the railroad is
older than the automobile!
Eliminating Grade CROSSINGS
me ideal OF safety will be accom-
pllshed only when all grade CROSSINGS
OF railroads are separated. In this
respect Southern Railway Company is |
doing something every year and as |
much as its resources and other ohl;.
cations make possible: indeed, it nav
De claimed that the Company Is. |
speaking generally, making progress.
more rapidly than most municipalitiesI
WHICH nave an obligation In the prem