Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-06-21

train to move faster than ten miles an hour
while passing through the city even though it is
running on its own tracks laid on a private right
of way for the most part. where everyone knows
exactly where to find it and at about what time
to expect 1t, how much more dangerous is It for
a trolley car, which operates through the city's
streets. to exceed that speed limit even though 1t
runs on its own track thereby combining it to
a particular part of the street?
And still more dangerous is the automobile
which is not confined to any track. but lodges in
and out among traffic. first on one side of the
street and then the other. swinging around cor
ners and often racing through the streets at
from twenty-five to thirty miles and hour.
Everybody knows where to look out for a
railroad train. One has to be on the track to be
in danger. No one knows when to look out for
en- automobile. 1t is likely to run one down al
most anywhere.
A city ordinance limits the speed of railroad
trains passing through the city to ten miles an
hour. For years this ordinance remained a lead
letter. It is not our intention at this time to
discuss the wisdom of such an ordinance. The
point we wish to make is, it was not until the
lives of nine brave fremen were snufed out that
anv attempt whatever was made to enforce it.
Had the ordinance been enforced from the be-
ginning those nine fremen probably would be
alive today.
There is a state law which all municipal Of
fcers are sworn to enforce. which limits the
speed of automobiles in towns and cities to
twelve miles an hour. This law is just as much
OF a dead letter today as the ordinance limiting
the speed of railroad trains to ten miles an nour
was before the recent accident. Must we wait
until a group of children playing in the street
for they have no other place to play-are run
down and killed before this speed
ordinance is enforced? Are such rules and regu-
lations which are made to safeguard the pup
lie. to become effective only after a SUFFICIENT
number of persons have made the supreme sac
rihce?
And IL such a sacrifice must be made, whom
sba,l II be? Whose children are to be slaughter
ed?
tn tba case of the ordinance regulating the
sneed of the trains, it necessitated the sacr1-
acinr of the lives of nine fremen to bring ABOUT
ito enforcement. Must we have an
horror also before the speeding on the streets
is stopped?
Or course. It NAV be deemed perfectly safe
O let automobiles pass through the streets at a
SDeeQ OIL run w.
We believe that if all machines were kept down
r. that rates while in the city limits there would
be little danger. But if that is the case IN re-
gard to automobiles and trolley cars, which OPP
crate directly on our streets, how much more
true is in regard to railroad trains operating
through the city on a private right OF way ex-
centing at four street crossings?
We do not mean that express trains shou'o
be allowed to race through the city at torty anu
fifty miles an hour. as has been the us'o
THAT should never happen again as long as grace
crossings exist. But it seems utterly incohsis-
font to compel trains to creep through the city
ST q ten mile rate since they have already taken
their toll, while automobiles and trolley cars
90 at any old rate because their killing mas MOI
been sufficient as yet to sufficiently arouse the
public.
whv wait until the horse is stolen before
locking the barn door?