Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-07-22
recommendations For
Final And Temporary
Relief In PreSentTnent

(By Evening News STAFF Correspondent
NEW BRUNSWICK, July u,
Two recomme were made IN
the presentment returned by the
grand Jury at 2.20 o'clock this after
noon, following an exhaustive IN
vestigation into the grade-crossing
accident in Perth Amboy on June 10,
when nine firemen lost their lives.
One of these recomm mendations is OF
q temporary character and the otner
is a permanent recommendation.
The only solution, according TO
the findings of the grand jury, 10
insure against future actions OF
similar character is to be found In
the elevating of all tracks at street
crossings or depressing the roadways
under the tracks. In the meantime
the establishment at all grade cross
ings of two capable watchmen ana
a reduction in the speed of all trains
passing over grade crossings Is sug-
gested as a means of getting tenn
porary protection.
In recommending that two men be
placed at every crossing, the grand
iury specifics that these should he
men who are mentally and physical
|, capable and alert enough to pro-
tect the lives of those passing over
the tracks. The presentment points
ont that it has been the habit of the
railroads to place as guardians over
their grade crossings men whose OLD
age have made it Impossible Tor
them to do other work well or those
who have been injured while work
ing for the railroad and have peen
given a position to help them imam
cially.
In the future, the grand jury re-
oommends. only able-bodied men
with keen intellect be employed by
the railroads to guard their grade
crossings. =,
A Recommendation that the rail-
roads slacken the speed of their
4 trans so as not TO pass through the
city at speeds of from forty-five &c
sixty miles an hour Is also made.
| The grand jury also suggests tha'
the Public Utility Commission look
into the catastrophe and conditions
existing in Perth Amboy with the
idea of eliminating all grade cross
ings in that city.
The presentment follows:
On June Is, at the crossing of the
Central Railroad of New Jersey over
Market street in the vicinity of Perth
Amboy, this county, an express oper-
ated by the Central railroad collided
with fire apparatus of the Eagle
Hose g. Chemical Company OF Perth
Amboy which was responding TO a
fire call. AS a direct result or TINS
collision nine brave men responding
to the call of duty lost their lives
and the truck upon which they were
riding was completely demolished.
This grand jury has conducted a
thorough investigation on the acci-
dent and have called numerous Wit
nesses for the purpose of obtaining
| n true insight into the manner IN
which this particular accident hap
| pened; that the responsibility there
| fore might be properly placed anu
for the continual purpose OF gaming
| information relating to tins ana
other grade crossings in the city OF
Perth Amboy in order that we might
| after a serious consideration OF all
| facts produced make presentation
| of all facts in the hope that are fur-
nished and that truer Judgment
might have some weight in remedy
ing conditions that mako 1t possible
for such catastrophe to happen.
The railroads have completed
such an important and tremendous
part in developing our company
in TRANSFORMATION is necessary is nee
essary without regard to the danger
and resultant sacrifices. Whlle
speed in Transportation is extremely
desirable and in large measure
necessary to business and Industrial
conditions, yet we must be con-
scious of the fact that the right to
| human life is superior to any and
| all rights, schemes, demands and
privileges and that railroads must
recognize that they cannot respond
to the public mania for speed, at
the cost of spcedlcssly and wreck
| less endanSering and jeopardizing
human life.
| There can be no doubt that in the
| past trains at the tracks of the Cen
| tral Railroad of New Jersey. have
| been operated through the city Oh
| Perth Amboy at a tremendous rate
of speed The trains approaching
the city operate an automatic signal
which warns the gatemen at the
stoppings of the approaching trains.
In some instances only a minute or
| two elapses from the time the signal
! Is received until a train thunders by
| he crossing at speed of forty-hVe
! to sixty miles an hour. during TINS
short period OF time lne BdleI man "a9
| checking traffic. task which car
| ried great responsibility ana re-
alired a keenly alert mind and body
| resourceful. coolheaded and judg-
ment in order to avoid repetition of
| the fatal accident.
That the responsibility of the gate
man at either the Smith or Market
street crossing of the Central Rail
| road through Perth Amboy is a
| tremendous one is borne out by the
| figures collected by the Perth Amboy
| police authorities on the 81. 22 and
| 23 of June this year. At the Smith
| street crossing during a period from
| 7 A. NJ. on the morning of June 81
| to 3 F. NJ. in the afternoon of June
| 23 the following traffic was checked:
Number of pedestrians crossing
| the track, 19,451; number of auto