Current:

Leader (1850-1860), 28th August 1852, Edition Town of 2, Page 819, Untitled Article

Page 819
Page 7
7 of 24

On this page

  • Text (5)
  • Transcript

    • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

      Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

      Untitled Article

      ' a the least interfere with our regular work of observing and recording . The cold would , of course , have become disagreeable , had we continued long in it . " This voyage , it is observed , should only be considered as preliminary , neither the managing committee nor the observers having any previous experience in aerostation . .

      Untitled Article

      SHAMEFUL RAILWAY ACCIDENT . 'The train from Liverpool to Manchester by way of Bolion which started at three minutes before seven on Monday night , lost nearly an hour in reaching Bolton . When it arrived at that place , the line was blocked by no less than five other trains , reaching over nearly a mile of the line . The first train , which caused the delay of . all the rest , was a heavy passenger train , leaving Liverpool at half-past five , and due at Bolton at twenty minutes past seven , though it did not arrive at that place till twenty minutes past nine . This train , which divides into two parts at Bolton , contained passengers both for Manchester and for Yorkshire ; some time was occupied in separating them , and placing them in their proper trains . The signal-lamp , which should laave warned the driver of the sixth train , and which eould have been seen a mile off , was not lighted , for the point-man , whose duty it was to see to this signal , had left at about a quarter to nine . His usual time for leaving was half-past eight ; but , on this day , he was warned that there would be extra trains , and that , consequently , his services would be required later . The line , where it approaches Bolton , is curved , and the night being very dark , the driver of the last train did not see the obstructing trains till he came within a distance of about one hundred and twenty-five yards . He ran into the train before him , which was a luggage train , with such force , that the three first carriages of his train , which were third class , were crushed , the middle one being , turned up on its fore end , between the other two . Fifteen passengers were injured , but only one seems to be in danger .

      The clerk of the Boston station went , after the accident , to the house of the pointsman , whose name is Lee Bancroft . He confessed that he had received the notice requiring him to be prepared by the special trains ; but he said he did not think he should be required to remain after his usual time . About halfpast twelve the same night , he was found hanging by his neckerchief from a large nail , driven into the top of his sentry-box ; he was then quite dead .

      It is stated , that it was the duty of tho guard of the train which was run into , to have gone back with his lantern when he found that the signal was not alight . It seems that ho neglected this duty .

      Untitled Article

      The inquest , held at Docker ' s Lane , respecting the death of Mr . John Thomas Beddington , ' terminated on Wednesday , when the Jury declared themselves of opinion , that tho death of John Thomas Beddington was caused in consequence of the ashpan having been severed from the engine , but the cause of such severance was not in evidence before them .

      Untitled Article

      RAILWAYS IN 1851 . Captain Simmons , of tho Royal Engineers , has made a report from tho railway department of the Hoard of Trade to the Trade Committeo of the Privy Council of the state of railways in 1851 . By a series of extracts wo Khali l ) e able to place before tho render some interesting information connected with the growth of railway system , tho causes of the accidents which are constantly occurring , and the revenues derived by the companies . INCREASE Ol ? It AI I / WAY COM MITN If ! ATIOW .

      The increase thut lias boon made in tho railway communication of this country in tho year 1851 lias not been so groat iih in any of tho preceding years since 1844 . Comineneing from that period , there was a rapidly progressive increase- in tho number of miles opened during each successive- vciir . This increase reached its maximum in 1848 , in which year 1182 miles of railway were added to those previousl y opened for tho conveyance of passengers . The . yearly progress him since 1848 been as rapidly diminishing , ' ¦ ho number of miles opened during tho last your having •» id . y amounted to i !< 59 , of which 174 arc in J'Wkiul , 0 in heotland , and 80 in Ireland .

      I he whole extent of railway communication open for rail , ; j u ji 1 ( , uuiiM [ Kjn , r , l <) m at tho end of 1 HC > 1 was N . M ) miles , which are distributed in the different purls of t'io Juug dom in tho following proportions : — Miles . In Kngland and Wales 530 ( 5 In Scotland ()((<> In Ireland (( ' 24 Total in the United Kingdom . ( IHJH ) miles «» l >« m lor public truflie . (• ii a l > r oani > however , that a very considerable portion «» ' tlieso hues will never be ooriBtruoiod , in consequent of ,.,, " . l «>* ' tho powers conferred upon the companies . « o lollowmg table , compiled from the various nets of irinunent conferring powors upon tho companies , and

      . from returns presented to Parliament , shows that the powers , both for the compulsory purchase of the necessary lands , and for the construction of the works , had ceased without having been exercised with respect to 645 miles , and that tho powers for the compulsory purchase of lands had been allowed to expire previous to the end of 1850 ( to which date tho returns have been made ) to a further extent of 571 miles , reducing the number of miles of railway not now open for traffic , for making "which the powers were in force at the end of 1850 , from 5101 to 3888 / ' And it seems probable that a very large deduction from this number must be still made . From the latest returns which have been presented to Parliament relative to the capital of railway companies , it appears that at the end of 1850 railway companies hrid raised , either by shares or loans , a sum equal to 240 , 270 , 746 ? ., and that they retained powers to raise a further sum of 122 , 431 , 900 ? ., but a small proportion of which will ever be applied to the railway purposes contemplated when granted by Parliament . The sums raised annually previous to the year 1848 cannot bo ascertained ; but since that period Parliament have required returns from the companies , from which it appears that the sums raised for railway purposes in—1848 amounted to . . . £ 33 , 234 , 418 1849 „ ... 29 , 574 , 720 1850 „ ... 10 , 522 , 967 The returns of the sums raised during 1851 have not all , as yet , been received ; and therefore tlie 'amount raised for the last year cannot be stated . From a table which has been prepared in continuation of the similar table in the reports of the Commissioners of Kailways of preceding years , it appears that the number of persons employed in making railways was 15 , 947 less on the 30 th June , 1851 , than on the 29 th June , 1850 , while the number employed on railways open for traffic has been increased by 3589 , showing the persons employed upon railways to have been 12 , 358 fewer in 1851 than in 1850 . As the very rapid extension of railways consequent on the proceedings of the years 1845 and 1846 appears , from what has been shown before with reference to the capital of railway companies , now to be drawing to a close , the following comparative statement has been prepared with the view of exhibiting- the fluctuations in the employment given by these extensive undertakings : — PERSONS EMPLOYED ON RAILWAYS . Upon I Upon lines linesopen Annual | in course Annual for increase . of con- decrease , traffic . struction . On May 1 , 1847 47 , 218 -, 256 , 509 - > J . 5470 £ 68 , 332 May 1 , 1848 . 52 , 688 \ 188 , 178 4 [ 3280 \ 84 , 361 Juno 30 , 1849 55 , 968 1 103 , 816 i t 4006 \ 44 , 931 June 29 , 1850 59 , 974 = > 58 , 885 - { [ 3589 { - 15 , 947 June 30 , 1851 63 , 563 - * 42 , 938 - > Tot . incr . 16 , 345 . Total deer . 213 , 571 Incr . on lines open 16 , 345 Balance of decrease . 197 , 226 The general result is , that on the 30 th of Juno , 1851 , tho number of persons employed upon railways , either in construction or working , was 197 , 226 less than at tho corresponding period in 1847 . It would appear , therefore , that in the interval which has elapsed , this number of persons , who must havo been withdrawn from other industrial occupations in consequence of the groat demand for labour created by tho impetus given in 1845 and 1846 to tho construction of railways , has been again absorbed in other occupations , and obtain a living by other means . Tho reduction of labour , as divided botweon tho three kingdoms , is as follows : — Tho number of persons employed on tho 30 th Juno , 1851 , is less than on the 1 st May , 1847—In Kngland and Wales by ... 125 , 29 ( 5 In Scotland by 49 , 30 ( 5 In Ireland by 22 , ( 524 Total diminution .... 197 , 22 ( 5 From this it will b ( i seen that tho cessation of railway works has fallen more especially upon Scotland , where the greatest proportionate reduction in ( he persons employed has taken place . The number of persons employed in each country on the 30 th June , 1851 , was—¦ In England and Wales .... 80 , ( 512 In Scotland H . KO 2 In Ireland 17 , 087 Total 10 ( 5 , 501 A (! C ! I 1 > KNTH . On tho subject of accidents it is to be observed , that 3 ( 5 passengers have been returned as killed , and 375 injured , during tho year 1 H 51 ; these numbers showing a vorv great increase as compared with tho preceding your , when only 32 passengers Avere killed and 183 injured . It must not be assumed , however , that all of fheso accidents to passengers were accidents arising from causes beyond their own control , and are therefore to bo considered as attributable to the dangers of railway travelling ; for , upon examining ( he returns , it appears that during tho year 1851 . no less than 17 passengers were killed and 20 injured owing to their own misconduct or want of caution leaving 11 ) killed and 355 injured as tho total number of uullorors from causes boyond their own control . With respect to tho 37 passengers either killed or injured by their own misconduct or want of caution , it appears

      that no fewer than 24 of these accidents ( 9 killed , 15 injured ) arose from passengers attempting either to get into or out of trains whilst in motion . On this subject it may be worthy of observation that during the same period ( the year 1851 ) eight servants of railway companies , persons therefore , it may be presumed , in the habit of moving about , more or less , upon engines and trains , were killed , and seven injured from the sam&cause . Such a statement ought to operate as a caution to passengers not to leave their seats or to attempt to get into carriages while the trains are in motion ; for if experienced officials constantly employed upon railways meet with such frequent disasters from this cause , it is naturally to be expected that inexperienced people , in making similar

      attempts to get either upon or off trains in motion , will be much more subject to accidents of this character . This result , giving a total of 374 sufferers , when viewed with reference to the number of passengers conveyed during the year , which amounted to 85 , 391 , 095 , appears not unsatisfactory , being about 4 in 1 , 000 , 000 ; but when compared with the returns of the preceding year ( 1850 ) , it appears that the traffic has not been conducted nearly with the same degree of safety in 1851 as in 1850 ; for while the number of passengers convcj r ed has increased in the ratio of about 17 per cent ., the number of passengers injured by causes beyond their own control , which may be considered as a measure of the relative safety upon railways during different periods , has more than doubled , the ratio of increase being 104 per cent .

      It will be found also , upon reference to the last annual report of the Commissioners of Railways , that the casualties in 1850 more than doubled those that occurred in 1849 , so that relatively the risk of danger in travelling upon railways appears to have considerably increased . It is matter of observation that this increase 6 f accidents has taken place concurrently with , the extension of the system of excursion trains , which has been principally developed within the last two years ; and it is also to be observed that in the same period the number of persons employed upon each mile of railway open for traffic , has decreased , as shown by the returns presented to Parliament , which are made up for the 30 th June in each year , at which date it may be presumed that the excursion traffic is in full operation .

      The average number of persons employed upon all the railways in the United Kingdom open for traffic were on the—30 th June , 1849 .... iP' 27 per mile 29 th June , 1850 .... 9-56 „ 30 th June , 1851 .... 9-49 „ It is , however , right to observe that this reduction in the average number of persons employed may be in some degree to be attributed to improvements in the management of the railways , and to the consideration that the railways which have been opened in late years have traversed less populous districts than the railways first constructed , and have therefore required fewer persons to conduct the traffic upon them . These accidents may be classified under two heads : — 1 . Those which arise from accidental failure of machinery , or from defects in the roadway or works .

      1 . Those which arise from defects in the establishment and management of the railways . ThiB head may bo further subdivided into—A . Inherent defects in the system upon which the traffic is conducted . B . Defects in regulations . C . Inattention to regulations , or inexperience of servants . D . Want of punctuality . Of tho 41 accidents that havo been reported upon , 2 only appear to belong exclusively to tho first class , while 25 belong to the second class , and in 14 are involved circumstances falling under both classes .

      The remedies suggested are , that goods trains ai d passengers trains should not run during the same lime ; that more euro should bo bestowed on the point * ; that greater accuracy should bo obtained in time-tables ; and that time-tables should be given to the drivers of goods trains .

      TRAFFIC . It appears that the number of passengers travelling on railways in England and Wales , which in 185 O amounted to 58 , 514 , 435 , reached 70 , 471 , 179 in 1851 , showing an increase of 20 per cent . ; while the receipts fiom tlieso passengers rose from 5 , 888 , 003 / . to 0 , 952 , 012 / ., being an increase of 18 per cent . This increase in a great degree is to be attributed to the ( . Jrcat Exhibition . The general results of traflic over all the railways in tho United Kingdom show that the aggregate number of passengers conveyed in 1850 amounted to 72 , H 51 , < 1 . 23 ; in 1851 to 85 , 391 , 095 ; being an increase of 12 , 53 ( 5 , 873 , or 17 " 2 per cent . Tim gross receipts from passengers in 1850 amounted to 0 , 827 , 701 / . ; in 1851 to 7 , 940 , 704 / . ; showing sm increase of 1 , 113 , 003 / ., or 103 per cent .

      1 ho gross sum received for the transport of goods amounted in 1850 to 0 , 370 , 907 / . ; in 1851 to 7 , 050 , 095 / ., showing an increase o ( " 079 , 788 / ., or !()•(> per cent . Tho gross revenue of nil the railways arising from truuic of all descriptions , which in 1850 amounted to 13 , 204 , 008 / ., amounted in 1851 to 15 , 997 , 459 / ., or very nearly 15 millions , showing an increase in the receipts for the year of 1 , 792 , 791 / ., or 13-5 per cent . S 1 KIAK TREASON . Tiiii Liver | M ) ol Jamaica Association held ii meeting on Tuesday , to receive u deputation from the island concerning its present distressed condition . Mr . J . 1 * . YutoH , who took tho chair , complained

      Untitled Article

      August 28 , 1852 . ] THE LEADER . 819

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 28, 1852, page 819, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1949/page/7/