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Description and Holding Information
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Senate. Comm. Of Rail-roads and Canals. Report on accidents on the Western Rail-road, 1842
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Senate No. 55 On January 17, 1842, the Committee on Railways and Canals was ordered to examine railway accidents; the Committee had subpoena powers. On February 18, 1842, the Committee submitted its report. It had looked at four accidents on the Western Rail-road that happened over three years. Each accident was different, but all had loss of life. The Chief Engineer, Mr. Whistler, explained all the safety rules of the line. The Corporation had examined the rules of other countries' railroads also. After its hearings, the Committee could not see that anyone could be charged with negligence or dereliction of duty--any such person had died in the accidents. The operators were humans and humans sometimes fail, so everyone had to be vigilant and learn from experience. There followed an official accident report from one accident and timetables from the pertinent train. [This accident could have been avoided had there been telegraphy in use, but that did not begin for railroads until 1851.] (Digitized from a microfilm copy of title originally held by the Library of Congress).
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Title:
Ordered, that the Committee on Rail-roads and Canals, be instructed to inquire into the causes of the frequent accidents upon the Western rail-road ... .
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OCLC Number:
1415811143
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Available Volumes
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Name | Fiche Count | Online | Paper Backup |
Vol. 1 | | Yes | No |
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