This October 31, 1895 issue of The Albion Journal illustrates how that modern marvel of transportation, the steam powered locomotive, was a danger in more than one way. Numerous accidents are reported each year, including derailments and simply running over people who don’t seem to understand that you can’t step or lay in front of a train. (And they usually win when they sue or at least get a lucrative settlement even in cases where there is no seeming evidence of negligence on the part of the railroad.)
Starting wildfires seemed to be a problem also. It seems like sometimes they couldn’t start more fires if they held a torch out of the boxcar doors and tried to light the grass on fire.
Yet, like modern day airplanes, the death rate per miles travelled seemed to favor the new technology. People are killed and injured every week riding horse powered wagons and buggies. And we know how cars are still killing people (Cars don’t kill people, people kill people with cars?).
Before you leave, look again at the “Here’s a Nut to Crack” puzzle just to the right of the railroad fire article. I don’t think my son Randy, a high school math teacher in Charlotte, will use this puzzle with his kids. No racists here?
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