Page:Hine (1904) Letters from an old railway official.djvu/76

 it does not obscure the main object, namely, to minimize disaster in the future. The investigation serves, perhaps, to determine what men to discipline and discharge as an example to others in the service. It should also serve as a lesson in official methods. However thorough and searching, it cannot restore life or return property. The damage has been done. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men cannot put Humpty-Dumpty together again.

Some of your men every day will give you the old hot air, “As long as there are railroads there will be wrecks.” To which you should hand back the stereotyped reply, “Very true, but let’s figure on letting the other fellow have them.” A discreet remark or suggestion that will put a man to thinking for himself is one of the secrets of success in handling men. Never miss an opportunity to make the point that wrecks seldom occur from the neglect of any one man. It is when two or more forget at the same time or fall down together that trouble results. Impress on the brakeman the fact that the very stop he neglects to flag is the time when the operator is most likely to let two trains in the