Wreck On the Pensilvania RailRoad, 1996
Severe railroad regulations passed in 1903 and 1906 caused Alexander J. Cassatt, president of the Pennsylvania Railroad, to seek the counsel of Ivy Ledbetter Lee concerning how to deal better with the press and the public. Lee went right to work. He believed in absolute frankness with the press. Veteran railroad men were distressed at Lee’s behavior. They were convinced that re- vealing facts about accidents would frighten customers.
The Profession A golden opportunity for Lee to put his ideas into practice soon arose. A train wrecked on the Pennsylvania Railroad main line near the town of Gap, Pennsylvania. As was its time-honored practice, the company sought to sup- press all news of the accident. When Ivy Lee learned of the situation, he took control. He contacted re- porters, inviting them to come to the accident scene at company expense. He provided facilities to help them in their work. He gave out information for which the journalists had not asked.
The railroad’s executives were appalled at Lee’s actions. His policies were seen as unnecessary and destructive. How could the propagation of such bad news do anything but harm the railroad’s freight and passenger business?
At about the time of the wreck on the Pennsylvania, another train accident struck the rival New York Central. Sticking with its traditional policy, the Central sought to avoid the press and restrict information flow concerning the situa- tion. Confronted with the Central’s behavior, and having tasted Lee’s approach to public relations, the press was furious with the New York line. Columns and editorials poured forth chastising the Central and praising the Pennsylvania. Lee’s efforts resulted in positive publicity, increased credibility, comparative ad- vantages over the Central, and good, constructive press coverage and relations. Lee’s critics were silenced.
Earl Newsom, himself a public relations giant, looked back at this accident nearly 60 years later and said:
This whole activity of which you and I are a part can probably be said to have its beginning when Ivy Lee persuaded the directors of the Pennsylvania Railroad that the press should be given all the facts on all railway accidents—even though the facts might place the blame on the railroad itself.*
When Ivy Lee died in 1934, among the many dignitaries at his funeral were the presidents of both the Pennsylvania and the New York Central railroads.
Questions 1. Were Lee’s actions in response to the railroad accident consistent with practice today? Explain.
