OCR Text |
Show RAILROAD ACCIDENTS. The quarterly railroad accident bulletin of the interstate commerce commission, just issued, for the last three months of last year, shows, by comparison compari-son with the preceding quarter and for -the quarter ending. with December of the previous year, a remarkable re-markable decrease in the number of passengers killed in train accidents, as well as a considerable reduction in the number of employes who received fatal injuries. In the last quarter of 1907, 21 passengers pas-sengers and 199 trainmen were killed; in the preceding pre-ceding quarter. 110 passengers and 236 trainmen; in the last quarter of 1900, ISO passengers and 294 trainmen. In addition to, the 220 passengers "and trainmen who met with death during the three months period in train accidents there were 4.1S7 persons more or less seriously injured. Other causes than train accidents bring the total number of deaths for the quarter up to 1,092, and of iiv juries 19.366, or a total of 20,458 as the harvest of the iron horse for three months. While these figures show a reduction from previous pre-vious reports, they are still deplorable, and leave - vast room tor improvement, l in- mt, i merce commission attributes the iv,!m,.: , ''A' C" number ot accidents not merely f,, ;!,,. , "' " ' 1 Hi;) reduction in volume of rail way tratii.- )t r!.ijUtj ' operation of fewer trains and hence r,.,jM , ;'" liability of accidents, but also to the fun'uuj mand for overtime work from enipl,-, f" e,t' duction in volume of traffic also permim.,! ., , ' tion in the working force, ami tlU '. .;,, ' e plished bv the weeding out- of th. !-, ,.,,, men is regarded as a factor coiitribunp. U) t . ' 1 proved record. " ' From the renort there are servr;?! ;!( 8 be drawn. The first. is that iin-omiK-re,,,-.,. ;s , . fa portant factor contnbutmsr t- tram ;). ;, onK. owl, long hours for employes en g;i : , I P' fa ction of trains increase the Itrihiliry r . n. (i,'0r.. third, overtaxing the facilities of th.- , . ' die the traffic offered generally prom-vr A' and negligence. ff1 The railroads arc no doubt' tlv gr.-:,-ri. ;,,jt.. . financially from the results of a-'-i-li. -. urr'np sc more the hpads of operating dr-pm .-tmr;ir ; l1;)VlS n) doubt put in many hours in devisii:;.' ni' Ui,,,!, t t'- overcome them. From incompetent ;!: ,!!Pn seems to be 110. escape: the mor r .v: , rr ;i,,r,j )m make fatal mistakes. Overwnrkiiiu'. 1 mr,, :. b times of heavy trafhV is seemingly ;;r.av.-.;,jaj,;. I & Men trained to the business denu'nd !ts.r- ,,r ' : jj steady employment: they cannot nnr.i tn ,-,;,; f,,. j ing slack times, hence arc not avaihu.l. Muriny ti sons of heavy traffic. The companies (.-i;;. luirdiyW expected to provide rolling stock t -r li if-h nt! will have use during only a small p--rn..nof fjw yea r. t: It. is the habit of the American r,,, t 1 fault with the railroads fur their .-Ip'r-'uimw j,,.. I F no doubt the railroads would be p!- a.l t-, rf ,(1; a some practical suggestions as tJT--.inv t ..ver.-f.me j. their deficiencies. . ji Until the fool-proof, mistake-pro.. f until,,, :. provided, there will be railroad accident-. And bv the time that method is devisedit is ur.!,.i;l.. ;;1ar , aerial navigation will supply a new ; pr;r lems upon which the reformers can cvrr,. rjlf,;. I energies, all for the delectation of the r.uldir and the aerial navigation companies. |