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Show RAILWAY ACCIDENTS. One of tho most gratifying features of the report submitted to congress by the Interstate Commerco commi.v sion is the announcement that in the railway accidents in 1908 is shown a remarkable falling off of casualties, the death list having been decreased from 110 in 1907 to 165 In 1908. Th3 namber of employes of roads killed In coupling accidents shows a reduction reduc-tion of 20 per cent. There was a time not long ago, " when the yearly railway death list assumed the proportions of casually reports from a battlefield. Attention is called to the necessity Of legislation authorizing an Investigation, Investi-gation, under direction of the commission, com-mission, of train accidents, for the purpose of obtaining light on the question of preventive measures for tho future. By the terms of an act approved May 30, 1908, it is made unlawful un-lawful for any common carrier engaged en-gaged In interstate or foreign commerce com-merce by railroad to use any locou.o-tlve locou.o-tlve in moving interstate ol foreign traffic that is not equipped with an ash pan which can be dumped or emptied and cleaned without tho necessity of any employe going under such locomotivn, on and after the 1st day of January, 3910, and the commission is charged with the duty of enforcing the provisions pro-visions of this act. Numerous plans of inventions calculated to solve the difficulty Involved in obtaining an efficient ef-ficient device applicable 19 all types of locomotives have been presented to the commission and have been referred refer-red to its block signal and train control con-trol board for examination and repoil. |