The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-05-31 00:00:00

RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

A Parliamentary paper was issued on Saturday, giving
returns of the accidents and casualties during the mouths
of January, February, and March of the present year, as
reported to the Board of Trade by the several railway com-
panies in the United Kingdom.

During that period the numbPr of persons killed
and injured on railways in the United Kingdom in
in the course of public traffic were—killed 219, and
injured 714. In addition various accidents occurred
upon the railway premises, in which, however, the
movement of vehicles used exclusively upon rail-
ways was not concerned, and by these 11 persons
were killed and 481 injured. Thus the total number
of personal accidents during the three months resulted
in 230 persons killed and 1,195 injured. These acci- ,
dents are classed under various heads; 98 passengers
and 28 railway servants were injured by accidents to
trains, rolling stock, permanent way, ; 20 pas-
sengers and 105 servants were killed and 114 pas-
sengers and 433 servants were injured froul other
causes. Sixteen persons were killed and eight injured
while passing over railways at level crossings; and the
number of accidents to trespasseri, including suicides,
was 74 killed and 20 wounded.
During the three months there were reported eight
collisions between passenger trains or parts of pas-
senger trains, by which 18 passengers and ona servant
were injured ; 23 collisions between passenger trains
and goods or mineral trains, engines, &0., by which
69 rassengers and 13 servants were injured ; 10 colli-
sions between goods trains or parts of goods trains, by
which 12 servants were injured ; 22 cases of pas-
senger trains or parts of passenger trains leaving the
rails, by which four passengers were injured ; two
cases of trains running into stations or slidings at too
high a speed, by which five passengers were injured ;
327 failures of tires, one servant being injured; 93
failures of axles, two passengers being injured; and
1,187 broken rails, one servant being injured.

Of other casualties, in which no personal injury was
inflicted, there were two cases of goods trains or parts
of goods trains, engines, &c., leaving the rails; one case
of a passenger train travelling in the wrong direction
through points, twenty-three cases of trains running
over cattle or other obstructions on the line, nineteen
cases of trains running through gates at level cr *s-
ings, three cases of failure of machinery, springs, &c.,
of engiries ; eleven failures of wheels, four failures of
couplings, one failure of a bridge, six slips in cuttings
or embankments, and one other accident.
The return also contains the reports of the inspecting
officers of the Railway Department to the Board of
Tri,cll? -1_11?u,R.PgAV1.i1q11.491,44 Attil44 we.reitiquirecliuta)

The strike in the building trade at Barnsley has
been settled, the masons and bricklayers agreeing to accept
71d. per hour and work 50 hours per week during summer,
tha winter period to be regulated by the Leeds hours. The
la'oourers also agreed to accept sld. per hour, and work the
same hours as the masons. The rate of payment in all oases
Is to be by the hour instead of the day, as hitherto,