Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-07-28
actly in proportion to the general ability

actly in proportion to the general ability
and skill of their management.
For the present purpose we take only
the great railways leading out OF the city
of New York-regretting that we have
no means at hand to extend this inquiry
to roads radiating into other States.
High claims have been made OF the
most able management and superior safety
tor the roads under the control OF Com-
modore Vanderbilt, and the present IN
uuiry was started to ascertain how much
truth there is in such claims.
We submit that the following compar-
ison of results on the several roads is emil
nently fair, being in all cases taken from
their own affirmed reports as published by
the State Engineer. The casualties
brought into the calculation include those
of passengers only, not employees or
others but were these included the differ
ence would only be still greater.
This inquiry covers the last six years,
from 1864 to 1869, both inclusive, as it
might justly be claimed to be unfair to
take any single year. But, certainly, six
years is long enough for fair general
average. Ea.1..
We append the facts, and railroad pat
rons may draw their own conclusions
In the last six years, on the Harlem, one pas
senger has been killed to every 85,7O0, O95 miles
Travelled, and one injured to every 5529,ol4 miles
| travelled.
On the Hudson River one has been killed to
every 63, 4S9, 692 miles, and one injured to every
On the New York Central one has been killed
to every 606 miles, and one injured 10 every
On the New York and Erie one has been kille
to every 6,279,772 miles, and one injured TO every
On the Long Island one has been killed to
every s. S63, 567 miles, and one injured to every
! 1888, 096 miles.
We would have included the New Ha.
ven road, but on examination the COM
pany do not appear to have reported any
casualties occurring on any part OF their
line except the small portion occurring in
New York State, although for other mat
ters their returns cover their whole line
of 623 miles But if we accept such par
tiaI returns, their casualties would still
exceed the Vanderbilt roads.
Passengers by city cars are in no case
included in the above calculation. /
should, in fairness, also be stated tha
three.quarters of all injuries to passen
gers as reported On the Harlem Railroad
were caused by jumping on or off the carr
when in motion, and did not arise from
any accident to trains.
It appears, therefore, that a travellers
chances of being killed on the Harlem
Railroad, taking the average of the pas
six years, is one in every 85,708, 095 miles
travelled; while on the Long Island Rail
road it is one in 8,S64,567 miles, and OF
the Erie one in 6279,772 miles.
That is-during the last six years the
number of passengers killed on the Erie
Railway has been fourtsen times that or
the Harlem Railroad. to the same number
of miles travelled, and on the Long Island
Railroad nearly ten times; or, to put it il
another form, the proportion of passen
gers killed on the Long Island Road dur
ing that time, as compared with the Har
lem, is as 10 to 1, and on the Erie II to
Taking the Erie and Long Island road:
together and comparing them with the
Wander bilt roads, they are as 8 to /. Here
is food for reflection. RAILROAD.