Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-31
A CORONIAL REPORT.
Deaths From Violent Causes in the
Past Three Years.
M'DOWELL's sENSIBLE SUGGESTION
Interesting Statistics Relating to his Term
of Incumbency.
754 DEATHS IN TIE PAST YEAR

The Coroner will hand in his report for
the three years of his incumbency to-day.
Last night his assistants (Grant Miller and
Mark DonIey) were working upon the
figures until midnight, and the following
exhibit will show the deaths from violent
causes, classified in the various depart
ments:
The coroner makes a number of recon-
mendations which will be of great use to
life insurance agents, as well as caution
to the employers of labor. Generally re-
viewing the list of accidents, Coroner Nc
Dowell says that the management is gener-
ally defective in manufacturing and mining
and other concerns with regard to the pro-
lection to life. The construction of build
ings, he says, is rather better now than it
was few years ago, but the Wiley build
ing disaster, where 16 people were killed,
and the himsey work shown BY the investi-
cations of the Fire Bureau when in active
service, are proofs sufficient that more
care is needed in the erection of new
structures.
TO EXCLUDE INEXPERIENCED MEN.
Another point made by the Coroner in his
report is demand to exclude inexperienced
elevator men who are put in charge of the
lives of thousands of people daily. The
same point is made upon the qualifications
of stationary engineers who are promoted in
business houses from being office boys and
watchmen to the position Of running the
furnaces and the engines without knowing
the difference between q water gauge and a
thermometer. A bill, framed by the Coro-
ner. will be presented at the next Legislature
g. L. kLok I..A
be employed as stationary engineers, fire.
men or other employees with responsibility
imposed. The addition of a nurse and some
further assistants to the staff of the jai, en-
ployes is also recommended in view of the
recent number Of deaths in that institution.
A bridge is recommended for foot passen-
gers at Roup station, where so many deaths
have occurred during the year that the
bend has been christened by the railroad
men as a slaughterhouse.
A SURPRISING TOTAL.
The official returns for three years are as
follows, showing 2, 1914 deaths coming from
unexpected causes. The statements are taken
from the official books, and astonishing as
they may seem, are literally correct, lack
of space alone preventing still further de-
scription of details:
In 1887 the number of deaths coming un-
der the Coroner's notice reached 745, of
which 185 were caused by railroads, in
cluding switches, private lines and street
cars; murders and homicides, 10; suicides,
43; alcoholism, n; boiler explosions, 2; the
oil can route, 29; heart disease, 70; burns,
scalds, etc., 5; drowning, 80; miscellaneous,
276.
There was slight falling off in the list of
mortalities the next year, 1888 showing mp
only 705 Coroner's cases, divided up as fol-
lows: Railroads, including street cars, 1853;
murders and homicides, "a; suicides, which
seemed to be on the boom that year, 60, at
the rate of five per months
TEMPERANCE YEAR.
This appears to be sort of temperance
year, for the deaths from alcoholism were
only ten, less than one per month, an argu-
ment which may be utilized by the apDli-
cants for license next month. The blowing
up process was limited to theatrical demon
strations, as the boiler explosions only num-
bered two victims. Oil can and did exter-
inmate "a liVes that gear, while
victims. Notwithstanding an acknowledged
aversion to water on the part of great
many of its victims, there were 81 people
who took it to excess, forgetting the fact
that if they had imbibed beer they would
have been taken to the Central station,
while taking water in quantities sent them
to the morgue. The miscellaneous cases for
the year number 1854.
IN THE YEAR 1889.
For the present year the total number of
cases up to the Both inst, is 754,
showing the general advance made by
the city in all kinds of business. OF these
murders and homicides number 1S; rail-
roads, including traction and street cars,
1872; drownings, 20; suicides, Al; alcoholism
took in % victims, about so per cent less
than last year, but whether owing to Capt