Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1891-01-31
Railroads in New York state.

RailroauS In new 1OTk STATE.
So closely interdependent are the
transportation systems Of the country
that report of a state railroad commits
sion which did not contain some refer
ence to the general railroad situation,
and to the work of the chief of the rail
road commissioners of the country, the
Interstate Commerce Commission, would
be an anomaly. Naturally such refer
ences are to be found in abundance in
the report of the Board of Railroad Com
mlssioners of SO important a state as
New York. The commissioners in their
report just issued point out that the
general situation of railroad business
throughout the country for the year
last past has been a further development
of the conditions outlined in their last
annual report. Special features have
been the maintenance and proposed ex-
tension of the traffic associations by
means of which they have endeavored
to keep transportation rates at profit.
able, or at least living, figures, and the
continuance of the tendency to CONSOLE
dation referred to in the last report. To
such an extent has this tendency gone on
| that about one hundred thousand miles
of railroads, or two thirds of the entire
mileage of the country. appear to be
now controlled by fourteen separate in
terests and corporations.
Some reference is made in the report
to the decisions Of the Interstate Com,
MERGE Commission, particularly to the
decision holding certain rates of freight
on cereals between the Mississippi river
| and the eastern seaboard cities, to be
unreasonable. The influence of the In
terstate Commerce Commission on the
system of state railroad regulation is seen
in the change of the fiscal year for an
nual reports of railroads in the state Of
| New York. Numerous railroads Of the
state petitioned for a change of the date
| for their annual reports from September
| 30. to June &c. and the board made that
recommendation to the legislature,
transmitting bill to carry the same
into effect. This bill became "a law last
pear. Under it the railroads are now
obliged to make one annual report in
stead of two, as before.
The number of accidents on the rail-
roads of the statc sh w noticeable in
crease az compared with the preceding
year. The number killed in the year
ending September 30 1890, was 800,
with ,434 injured, as against $50 killed
and 1,105 injured in 1889. The most
serious cause of death, whether TO en-
ployes or Others, was walking or being
on the track. The statistics of deaths
and injuries from coupling cars show
that the statutes with regard to autOma-
tic couplers have so far had little or no
effect. Grade crossings come in for the
usual share of attention, the board de-
clarng that every years experience
proves that laws are necessary prohibit
ing railroads, hereafter constructed,
from crossing intersecting highways at
grade, except upon permission, provid-
ing that existing grade crossings shall
be separated, provision being made for
| the edultdDIc ppoitlOhiucnt VI lle
expense between the railroads and the
communities benefited, and prohibiting
highway commissio ners from laying out
new highways over railroads at grade,
except upon permission.
In order to prevent what is popularity
known as stock watering the General
Railroad act of New York was amended
in 1880 by inserting the provision that
no company should increase Its capital
stock except when sanctioned by vote
Of two.thirds in amount Of the stock
holders and by the Board of Railroad
Commissioners. and that under no
circumstances should any railroad COM
pany increase its stock without such
approval The board declares that in
the exercise of ITS discretion under this
act 1t has followed what it deems to he
the spirit Of the law and a conservative
public sentiment 1t recognizes that
stock issued at great discount affords