The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1892-03-23
PROTECTION OF RAILWAY EMPLOYEES

SENATOR ALLISON, of Iowa, has in
PRODUCED in the senate a bill to compel
railroads to equip their cars with auto
matte coupling within a certain time.
The measure is similar to one intro
duced in the house some time ago.
Briefly, it provides for the equipment of
all cars with safety couplers before Jan
uarY, 1897, but the interstate commerce
commission may extend the time if found
necessary after a full Investigation. 1t
requires that new locomotives shall be
properly equipped with power brakes as
fast as they are built, and that after two
years from the passage of the act it shall
be unlawful to use locomotives without
such brakes. New cars must also be
equipped with suitable safety couplers,
and after January 1, 1895, it is made In.
lawful to run a train of ears that has not
a sufficient number of cars equipped with
power to train brakes to enable the en-
gineer of the locomotive drawing the
train to control its speed without re-
quiring brakemen to use the common
hand brake. All railroad companies en-
gagged in interstate commerce are re-
quired to adopt a uniform system of
coupling and u%ncoupling cars. 1t is not
intended that congress shall designate
any particular coupler for adoption by
the railroads, but the one agreed upon
must be used by all roads engaged in in
terstate commerce.
The necessity of some system to pre-
vent the sacrifice Of the lives of railway
employees has been felt for years, and the
matter has been several times the subject
of discussion by the Interstate Commerce
commission in it's annual reports. In
the last report of the statistician of the
commission much space was devoted to
railroad casualties. During the year
ending June 80, 1891, 1884 persons were
reported killed on the railroads of the
United States, of whom 2,451 were en-
ployes. The total number of persons in
jured was 29,025, of whom % 1894 were
employees. Thus in a single year 24,S45
railway employees were killed and injured
in this country. This ought to be re-
garded as startling, and yet the fact is it
seems to have made very little impress
sion. In his three annual messages PRES
IDENT HARRISON has written plainly and
forcibly on the subject and recommended
legislation TO diminish the dreadful kill
ing and manning, but congress has done
nothing beyond the introduction of the
bills referred to, the railroads have done
almost nothing, and the public has mani
tested little concern in the matter. A
slaughter of passengers through care
lessuess arouses universal Indignation,
followed by urgent demands for repara-
ton, and the adoption of new precau-
tons, but the continuous killing and
manning of employees goes on almost
without a protest.
There is need of a vigorous expression
OF public sentiment in favor of a reform
in this matter. OF course the remedy
be applied at once, but legislation
requiring that q beginning be made need
not therefore be delayed. 1t is useless to
expect that the railroad companies will
of their own v~olition provide the required
improvements. To them human life is
not the first consideration. They must
be compelled to make all practicable pro-
vision for its protection in a perileus ser
vice, and it is the duty of congress to do
this. 1t is 10 be hoped SENATOR ALI
SON will push the bill he has introduced,
which is in the interest of a common nu
manity, to its passage AT this session.