The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-12
THE RAILROAD IRA FFIC,
SIXTY PER CENT. OFTHE Ats 7IDEy7s
cAUsED NJ NEGLfGE.s CE.
Interesting Services at tie Firsb Baptist
Church-state Chair man West ar d State
Secretary Williams Make States nents.

4 large congregation almost CO. mpleteIy
nncd the big First Baptist cha mch. on
Broad and Twelfth streets. on Sunday
evening. when anniversary servie es were
held for the railroad btanch Of the
Young Mems Christian Aasocath IN Be
sides the pastor Of the churcl D. Rev.
George Cooper. D. D., there sat in the
pulpit Mr.. John r. West, chair nan OF
the State Committee. and State 50 cretary
il. o. Williams
In the congregation were quite a num-
her Of members Of the Lesh stature.
headed by LieHenant-GoycrnOr j Hoge
TyIer. who has always taken great
interest I'm association affairs; senator
Thomas H. Rarnes: ex-senator Black
stone. Delegates Withrow. HarwCs %. Lee,
priddy Nicol. and DINERS
The services opened with the singing
OF the hymn, cone Ihere IS Abb % All
Others" and the reading or a usage
from the Scriptures, by the paste r.; the
choir cbaBted a psalm. Railroad Score
tarv r. E Miclaels next olferd a fer
vent PRAYER. especially for the II tilroad
department and the association ~ )rk in
general.
Dr. Cooper before handing the NJ aeting
over To Mr.. West. made brief state
ment wherein he said: During the year
Of 1901. the railroads Of this ca untry
carried TO and fro 495.0JO.0JO OF peog be as
Messengers. Such figures show q early
how iarre a factor In daily life Is
railroad man. and an association ci rail-
rod mon II IT, therefore. not % be
wondered at that the members the
Young Mems Christian Association D, IN
this country. should come in close co ntact
with railroad life This evening the ser
vices are TO be devoted TO the ran ROAD
work"
Tho S ate Committee.
Mr.. John r. West, in addressing the
congregation, explained that the state
Committee. of which he WIS chair nan,
had charge of an the work OF the Dung
Mems Christian Association in the I ON
yuonwealtb. It's members are elected I by
the state conventions, which meet am
puallv. Ii has the supervision Of an the
branches Of the work I'm the cities nd
towns. Of the college work in the inst tu-
tOns of learning OF the military dCp irt-
meut I'm Hampton and Fortress MoiE roe
and Of the railroad work. While the j. ist-
named department Is the youngest, yet
there is no department which mas cen
blessed more.
State Secretary Williams made the y ext
address. and 10 some extent repeated "Che
statements which he mad made the va 'ek
before A the railroad meeting I'm Pa rk-
Place Methodist church. Among the u eW
facts brought out by him on last Sund ay
evening were the following
"The railroads are the most powers III
factor I'm every advancement made oy
civilization. To-day we are less - am
sfytv-fve years removed from the buG DE-
ing of the first railroad and the N ST
locomotive I'm 1880 there were only I've n
tv-three miles OF railroad track IN . 6
istence between this city and Peter -
burg: I'm 1870 there were 2SJ miles ''L
track laid. and i'm 1850 over 31,Vp miles al
track were in existence; but the greats 81
extension Of the railroads took plat
during the past thirteen years. The - 70
ports show that on January /, 1923, thI
were 1900 miles of railroad tracks n
existence
In 1891 four hundred and fifty millior
of passengers were carried. and i'm u 2
their number was increased 20 five huIi-
drcd and sixty millions. II the railro d
interests should bc paralyzed and chec s.
ed to-day. all the other business int '-
ests would De at once checked ana ih -
cd. There is at present p. vast army o.
10000 men employed either directly or 4
indirectly in the railroad service
Numerous Incidents.
The report Of the interstate CONNER q, |
commission shows that during the yeid
1873 passengers and employees were killed
on railroads. and 1854 more were i'm
jured. Sixty per cent. Of ell these acci-
dents are due TO the incompetence ana
negligence Of railroad employees.
To the prosperity Of the roads was
necessary proper management. proper
rolling stock proper resources OF tho
roads. and the proper kind OF employees.
The Young Mems Christian Association !
have undertaken the work to bring the {
railroad men under the influence OF the
Church The railroad companies have
recognized it's good service and have |
gladly assisted IN the extension Of the. |
work There are now ninety-siX rail-
road associations I'm existence with |
about $500 members. Last year their
association received from tho various
railroad companies some ylD,mo but OF |
this money li4 general secretaries and
assistants. are supported. one half Of !
the entire mileage of railroads M this
country is under management that sup
ports the work undertaken by the Young |
Mems Christian Association among the
railroad men.
In Virginia.
Tn Virginia the FIRST railroad associa-
ton was organized I'm this city in 1884,
when the Richmond and Danvillo. ana
the chesapeake and Ohio Railroad COM
panies appropriated sen each. per month (
FOR The work. I'm 1858 Mr. r.. T.. Afchaels. 4
the present railroad secretary took I
charge Of the work iu the STATE, and
there arc row ton railroad associations
I'm existence with nine secretaries aud
hair dozen assistants. Last year tho ;
two abovc-uamed companies and the
Norfolk and Western Company gave 4
$3.50 Go the work iu This State aud a
during tho past two years they have
eXnendoi $500 for association buildings.
After Captain Frank w CUNNINGHAM
sung the famous railroad song. DIT. Coop +
er made p brief address. wherein he 4
pointed ont how necessary 10 was for \
men 10 have personal character.
Mr. John e. West made n few remarks Z
preparatory TO the taking up OF a COLI
lection for the railroad work. and tho
congregation was dismissed with the