Omaha daily bee., 1895-12-28
DEADLY GRADE CROSSINGS
Their Contributions to the Fatalities Of
Railroad Operation.
STATISTICS GATHERED BY GOVERNMENT
Fewer Employees Now Killed, but
More Outside People Lose Their
Lives Than Formcrly-
Reckless Daring.

1.-THE advocates of the abolition OF grads
crossings and better protection for railroad
employees should pay particular att n
ton to the Interstate Commerce commission
report next year" said an attlche of that
department 70 a Washington Evening STAR
r porter recently.
From the partial returns which we have
already received" he continued. 81 am posi-
tive that the figures for the year 1895 will
show a larger number of grade crossing ac-
cidents than any previous year on record, and
also that a less number of employees were
killed and injured than ever before in a
like period. The great increase in electrical
lines and the desire for a higher rate Of
speed on the part Of the railroads, l believe,
are responsible for the condition. Fifteen
years agitation, supplemented in late years
by legislative action, can be put down as the
direct cause of the lessening of the accident
rate among employs.
1.-THE reports that have come under my
eyes recently from several Of the eastern
and western states are what I base my state
ments on. Take, for instance, one of the
largest states in the east, the report from
which Classics the killing and injured under
thrse heads, as follows: Passengers EN-
ployes' and other persons By other per-
sullS II HEAL lTesIdSseTs, sulClueS anu
persons killed at railway crossings. For the
year 1895, so far reported, in that state alone
$3.50 persons were killed On the railroads. of
which only 447 were employees and twenty
nine were passengers. The disastrous record
Of 1893. when 1892 unfortunateo coming I'M
der the head of other persons were killed,
is eclipsed this year, as 1,107 is the number
of fatalities reported in that class.
SAFETY OF EMPLOYEES.
ssTha vaar 1902 will Oh doyp into history
as a terribly disastrous one for railroad en-
ployes, but the almost general adoption Of
patent couplers, hand-rails and air brakes
has lesaened the chances of death, and but
447 were killed during 1895 in the state under
consideration. In 1893 employees to the num-
Der of $50 were ushered into eternity, a most
favorable showing, all things considered.
Nearly 5000 were injured in that year, while
the number dropped to a few over 5000 in
this year.
1.-THE great disparity between the number
of passengers and employees killed and the
number injured is not found to exist between
the number of other persons killed and the
number injured. In the former case the pro-
portion of killed to injured is about one to
fifteen, while in the latter it is about one to
two. This disparity is difficult to account for
unless a solution is found in the fatal grade
crossing and in the fact that many persons
seeking suicide adopt this method. A train
going at the rate of sixty or seventy miles an
hour seldom fails to do effective work, even
when confronted by the finest or toughest
specimens of humanity.
Last year, 1894, in the entire United
States, 1890 persons were killed, and $500
injured, all of whom had nothing to do with
railroads. This year l look for an appalling
increase, the majority of victims being fur
nisned by the deadly grade crossing.
THE report from the state of New Jersey
has not come in yet, but when it does, it will,
no doubt, furnish an interesting study.
Hardly a week goes by without the papers
telling Of a embarrassing accident In that
state. And they are all fatal over there, If
you notice closely, as the trains are running
at the highest rate of speed when the catas-
trophe occurs.
DUE TO RECKLESSNESS. m
Then, again, trolley cars have taken on
a fashion entirely their own of running well
until railroad tracks have to be crossed, and
then becoming stubborn. Imagine the feel
ings of the passengers in that car that re-
Gently became balky in front of an express
train near Trenton. N. ]. The car had
plenty of time to go on about its business, as
the express was fully a mile away, but when
1t became cranky and refused to move the
seconds became a minute in the shortest
OF short order. A nervy engineer and perfect
train appliances were all that saved a dozen
lives.
From advices received at headquarters
from different points, it appears that there
10 WI as IluCH SOOu IeSl1nR eklStlUR as
there should be between the lookouts or
at the railroad crossings and the
motormen and gripmen Of the city lines.
rules are stringent, and are in effect
that the signals of the watchmen must be
obeyed under all circumstances. This is
done to prevent collisions.
Some OF the motor gripmen at times
imagine that they are detained longer thar
should be, or that undue preference
Is given to some Of the other roads, and
and uritp,hIa copp5 fhnir 1y vic
Iously and vigorously, and even cast imprs. ]
cations ON the watchmen in charge. Thif
causes Ill feeling. 1t is reported that som
0f the motormen actually take the bit j.
he tracks against the orders of the watch ,
men.
CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS.
"To my mind, a majority of the s~o-called
accidents on our railroads in the last six
have not been caused by the failure
equipment to stand the strain put upon
hem, but to the terrible carelessness of
employees in places Of great responsibility.
The accident in Jersey City recently reported
o us was caused by the reckless discba-
lance of plain orders on the part Of the
,ficers in charge Of the train.
Apparently these officers readily took the
'isk Of continuing at the usual high rate
II speed where they had been directed to
stop, knowing that any time they might
a trolley car at every street crossing.
t will be noted that they were able to es-
APE injury themselves by jumping off just
,efore the accident that followed occurred,
when nearly a dozen persons were killed.
Had they been chained to their positions
t is a mfe wager that the accident would
lot have occurred.
"Tha accident a few days later out near
'lttsburg between a limited express and a
rolley car could not have taken place If
hose in charge of the train had exercised
ordinary care and observed the fundamental
'ulea Of the service. These are the latest
to an appalling list of plumbers
nd instances Of reckless disobedience which
lava caused great loss Of life since the be-
Of last summer, and the later col
isions appear to be the worst Of all.
SOME OFFICIAL FIGURES.
From the returns made to the Interstate
commission, it appears that for