The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-25

grade equirment and the decrease of acei-
dents to employees. 1t is also probable. In
view OF the fact that the liability to acct
dent is increased by the employment OF the
shiftless and unskilled. that the grade or
labor was raised through the discharge OF
SO large a number of employees. This lat
ter suggestion finds support in the fact
that the ratio of casualties. In the South
ern States, where the grade of labor Is
somewhat inferior, has for a series or years
been higher than in the Northern and
Eastern States.
The number of passengers killed during
the year was 324 and the number injured
was 1904, being an increase In the number
killed over the previous year OF twenty
five, but a decrease in the number injured
OF 191. As compared with the previous
years. however, and when considered in
connection with the character OF passenger
traffic covered by the report, 1t cannot be
said that the increase in the number of
ity to accident for normal passenger travel.
The passenger mileage in 1884 was
l4.?S9, 45, 1913, as against i4.22e, 1Ol, oSi in 1899,
the passenger mileage OF 4.4 per cent,
and an increase in the number of passen-
remembered by one who recalls the current
events of the year covered by this report,
the increase in the number OF passengers
killed Is due to a few unusually serious &C
cidents in connection with excursion traffic.
Under the head OF Other Persons is
Included a. statement of the number of
persons killed and injured as a result OF
accidents in connection with transporta-
ton who were at the time neither passen-
Summary shows 400 OF this class killed
and 5,4S3 injured. Attention Is called to the
high proportion Of fatal casualties as the
result of accidents sustained by this class
as compared with employees and passengers,
a fact which suggests that the record covers
a considerable number of suicides.
Referring to the statistics OF accidents
for the entire country, 1t appears that the
number of employees for one employe killed
42S. as against 900 the previous year. The
number or trainmen employed for one
killed during the year was 156. as against
1l5 in the report of the previous year. This
Is a marked Improvement, and IL, as sug-
geSted, IL is due to the use Of better cars
and the employment of a higher grade of
here one I passe nnmPe Killed lee n issa Was 1 Sssr 7si.
as against 1,9S5.153 In the previous year.
The number OF passengers carried one mile
for one killed was "A, 1O3, 22S, as against
4, 5SS, 966 the previous year. The explanation
which passenger traffic is exposed has al
ready been referred to.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
"The recommendations contained in pre-
vious reports with a view to making the
statistical division of the Interstate-com-
merce Commission more complete, and,
therefore. more useful. may with. propriety
be repeated. They are as follows:
"First-That the express companies en-
gagged in interstate traffic be required to
make report to the Interstate-commerce
Commission similar to reports now required
"Second-That all corporations. companies
or persons owning rolling stock which is
used in interstate commerce, as also all
corporations, companies and persons own
ing. depot. property. stock yards, elevators
and the like, used by .se carriers for inter-
state traffic, should be required TO make
appropriate reports to the Interstate-com-
merce Commission.
'"Third-That carriers by water, so far
at least as their business Influences in any
important degree the interstate traffic car
ried on by the railways Of the country,
shall be required to make appropriate re-
ports TO the Interstate-commerce Commits
sion.'"
Lower Prices for Pullman Berths.
An official of the Pennsylvania Company.
In conversation yesterday, said: ''Thls move
of Z. A. Ford, general passenger agent of
the Pennsylvania lines east Of Pittspurg. is
all right. The lower berths on long dis
tances should be 20 per cent. lower, say
~ indianapolis to New York, and upper
berths should be reduced in price % per
cent, to $1,0 per night. where 1t is now
=. The Pullman company has been getting
the cream of this sleeping-car service long
enough, and the roads getting the SKINNED
milk. Another thing should be stopped
the giving OF tips to Pullman porters.
The company should pay them more. AS
the matter now stands, after the lower
berths are all sold it is very difficult to
sell the upper berths, even on excursions,
and it results in hauling unnecessary Sleep
ing cars. Lower prices for the upper berths
would In some measure overcome this"
n general passenger agent of another
system. where Pullmans are run is quoted
as saying that he was with the Pennsyl-
vania Company in this move. Passenger
the uniform rate for upper and lower
berths alike has caused no end of trouble.
What traveller has ever asked for the res
ervation or an upper berth? Everybody
who uses a Pullman sleeper wants a lower
berth, and the result is that the upper
berth has come to be regarded as a second
class attraction. Frequently travellers have
postponed their trips because they have
been unable TO secure lower berths. There
is q popular aversion to the upper berth.
and IL would be a wise move on the part
of the controlling company to fix q lower
rate of fare for that convenience. They
would profit by ii.
Another prominent railway official says:
The time is fast coming when several of
the largest railway corporations in the
country Will be In shape to dictate terms
to the Pullman monopoly, and either COM
pei that organization to reduce its rates to
the public and its exorbitant royalty ex-
tracted from the railroads or else there
will be a movement On the part of the
roads 10 build their own sleeping and par
lor cars. The Pullman company seems to
have the railroad companies at present be-
tween the upper and neither millstones. and
is not afraid to grind them for all the
! SrinIlnS may De worth. me pennsylvania
railroad. being an enterpris,ng corporation,
spends many hundreds Of thousands of dol
lars annually for advertising in the news
papers. and while the Pullman people get
their share of the benefits, ii is said that
that company never spent a cent for adver-
Using of any kind, and never even issued
one free pass to a newspaper man."
President Pullman is reported as saving
he has received no request from the Penn
sylvania or any other railroad to reduce
the charge for the upper berths in sleeping
cars. He had heard Il said the general
passenger agent of the Pennsylvania had
asked the general passenger agents In re-
gard to their views as to the ACCESSIBILITY of
reducing the charge for upper berths %
cents. He could not see what the general
passenger agents had to do with the mat
ter. All the roads using Pullman cars were
bound by contract. and such n thing as
making war upon his company If he failed
TO make a reduction was preposterous. AS
far as he knew the managers Of nearly all
the roads were in favor of keeping the
rates as they are. There was no prospect.
he said. of s~leeping-car rates being reduced.
Loaded Car Movement still Heavy.
The train records show that in the week
ending Nov. % there were received and for
warded at indianapolis 26.1O cars, p. 125 be-
ing loaded. and this maximum number
would have been exceeded had the roads
cars TO handle the business offered. The
lack of a sufficient number of cars is, with
each week. becoming more apparent. Still,
as every road has all its power in service,