Milford chronicle., 1896-02-14
RAILwAYs RuINgp gY AocIogNTs.
About s3.00o,OcO Year Paid In Settle
mens Of Suits For Damages.

About E3.O0o,OCO Year Paid In Settle
mens Of Suits For Damages.
Oneof the most popular OF the suburban
railroads carrying passengers out of Now
York during the summer sa;ison went into
the hands Of receiver "a fow days ago be-
cause thore were pending against it dam
age suits to the amount Of $1,000, COO
arising from an accident on Labor day
an accident in which number of people
were killed. Not one Of the suits has yet
come to trial. but such is tho closonoss
with which railroad earnings and expenses
arc computed that the net earnings for
many years to come would DO hoYelossly
engulfod If only part of the suits came
to trial and If only fraction Of the dam
| ages claimed was recovered in court.
When one reads of terrible railroad
accident on some railroad line, an acct
dent entailing loss Of lifo and perhaps seri-
GUS injury to many the circumstance is
lost sight of that, after tho doctors and
nurses have begun their work Of skill or
| philanthropy, there come the lawyers
whose clients are to be settled with either
by cash compromise or rs the result of u
| iury's decision, and juries, it is we'll
known, arc hardly ever partial to railroad
companies when private individuals arc
suing for injuries sustained OF for the loss
of immediate relatives. 1t is for this rea-
son that a very serious accident sometimes
means the wreckage Of the finances of a
railroad company. A fow minutes neglect,
recklessness or imprujence may cost, in
subsequent financial damage, years of
labor.
Among railroad men the case Of the To
ledO, Peoria and Western is familiar one.
In August, 1887, there was an accident at
ChatswOrth, Ills, on the line, in which 100
persons were killed. and tho litigation re-
sulting therefrom has kept the company
in the courts ever since. The Monon read,
running from Chicago to Louisville, is an
other sufferer in its finances from an acct
dent along the line, and the Ashtab, IA &c
cident on the Lake Shore railroad some
years ago involved that railroad in rIahy
thousand dollars of loss. Railroads have
no reserve fund to meet the losses sustain
cd through damage suits from accidents
A contrary opinion prevails, especially
among litigants and jurors, who seem to
act on the general proposition that railroad
corporations keep on hand large sum for
such contingencies as an occasional acct
dent costing anywhere from $50, COO to
$500, GOO.
The amount of money paid in settle
AANAAh VI GtAA4llitso SUITS BN AultElctu Itlll-
roads cannot DO computed with any posi-
tivoness because it varies considerably
from year to year, while the condition Of
the railroads transporting passengers has
much to do with it, When roads arc in
good condition, accidents Involving loss Of
life or serious bodily injury arc rare; when
roads ARE in poor condition, such accidents
arc frequent The largo systems of tho
country, such as tho New York Central
the Chicago, Milwaukee and ST. Paul, the
Illinois Central and the Southern Pacific,
spend on an average in tho settlement Of
damage suits about $3.50, COO each, and the
smaller railway companies bring up, prob
ably the total amount paid to about 49,
600, 900 in all.
Although the American railroads carry
in yeas 600, 900, 600 passen-
gers, the number of fatal accidents aver
ages but about 300, and of injuries to pas
sengers about 3, coo, or / killed for every
9, 0G0, 600 carried, and / injured for every
100000 One Of the amendments to the
present New York state constitution adopt
I'd in 1894 (section is Of article u did
away with tho statutory power Of the leg
Stature to limit verdict for Damages
Tor injuries resulting in death" to IS, OOU.
New York Sun.