The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1896-02-13
RUINED BY ACCIDENTS
Railways Pay Millions Annually Ia
Settlement Of Damage Suits.
ROYAL FAMILY or THIS COUNTRY
A Fashion Reporter Tells About
Late styles I'm Coffins-Engiand
Thinks Edison's war Inventions
Are Due TO the Evil One.


ban railroads carrying passengers out Of
New York during the summer season
went into the hands OF a receiver few
days ago because there were pending
against 1t damage suits to the amount of
| 81 ,000,0 900 arising from an accident on
Labor Day-an accident in which num-
Der OF people were killed. Not oEs OF
these suits has yet come to trial, but such
is the closeness with which railroad earn
ings and expenses are computed that the
net earnings for many years to come
would be hopelessly engulfed il only q
part OF the suits came to trial and IL only
fraction OF the damages claimed was
recovered in court.
When one reads OF terrible railroad
accident on some railroad line, an acci-
dent entailing loss of life and, perhaps
serious injury to many, the Circumstance
is lost sight of that, aft er the doctors and
nurses have begun their work Of skill
or philanthropy, there come the lawyers
whose clients are to be settled with eth
er by cash compromise or: as the result of
jury's decision, and juries, 1t is we'll
known, are hardly ever partial to railroad
companies when private individuals are
suing for injuries sustained or for the loss
OF immediate relatives. 1t is for this
reason that very serious accident some
times means the wreckage Of the finances
OF a railroad company. A. few minutes
neglect, recklessness, or.imprudence may
cost, in subsequent. financial damage,
years OF labor.
Among railroad men, the case of the
Toledo, Peoria and Western issa familiar
one. In August, 1887, there was an ac-
cident at Chatsworth, ILL.,, on the line, in
which 100 persons were killed, and the
litigation resulting therefrom has kept
the company in the courts ever since.
The Monon road, running from Chicago
to Louisville, is another sufferer in it's
| finances from an accident along the line,
| and the Ashtabula accident on the Lake
Shore railroad some years ago involved
that railroad in many thousand dollars
OF loss. Railroads have no reserve fund
to meet the losses sustained through dam
age suits from accidents. A contrary
opinion prevails, especially among liti-
giants and jurors. who seem. to act on the
general proposition that railroad corpora.
tons keep on hand a large sum for sach
contingencies as an occasional accident
costing anywhere from $4,000 to $780,
900.
The amount of money paid in settle
ment of damage suits by American rail-
roads cannot be computed with any posi-
! tiveness, because it varies considerably
from year to year, while the condition Of
the railroads transporting passengers has
much to do with it. When roads are 10
good condition accidents involving loss Of
life or serious bodily injury are rare !;
when roads are in poor condition such
accidents are frequent. The large sys-
| TENS of the country, such as the New
York Central, the Chicago, Milwaukee
and st. Paul, the Illinois Central and the
Southern Pacific, spend oman average in
the settlement OF damage suits about
$4,000 each, and the smaller railway
companies bring up probably the total
amount paid to about $4,000, 900 in all.
Although the American railroads carry
collectively in year 600, 00O, 900 passen-
| gers, the number OF fatal accidents aver
ages but about 800, and Of injuries to pas
sengers about 5000, or one killed for
every 100000 carried and one injured
for every 100000.