The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-25
ACCIDENTS ON THE RAIL
Causes Of Those Which Took Place
Last Year.
Notable Disasters, and Various Lines
on Which They Occurred.

OF the 1857 accidents reported, zoe were
derailmcnts, 5l4 collisions and 5l were
of n miscellaneous nature, says the Rail-
road Gazette. OF the derailments, 1S re-
suited from defects Of road, 1oS from
detective equipment, % from negligence
In operation, 1i6 from unforeseen obstruc-
tions and 3li from unexplained causes.
Those resulting from defects OF road We're
caused in 20 instances by broken rails, in
l6 cases by loose or spread rails, and in 10
others by broken bridges or trestles.
Broken axles caused "a accidents ascribed
To detective equipment Derailments due
To negligence In operation resulted from
misplaced switches in 20 cases. Unfore-
seen distractions were accidental in 20
instances, malicious in .2s, caused by
animals in "a, 10y washouts in 23 and 10y
snow or ice in 3. OF the collisions, 22S
Were from the rear. Other accidents Were
due to the following causes: Explosions,
ID; broken parallel or connecting rod q;
cars burned while in motion, q various
breakages Of rolling stock, II; other
causes, H.
The notable disasters Of the year oc-
CURED at Atlantic City, y. j., and Logan,
la. Seven passengers lost their lives in
the accident on small road in Arcata,
Cal, last September. In October seven
were killed in collision at Windsor
were reported killed during 1896, which
is 30 more than those killed the year pre-
vious. The whole number killed, in
cluding passengers, employees and Others,
is 1i0. Total number killed during 1895
was 4l5. Total number injured last year
was 1897; the year previous, 1885. BY far
the greater proportion of all accidents
reported during the last "A years have
been derailments.
These have been fewer, however, during
the last year than in 1885, when $40 were
reported. Two years before that lin 1889,
1919 occurred, which was the largest
number reported during single year.
Broken and loose or spread rails have
been the chief causes of accidents occurr-
ing the last "A years attributed To defects
i'm road
The American system Of collecting stat
istical information respecting railway ac-
cidents Is SO incomplete as TO render un-
trustworthy much available information.
Many minor casualties occurring in re-
mote territories, it is probable, are never
reported at all, and the conclusions ar
rived at by Coroner's juries are regarded
with suspicion by those desiring impartial
testimony concerning subject of general
interest and far-rcaching Importance.
Although railroad commissions OF various
states supply additional data, such bodies
are generally composed of politicians,
most of whom are not qualified to deal
with the technical aspects of the subjects
considered, even if they were without
bias in the matter. For these reasons it
Is impossible TO trace the origin of many
important though frequently recurring
accidents with scientific .exactness, but
the advantages of having good railway
material obtainable at reasonable rates
Will be obvious To any one familiar with
the condition of numerous small roads
In England the Board of Trade at regu-
lar intervals issues tabulated statements,
giving full information as TO the nature
of accidents occurring on the various
roads in the United Kingdom. These are
thoroughly accurate and are accompanied
by reports from inspecting engineers of the
railroad department concerning the cause
and extent of every accident. Such in
yestigations, therefore, are conducted by
thoroughly experienced men, who are ap-
pointed for life and are prompted by no
other motive than desire to get at the
facts in each case.