The St. Johns herald., 1897-06-12
KILLED ON THE RAIL
LAST YEAR THERE WERE $40 DEATHS
 BY RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

Broken and Spread Rails a Prolific Cause
 of Observation-Disclosures Were Numer-
 Ous-Defects In the American System of
 Collecting Information.
 Of the 1857 accidents reported dur ing 1896, 792 were derailments, 514 collisions, and 51 were of miscellane- ous nature. Of the derailments, 78 re- suited from defects of road, 188 from defective equipment, 66 from negli- gence ill operation, 146 from unforeseen Instructions and 314 from unexplained causes. Those resulting from defects of road were caused in 26 instances by broken rails, in Is cases by loose or spread rails, and in 19 others by broken bridges or trestles Broken axles caused 74 accidents ascribed to defective equip ment. Derailments due to negligence 1n operation resulted from misplaced switches in 2S cases Unforeseen Ob structions were accidental in 26 in- stances, malicious ill 28, caused by ami mals ill 24, by washouts i'll 23, and by snow or ice in 9. Of the collisions, 22S were from the rear. Other accidents were due to the following causes: Ex- plosions, 15; broken parallel or con- meeting rod, 6; cars burned while in motion, 4; various breakages Of rolling stock, 12; other causes, fl.
 The notable disasters of the year Oc cured at Atlantic City and Logan, Ia. n accident on a small road ill Arcata, Cal, last September. In October were killed in a collision at Windsor Springs, Mo. Altogether 128 passengers were re- ported killed during 1896, which is 90 more than those killed the year previ- ous The whole number killed, includ ing passengers, employees and others, IS 540. Total number killed during 1895 was 415. Total number injured last year was 1,297; the year previous, 1,535. By far the greater proportion of all accidents reported during the last 24 years have been derailments.
 These have been fewer, however, dur ing the last year than in 1895, when S10 were reported. Two years before that Gin 1693) 1,212 occurred, which was the largest number reported during single year. Broken and loose or spread rails have been the chief causes of accidents occurring the last 24 years attributed to defects ill road.
 The American system of collecting statistical information respecting rail way accidents is so incomplete as to render untrustworthy much available information Many minor casualties oc- curing in remote territories, it is prob- able, are never reported at all, and the conclusions arrived at by cOrOners' juries are regarded with suspicion by those desiring impartial testimony con- corning a subject of general interest and farreaching importance. Although rail road commissions of various states sup ply additional data, such bodies are generally composed of politicians, most the technical aspects of the subjects considered, even if they were without bias in the matter. For these reasons 1t is impossible to trace the origin i'll many important though frequently recurring accidents with scientific ex- actness, but the advantages of having good railway material obtainable at reasonable rates will be obvious to any one familiar with the condition of nu- merous small roads.
 In England the board of trade at reg ular intervals issues tabulated state ments, 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 railway department concerning the cause and extent of every accident. Such investigations, therefore, are conducted by thoroughly experienced men, who are appointed for life and are prompted by no other mo- tive than desire to get at the facts in each ase-Railroad Gazette.