The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-06-02
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
AMERICA AND OTHER CoUN-
TRIES COMPARED.
The Tnset Of or.de-CrossinEs 10 Goa
ns.tion with Accidents small
Number % Fatalities In oreAt Britaia
-SaFsiss.asss the Taait Of Americans


-CaFsIs.sss.s the Tsalt Of Americana
Franklin u. Locke contributes an ar
ticle 10 the May Century on Railway
Crossings In Europe and America" the
paper being fully illustrated:
With the casualties that are proper
ly classified as due to grade crossings
are generally included accidents to
trespassers Ia. persons who at
tempt to cross or walk At grade upon
the lines between the prescribed cross
ings. This class Of accidents forms a
large factor In the sum total Of deaths
and injuries. and great care IL taken
by the foreign companies 10 protect the
public in this particular. Fully one
third Of all the accidents 10 persons
on the English roads belong to this
class. and while II Is generally regard
ed that these accidents are the result
OF carelessness on the part OF those
who take the risks Of entering upon the
lines. II Is nevertheless noticeable that
no reasonable precautions are neglect
ed. In America. rs a whole. scarcely
any provision Ia made for preventing
this class Of accidents.
In the state OF Massachusetts, alone
there are about half as many deaths
from this cause AS In the whole Of
| Great Britain and Ireland. and during
| the last fifteen years nearly one-half
OF all the fatalities upon the railways
In that state have been ~ this class.
by averaging the fatalities occurring
In Great Britain and Germany. and
comparing with the average for Mas
sachusetts and Connecticut. the proper
tiOn IL about as seven 10 one In favor
Of the foreign countries Certain Glasses
OF accidents are now almost unknown
In Germany. Accidents 10 pedestrians
at road crossings. or 10 passengers
from crossing the tracks AZ stations.
are hardly possible at the present time.
Anyone attempting TO walk upon NE
track Ia sure 10 be stopped. and very
severe penalties are imposed for any
defiance Of the orders Of an employe.
In this connection q few broad com
PARSONS are very significant. In the
city Of Buffalo. for instance. II was re-
ported. few years ago that sixty
fatalities occurred % grade crossings
In eighteen months being two more
than the number reported Tor the whole
Of Germany Tor the previous Eve years
Again, In the report Of the Terminal
Commission 20 the mayor and COM
mon council of Chicago. II was stated
that over two hundred people lost their
lives az the grade crossings 10 that city
In 1891 This Is nearly az many "a
talitles as occurred In the whole Of
Great Britain and Ireland from the
same cause DUNG the succeeding ily,
years. These figures seem 10 lndicat,
that these two cities AFFORD from thre,
10 five times aa many fatalities ~ this
class AZ the whole Of Great Britain and
ireland and Germany combined
Generally speaking, the objections Z,
grade crossings were clearly forereef
In England. and the remedies we're ap
piled In the cities when the railway
were established. In the country dis
tricts there are stlll considerable,
number Of grade crossings They ar,
by no means 800 numerous. however ai
on the continental lines. Under m,
regulation ~ railway acts. 1865 an,
1871, q penalty Of forty shilllngs d
provided FOR the offeuse " entering nj
being upon railway. except Tor m,
purpose of crossing the same 40 som,
authorized crossing II H provided
however. that the offending party shall
FIRST have been warned by the agent
% the company This latter fact some
what reduces the efficiency " The regu
latlon. a. Il 10 often difficult 10 Civ
satisfactory proof Of warning.
The board Of trade have made regi
lations and recommendations aa 10 IA
arrangements at stations. and regard
INK the protection Of grade crossing
where they exist. Platforms are to b
not less than three feet above rail- leye
except IN rare instances. Each pas
sengcr track Is 10 have lts separat
platform, and stress II laid upon m
principle that passengers should fin
II difficult. and always unnecessary I
descend upon the tracks The chara,
ter Of gates. and the manner " operat
Ing them. are prescribed. Private roa
crossings are also provided with gate
and under the law Of lsl5 penalt
Is provided for persons who neglc,
10 close them after passing through
and persons using them enter upon N
track at their own risk. The con
paratiye freedom from eccldents Of a
classes on the English roads Ia due
much investigation by parliamentar
commissions. many " the reports I
these commissions being very sugge
tive and valuable Among other TAI
glble results ~ these investigation
has been a wide extension. In 1871.
the powers Of the railway departmeI
Of the board ~ trade. Since IN
time. and largely through the efor
Of tho board. there has been mar
ed decrease In railway casualtl
throughout Great Britain ~ lndlcat,
by the statistics covering these ma
=, tors.