The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1901-02-09
OF INTEREST TO RAlLRoADERS.
Number OF Casualties to Trainmen.

roads were equipping their cars with
automatic coupiers, the demands
made upon them by an enormous traf
tic were constantly increasing, ana
that they were seriously embarrassed
in their efforts to supply the needs oil
the shipping public, it is surprising
to observe what the roads have &C
complished in this direction, and We
take into account the vast amount OF
work made necessary and the rapid
lty with which the change from the
old appliances have been made with
out friction or cessation of business
the undertaking of the railroads stands
as monument to their energy, and
marks an epoch in railway develop
ment.'
| This is the way the annual report
OF the interstate commerce commits
sion comments upon the compliance
of the railroads of the country with
the safety appliance act of congress
that became effect Aug. l, last. AT
the time the part of the report deal
ing with safety appliance was prepar
ed, Dec. Is, the new law had been
in effect over four months. Its
benefits in preserving life and limb
of employees can not yet be determine
ed with accuracy says the report
From such of the public prints as
were accessible, it is found that up to
the LIST of Dec. there were S64 casual
ties, 255 of which were fatal. OF the
total number, it would appear that
6lS were either purely accidental or
resulted from apparent carelessness,
229 were caused by defective appli-
ances, and in II the causes were not
indicated by the statements made;
1882 occurred in the yards and 341 upon
the road. OF these, so occurred in
switching, and 234 in the operation
of coupling. These, of course, are
only portion of the accidents which
have occurred throughout the country,
t.iAt - - iloPNu tIlat lllC
Of these facts will impress upon the
railroad employees the necessity of
exercising due caution in performing
their work.
The making up and movement of
trains will always be very hazard
GUS business and the death and in
avoided.
| "On June 80, 1899, there were 92S,-
924 persons on the pay rolls of the
railways of the United States. Dur
ing the year ending on that date ac-
cidents occurred to railway employees
which resulted in death to 2,21O and
in injuries of more or less serious
character to 34923.
In previous reports the opinion has
been expressed that the relative NUM-
Der of casualties to railway employees
engaged in certain lines of duty would
continue to diminish on account of the
use of safety appliances on railway
equipment and of other means of pro-
lection to life and limb Combining
the statement to accidents incurred in
coupling and uncoupling cars, it ap
pears that the number of employees
killed during the year ending June
so, 1899, was 269 showing a decrease
of 19 from the previous year and
that the number injured was GIGS
showing decrease of 223, or reduc
ton of PAP in total casualties of this
class
The report says that there are nc
statistics showing the number of EN-
ployes engaged in coupling and un
coupling cars, as it is the custom OF
the roads to group the returns fol
for one class, while the work of switcl
men and flagmen is not coupling cars
A Reconsideration has been undertaken
which is believed will remedy this de
feet Defining as tranmen switch
men, fagmen and watchmen, and moi
including engineers and firemen, tht
report says that the number of train
men employed in 1893 to / killed was
349; to / injured, -. The correspond
ing ratios for 1899 were-killed, tt
563, and injured, l to %.
Since full returns of railways have
not been made for the year ending
June 80, 1900, certain data for SO Sc
lected roads. representing roughly x
per cent of the total operated milo
age of the country, have been compl
ed, showing that the number of en-
ployes killed in coupling and uncoup
ling cars was 231, making an increase
of 80 in the number killed as com
pared with returns for the correspond
ing roads for 1899. The injuries re
fsulting from this cause, however
were only 4,019. showing a decrease
as compared with the previous yeal
of nearly % per cent, the injuries 70,
1900 HAVING haap : 900.