The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-01
ACCIDENTS ON RAILWAYS.
The Forms for Making Reports Un~
der Consideration.


Representatives OF railroads in all parts
Of the United States appeared before thu
Interstate Commerce Commission yester-r
day, at the invitation OF the Commission,
to discuss a~law recently passed by Cons
gress, requiring monthly report OF rail-.
road accidents. Several months ago the
Commission drew up trial form upon
which to make these reports and sent
copies to all the railroads in the country
with a letter announcing that session OF
the Commission to discuss the form OF
report prepared and to make such aItera-
lions as appeared necessary would be held
in Washington April 30. and Inviting rep
resentatives from the railroads to attend.
There were about thirty persons present
when the Commission met yesterday. and
the morning was taken up chiefly in de-
sultCry discussion. Each railroad man
present was asked to give his experiences
with accidents and the method OF report
Ing them in use on his road. An attempt
was made to get at definition OF the
word accident The Commission desired
TO know how small an injury to an em-
ploye could be called an accident. and
what amount of pecuniary loss could be
considered to warrant report being
made On the latter point II was the gen.
eral opinion of all who gave testimony
that nothing less than $50 loss would
warrant a report
In regard to accidents 10 passengers
and trainmen, several witnesses declared
that only severe accidents should be re-
ported. If minor casualties were included
the list would become very large, and a
wrong impression would be produced In
capacity for work for five days was
thought reasonable grounds for a report.
1t was suggested that some note should
be taken of accidents to tramps stealing
rides, no provision for which had been
made in the report form
At the afternoon session Samuel Com
pers, of the American Federation Of La
Dor, addressed the Commission He
urged that any injury which untitled an
employe for work longer than twenty
four hours should be included in the re-
ports to be made. He insisted that the
managers of railroads do not consider
sufficiently the well being and the safety
OF their men.
Additional testimony along the lines OF
that taken In the morning was furnished
by the railroad representatives AT $3.50
the meeting was adjourned
The railroad representatives are salts
fed to have had the opportunity of pre-
Jor1ty of them left Washington last night
Among those present at the hearing
were: ]. II. Janier. Assistant General So
licitor. Lehigh Valley; George Marsden,
Claim Agent. New York. Ontario and
Western; NJ. !. Doran. General Solicitor.
Norfolk and Western; e. L. Russell Gen.
eral Counsel. Mobile and Ohio; Ed Baxter.
Special Counsel; W. P. Brady. General
Ascent, Burlington. Cedar Rapids and
Northern; John L Thomas, Colorado and
Southern: w. F. Merrill First Vice Presi-
dent, New York, New Haven and Hart
ford; L. E. Payson. Southern Pacific: F.
V. Whiting, Lake Shore and Michigan
Southern; J. w. Eagan, President, Cen
trail Railroad of Georgia: H. c. Cunning
ham, General Counsel, Central Railroad
of Georgia: d. H. Barger. Norfolk and
Western; Charles B. Keller, Assistant
General Solicitor. Chicago. Milwaukee and
st. Paul: Samuel Gompers, President,
American Federation of Labor; Charles
8. Hamlin, Boston and Maine; George F.
Brownell, Erie and New York Central:
w. A. Gardner. Chicago and Northwest
ern; W. C. Brown, General Manager Chi
cago. Burlington and Quincy, and ]. A.
NJ. Hamilton. Claims Attorney, Atchison,
Topeka and Santa Fe.