The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-01-26
ACCIDENTS ARE FEWER.
Loss of Life on Railroads Is on the
Decrease.

Loss of Life on Railroads Is on the
Decrease.
washington. Jan. 25.-The annual
report of the interstate commerce COM
mission, discussing a number of rail-
read problems, says the safety apph-
ance law became fully effective on Aug.
l. 1900. and the beneficent results of its
operation are now being realized. The
greatly increased security to life and
limb by which the men on freight
trains and in freight yards now per-
form their work is now apparent on
every hand. Evidence of the improved
conditions resulting from the pra cti-
cally universal use of automatic coup
lerS on freight cars appears in the rec
ords of accidents and in the testimony
of railroad officials and employees. Fur
Their proof from a financial standpoint
is also found in the records of the rail-
way claim departments, as we'll as in
those of the several trainmen's asso-
Citations.
This gratifying state of affairs is due
10 the federal statute, the railroad
company's united action and the eff
ficient performance of their duties by
the inspectors employed by the com
mission. The various railroad teChni-
cal aSSOcia lions, including the Ameri-
can Railway association and the Mas
ter Car Builders association. have con-
II ibuted in marked degree to the sue
cess OF the law.
The report then shows that for the
year ending June 80. 1901. the number
Of employees killed in coupling accidents
was less than in the preceding year by
about 80 per cent and the number
injured was less by about 81 per cent.
According TO the accident returns for
the month of July, only four employees
were killed during that month while
coupling and unCOuDling cars. This
warrants the expectation that casual
ties due To this cause will be less for
1902 than for 1901. For the full year
ending June so. 1902. the number killed
in coupling accidents averaged 23I5
per month
There was material increase in the
ratio killed in 1900 from the three years
preceding. the cause for which can only
be conjectured. With the use of air
brakes on freight trains it is confident
~ expected to lessen the deaths and in
juries under this head. and it is OBJ
served that air brakes were not nearly
as generally used in 1899 and 1900 as
they are now II is pointed out, how
ever, that with more powerful locomO-
tives. heavier cars and longer freight
trains, the use Of air brakes on these
trains has been the occasion Of an in
creased number of violent shocks.
which tend to increase the danger 10
men on the cars
Another table indicates the increased
efficiency of the men. In 1898 the num-
Der of ton miles 10 each trainnan was
63S SIS. while in 1900 it was 91S. 425.
Attention is called to the DANGEROUS
use at the present time of old and weak
cars in nearly all trains This has
! largely been caused by the great ex-
| pansion of business, but il is reason
able 10 expect that every well managed
road viii do away with this element Of
| danger as far as is practicable. The
action Of the American Railway asso-
citation in recommending the adoption
of a standard size for box and freight
cars is noted and commended.
Railroad officials complain frequently
OF rough handling of cars in the yards.
/ With the general use of automatic
coupleTs, relieving the men OF the ne
cessity Of going between cars about TO
come together. it has become possible
to quicken the work Of switching by