The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-02-04
ACCIDENTS ON THE RAIL
Poor Showing of Roads Of This
Country.

Washington. Feb 4-The recent cpl
demic of accidents on the rail properly
calls for an inquiry as to whether
American roads are taking every pre-
caution possible to minimize the number
of these horrors. Recent newspapers
hereabout devoted almost the entire
front page to railroad accidents, not
fewer than four, including the second
day details of the New Jersey disaster
and the first news from Arizona. The
terrible wreck at London, Ontario, is
fresh in popular recollection. Not few
persons are saying that these occur
rences make them timid about going on
the train, and. though the law of per
centages promptly comes to their relief,
the fact remains that railroad travelling
is not nearly so safe as it ought to be-
Especially is this emphasized by the
fact that on all the railroads of Eng
land, Scotland, ireland, and Wales dur
ing the fifteen months ending March 81
1902 not passenger was killed by a
train accident.
In the United States. during the year
ending June 30, 1901. 282 passengers were
killed by railroad accidents and 4,98S
passengers We're injured. But this is
only d small part of the story, although
the one comparable with the British fig
ures. Railroad employees, trespassers.
and grade crossing victims suffered
most severely The total number Of
casualties to persons on account of rail-
way accidents for the year was 6l,494,
the killed numbering 8,455 and the in
jured SO. 339. OF railway employees, ESTE
were killed and Al 142 We're injured. The
total number of persons other than en-
plOyes and passengers killed was 5,49Ss
injured, 1909. These figures include
casualties to persons classed as tres
passers, of whom 4.601 were killed and
l. S5S were injured The total number of
casualties TO persons other than en-
ployes from being struck by trains.
I 1aaf n a
and , .995 injured Casualties of this
class occurred as follows: At highway
crossings. passengers killed. 3; injured,
Il other persons killed. S25. injured,
3A3; at stations passengers killed, q;
injured, 344; other persons killed, 37S;
injured, 553; and at other points along
track, passengers killed, s; injured, 21;
other persons killed 1893. injured, 1.3l4
The summaries giving the ratio of cas-
uaIties show that one out of every 400
employees are killed, and one out of every
| 26 employees injured. With reference to
trainmen, including in this term engine
men, firemen. conductors. and crews, il
is shown that one was killed for every
1876. and one injured for every 13. One
passenger was killed for every 2,153.469
/ carried, and one injured for every 12l,4 -
carried. Ratios based on the number Of
miles Travelled. however, show that ST.
I 537. 54S passenger miles were accomp-
lished for each passenger killed and
3,419, 607 for each passenger injured The
i corresponding figure i'll these latter ra-
tics for the year ending June 80, 1900
were 81, 413.6S4. and 3S85,418 passenger
miles for each passenger killed and each
passenger injured. respectively. showing
/ that the accident ratio is growing worse
THE ACCIDENT BULLETINS
These figures are coming to lig II
through the act of March g. 1901. reduiT-
/ ing interstate common carriers by ra1l
/ to report accidents monthly to the COM
mission. The commission has issued five
quarterly bulletins giving statistical in
re
/ and particular information concerning
the causes of some Of the more serious
accidents. These are known as Acct
dent Bulletins.
So far as casualties to persons are
concerned the only new requirement IS
that the causes shall be reported in de-
tail The two classes Of accidents to
| employees which have for years received
the most attention. because Of their i'm
i portance, are coupling and uncoupling'
and falling from cars or engines"
The statistics of the commission show
also approximately two and one-half col
lisions and one and four-fifths derali-
ments per 100 miles of railroad per year,
and that the losses by these accidents,
not including damage to freight or sums
paid to persons for bodily injuries OF
on account of death. average roughly
IS. 800 per 100 miles
In the second bulletin. list of 81 Of
the most serious butting collisions oc-
curing in three months showed 70 per-
ciDaI causes were forgetfulness by con-
ductors and enginemen who run their
trains past stations at which, according
to written orders in their pockets, thes
should stop: overlooking one Of a mum
her Of orders: mistakes in reading hours
/ or names in written orders: misreadins
watches or miscalcu1ating time; mis-
reading time tables and train registers
eareIessness in Identifying trains al
meeting stations. Besides these errors
4 Of the men on the trains. there are mis-
takes by train dispatchers in issuing
Geographic meeting orders and by tele.
graph operators at stations in receiving
copying. sending, and delivering tele-
graphic orders. which are sent by thf
dispatcher to the men in charge of trains
and are repeated back to the dispatcher
Collisions occur also by reason of com
plications following deliberate neglect &
carry out certain safeguards negli-
s gent employees. like the bank clerk whf
/ "borrows" from his employer expecting
( to repay the loan. being unable TO fore
: see the results of this omission OF {
IS seemingly unimDortant duty.
USE OF THE BLOCK SYSTEM.
: The enforcement Of regulations nai
: long been the subject Of discussion
among railroad officers. but this has no