The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-11-13
SAFETY TO RAILROAD TRAVEL

Writing in the North American Re
view on the subject. Should the
Safety of Employees and Travellers be
Promoted by legislation Congress
man John j. Eseh makes some i'm
oortant recommendations for the mex
congress, toward decreasing the
frightful loss of life from railroad
| disasters.
Congressman Esch says:
When the combined losses Of both
the Japanese and Russian armies foi
the five days of awful fighting, from
August Goth to the fall of Lao Yang
was announced 10 the world as
amounting. in killed and wounded to
over 10000 men. all the world shud.
dered. When the Interstate Com
merce commission, in its last annual
report, made public the fact that, for
the year ending June 30th, 1903, the
passengers and employees killed and
improvements reduced the per cen,
of casualties by almost one-half, ana
continues;
Thus far. the safety Of trainmen
only has been considered The re
suits of but a short operation of the
safetyappiance law have so largely
reduced the casualties among train
men, by obviating the necessity of
their going between or ON top of the
cars. that il may be asked: Can their
safety be further promoted by legis.
ration safeguarding them. as we'll as
switeh-tenders and other employees,
against collisions and derailments.
from which causes, for the twelve
months ending March 3lst. 1904,
there were S4S killed and $3.50 in
jured? Whatever legislation would
protect trainmen against collisions
and derailments would likewise pro
tect baggagemen, expressmen, rail-
way mail clerks and the travelling
public. Such legislation. therefore,
as it would is worthy of most careful
consideration.
Such legislation should have two
objects; first, to afford safety against
carelessness, forgetfulness. lack Of
injured on the railroads of the Unit
ed States amounted to frightful to-
tal of 1851. the statement excited
little comment. Wreck has followed
wreck with such regularity. during
the last twelve months. as to make
the reports Of them in the daily
press no longer sensational, but rath-
or commonplace This deplorable
record of casualties has been on the
increase for years; and. for the year
ending March 5rd. 1901. il shows f27
passengers killed. S.O0G injured. 3.lT9
employees killed. and 1925 injured,
a gsand total OF 1897. being
create by almost COCO than the
losses which resulted from the three
days fighting at Gettysburg"
Mr. Esch then proceeds 10 show |
that 81 per cent of railroad casual I
ties occur among the employees. ANA 4
how the legislation by congress re I
quiring safety appliances and other /
discipline or faults Of omission in 1
general; second. TO afford cafety in 4
spite Of such carelessness, forgotful- /
ness. lack of discipline and faults Of 4
omission. In connection with the 4
first object. study Of the quarterly 4
accident bulletins of the interstate i
commerce commission. for The twelve I
months ending March 3lst. 1904. be /
ng the last statistics obtainable /
shows:
Nine collisions. with a total Of IS
silled and IS injured. and property 1
loss of s71770. caused by excessive +
hours on duty. and the falling asleep 4
IF engine men. fagmen OF operators.
Twelve collisions. with a total Of
killed and ~ injured. and property
oss of 500 .255. caused by the employ
nent Of young or inexperienced men.
Twelve collisions. with a total of
II killed and 223 injured and proper
y loss of s224924. caused BY the mis-
reading Of train orders by engine
men and conductors.
Thirteen collisions. with a total
IF Y killed and pos injured, and prop
srty loss of s107.037. caused by jgnor-
Dg signals and disobedience sof or
lers on the part Of engine-meH. con-
luctors and brskemen.
The writer then states his belief
hat "a federal law. supplemented by