New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-22
SAFETY on RAILROADS.

Commenting on the proposition for national
law making the use Of block signals I'm the
United States obligatory. Engineering an
English periodical. expresses the opinion that Il
IS three times IS dangerous 10 travel on an
American line as on a British, and over twice
"as dangerous u be railroad employc." In
the present instance the statement is not sup
ported 10y statistics. ifs author evidently as
suming that the reader is familiar with figures
previously published. At any rate, the idea IS
by no means new. A good many people on this
side Of the Atlantic, as well as on the other.
entertain substantially the same impression.
Whatever foundation there may have been
IN the past and may yet exist for such a be
lief, IL is worth noticing that II has met with
an elaborate contradiction. Slason Thompson,
Of Chicago, recently made a suggestive com
parisOn between the casualties on foreign and
American roads. Tnasmuch as the latter In
clude nine or ten times as many miles OF track
as those Of Great Britain, the chances Of &C
cident here should he correspondingly greater.
To meet England on even terms. therefore, Mr..
Thompson picks out eleven roads running out
Of Chicago whose mileage IS practically the
same as Tat Of the United Kingdom. on these
roads for the twelve months ended June 30
1903. there were no passengers killed 10y train
accidents" and only fifteen 10y "othcr acci-
dents" In 1901, year about which one hears
many boasts. the British roads reported no
deaths from the former cause but killed 80
patrons by "otAor accidents in addition 10 200
more employees than were lost on the Chicago
roads. Again, in all Europe IN 1900 there were
176OGS miles Of track, and In the United States
in 1893 17G461 On the former go passengers
were killed and 1856 employees. In this coun-
try, according 20 the Interstate Commerce
Commission, only 239 passengers were killed,
and 2.72T employees. Mr.. Thompson justly con
cludes that the fatalities are, by one OF those
unlocked for condolences which occur in sta
"tistics practically Identical" Until specific fig
ures are presented 10 undermine his reasoning,
Americans are justified in believing that they
are much better or than they had been led 10
suppose
There can he little doubt that m extension Of
the block signal system IN the United States is
desirable Only 10 per cent OF the American
lines are thus protected. As Tho Tribune has
previously pointed out, however, st IS question
able whether II would be wise 20 insist on its
adoption In thinly populated regions. Even IN
Great Britain Il has not proved an absolute
safeguard against train accidents" because
competent engineers occasionally disregard
warnings. What Engineering aludes 10 as
the fearful disaster at Slough, in 1900, was
due 10 that cause.
The safety OF human life must be reckoned
the most important consideration I'm the run
ming Of a railroad, but It is not the only one.
IL the lines Of this country, IN the aggregate
enjoy no superiority over those OF Europe in
that respect, America certainly has the ad-
vantage I'm some others. The best speeds are
achieved here, larger provision is made for the
comfort and convenience Of Messengers while
travelling, and trains conform more strictly to
advertised schedules. Moreover, upon the ma
jority Of freight cars in England hand brakes
and chain couplings are still in use; whereas
I'm the United States the air brake and auto
matte coupler are practically universal. II the
best practice in the United States still has its
weak points. il Is. nevertheless, an example
which the rest Of the world may follow with
profit