The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-12-19
INTERSTATE coMMERcE COM
MISSION MAKES REPORT OF
RAILWAY ACCIDENTS
NUMEROUS CAUSES HAVE. BEEN
ASSIGNED FOR UNUSUAL -
NUMsER OF FATALITIES.
(By PupIishers, Press.l

+ I
WASHINGTON. d. c. Dec. 1s--
The annual report OF the Interstate
Commerce Commission made public
! to-day shows that the past fiscal yeal
was unusually prolific in fatal raif
road accidents There were 1926
employees injured and 1867 killed N
1904. as compared with 3:s.5Lf fnjur.
ed and 2,516 killed in 1905 The fig
ures for 1905 are intermediate be.
tween those of 1904 and 1902 In
1901 there were S,e77 passengers In
jured and 42o killed: ia 1902, cess
injured and Boz killed: IN 1903 there
Were 6.97: injured and 3G killed
The increase in the numbers ofthe
death of passengers in 19o4ecompared
with 1909 is 81 1-e per cent? The fact
that there were ten unusually disas-
trous accidents during the year Is
commented upon
The number OF deaths resulting
from these ten accidents, eight Of
which were collisions, was about %
per cent. of the total number Killed
in all the train accidents or the year
which comprised over six thousand
collisions and $500 deraIments- The
report says on this subject
The great increase in the number
of train accidents during the year
has led 10 widespread discussion and
me causes assigned Tor various acct
dents have been numerous and con-
fctng Among those mentioned are
Iaxity OF discipline. long hours OF
labor employment OF inexperienced
men. overtaxinS the facilities of hand
ling business, influence of labor IN
ions, and many Others.
The fact that there exists SO wide
a diversity of opinion on this import
ant subject and a careful examination
of the reports sent in by railway com
Epanies covering the more serious &C
cidents suggests that if the public'is
to be supplied with full and accurate
information concerning the causes Of
such accidents. the facts ought TO be
made the subject of impartial invest
CATION on behalf Of the government
The commission urges with en-
phasiS the Uniform adoption of the
block system. The cost OF introduc-
ing the system can scarcely be call
ed burden, when we see 1t intro
duced on single track lines of not
very heavy traffic. and find no promI-
nent mention of expense in the an
nual reports Of the companies
Regarding the safety appliance law.
the report says
The good effect Of the amending
act, especially in securing more eff
fective control of trains through the
increased usage of air brakes is marx.
ed Since the law became fully OPP
erative, the number OF brakemen EN-.
ployed on trains has been reduced /
on some eastern roads upon the sta.
ted ground that the control of trains |
by air brakes renders the employ.
ment of the former number unneces.
sary The law is generally well OBJ.
served. so far as the proportion OF
air brake cars in service is concern.
ed, but many of these cars are run
in such defective condition as to be
really imperative in respect TO the
use OF the air brake.
The number Of trainmen killed
in coupling accidents during the year
was 27S. and the number of injured
was 3.441- A large proportion OF
these deaths and injuries were due
TO defective equipment, compelling
the men to so between the cars to
couple and mcouple. and might have
been avoided had proper attention
been given to the maintenance OF
safety appliances"
The report contains an exhaustive
discussion of the rate question. the
burden of which Is that laws making
effective the acts OF the commission
are imperative.
On this subject the report says in
part:
IN the present state OF the law, af-
ter careful and often extended inyes-
tigation the commission may find a
rate complained against to be I'M
reasonable and order the carrier to
desists from charging that rate for
.he future. but 1t cannot find and or
der the reasonable rate to be substt-f