New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-07
HURT ON RAILROADS.
On Instructive Comparison Bet7ceen
America and Europe.

Whenever any serious railway accident occurs IN
this country. is sure to hear good deal about
the alleged superiority Of foreign roads In the mat
ter Of safety Special emphasis will be laid. too. on
the fact that in the United Kingdom not single
life was lost in 1901 by a train accident Well.
Slason Thompson has been looking into the mat
ter carefully. and finds that American people are
very much better off than they have been led to
suppose Possibly the most satisfactory method OF
COMPARISON would he which gave the tota4
number OF passengers carried. well the num-
Der killed. that the exact ratio In both coun-
tries would he determined. The whole number or
men employed in various capacities ana the total
number Of employees killed would be similarly In
structve Either because the data were not obtain
able or from some other reason. Mr.. Thompson
did not follow that but HIS figures are ex-
ceedingly impressive.
As there arc nine or ten times as many miles
of railroad track i'm this country as in England.
Scotland and ireland put together. nine or ten
times as many accidents might naturally be expect
ed here Mr.. Thompson therefore compares the
casualties for 1901 all British roads. having
. S miles track. with those Of eleven lines run
ming out Of Chicago. and including 23,42s miles. for
the twelve months ending with June 30 1910. It
Will be observed that in America. as in Europe.
a distinction is made between passengers killed by
train accidents" and "other accidents When
the matter Is presented somewhat in detail It
appears that while there were no deaths from train
accidents in the United Kingdom. IN 1901 no fewer
than 1S5 passengers were killed by other accidents
These people travellers or patrons. BESIDES.
81 employees and 515 other persons. mostly tres
passerH. lost their lives
on the eleven roads running ont OF Chicago. the
number OF other persons" killed was about the
same G29) that Of employees killed Gid, Just 90
less than IN the United Kingdom. while the number
Of passen killed only Is. all % them being
victims OF "other accidents" distinguished from
train accidents To the las: mentioned causes not
a single death was due. on the whole. then.
much better showing Is made Tor the American
lines than tho British on the former only IL
passengers were killed. and on the latter l@5.
The comparison is rot complete. though. without
mention - injuries that were not fatal on the
British roads $40 passengers were hurt by train
accidents 1sss passengers by other accidents. 42+3
49, bt1rt ~,
train accidents and 3l5 10y other accidents. while
Ass employees tfuIly 1000 less than IN Great Brit
aim were hurt and 81 other persons Since these
! 'other persons were on the track IN dehance OF
tons can hardly bee Hod responsible for the harm
Mr Thompson also compares the casualties on
nineteen other American roads. representing Ss-5+
| with all The lines Of The German Empire. whose
S9mblnrd Length IS 80 mics I t ' hy year sbii
| the greater number OF injuries Of employees in
TN share o. rcspoas.bity that the men themselves
ought 10 assume. and that is question not easily
/ lea. employees kl.let fp. injured 900: Germany.
employees killed +s3 injured III. hen attenton
/ the chief hue and CRY is raised over-ths country
l
4 patrons Killed 10y train accident here was .. and
bv other accidents 81. in Germany passengers killed
v train accident Il. and other accidents 30. or q
/ m ain This statement will certainly be eye
/ opener for a good many people
| An attempt has been made by Mr.. thompson 70
/ make "a still broader Cumparisou-one which should
/ include al Europe. TO make up his table he has
/ been obliged 60 take some returns for l9V-the
I latest Lla-aHd for 1891. For about one
eighth Of his mileage Re has estimated the losses.
he could yet no iErres at all The account Tor
/ Europe stands folows; Miles, l'e.'rSi Fassen-
gers killed 5Z7 employees killed 1850; other persons
! tqftcr Subtrocting the number OF known treSpaSs-
ersi 2Z7o or a total Of 5153. In the year 1888 the
United states had l7G ig miles Of railroad track
! According 10 the Interstate Commerce Commission
2o9 passengers killed that year t28 less than
I in FuroDel ~ employees t3U more than in Eu-
rCpcl and 62' other persons not treslaSslnS max
iuE a total 81 36l6 This h. about 1900 less than
/ tho number killed in Europe in year on few
/ moro miles of track NJ. Thompson justly TecOg-
uizcs tho fact that the Introduction of other per-
sons into the classification. even after sitting out
| tr@er'e-.rs. leaves n false and variable factor
I'm tho COMPARISON As the figures stand. the show
Inc is much more favorable to this country than
! To- Europe. ON the other hand. II "othe- persons
/ ba omitted. ard only passengers and employees be
/ included. tho deaths are. by one or those un-
! in,i,d for Condolences which occur In statistics .
J CrII identical