New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-03
RAILROAD ACCIDENTS.
As Many IN Summer as in Winter--
Trains Safer than City Streets.

Because OF the unusual number OF disastrous
railroad wrecks which have occurred recently
hears IL often said:
oh well there are always more accidents IN
the winter than In the summer
A careful canvass Of various superintendents OF
lines having terminals IN this city, however tends
10 refute this popular supposition They say that
wrecks just liable occur IN summer as
In winter. and that both have their
peculiar dangers. One railroad also contra
dicted still more widely believed adage. that It 10
safer 10 stay at home than TO travel. He gave
figures to show that greater percentage OF people
killed in the streets OF New-York than the
railroads OF the whole country.
Obviously. the prime danger OF winter in East
States IS the snowstorm. An engineer Is like
~ to DE blinded by the fakes. the signal lamps
may be- obstructed from his view. II he bs the
right kind Of man, however he will carefully feel
his way. The winter brings gales of especial vio-
lence. which sometimes derange the operation OF
a road. only the other day an accident occurred
IN the West the Marquette Railroad which was
caused by the wind blowing out a light in a signal
lamp. Similar accidents however. likely TO
occur in the summer the result OF violent mum
derstOrms
superintendent Of the Pennsylvania Railroad has
tendency to deaden the faculties OF operating
temperature sinks too low the nerves become
In sudden cold spells the metal used in railroad
construction has a tendency TO become brittle and
n the inspection Of the track. OF bridges and OF
the wheels of cars. The engineer. before each run
IN especially cold weather tests every part of his
locomotive with extra scrutiny,
AT the present time the increase OF the freight
business Of the railroads terminating in city
increases the danger OF collisions and derailments
over the New-Yorl Central. the Erie and the
I,achawanna Is now al its height. Last winter
snasylyania ths! 4 impossible move
congestion was this side Of Pittsburg.
The chief danger OF accidents in summer is from
Tw!ce as many persons travel in warm Weather a.
IL cold westhei. The number Of commuters also
added 10 the regular schedule and they are gem
orally through trains run at high rate OF speed.
Is ternPoraTiI, sdetracked. and that the track is
Tho number Of passengers travelling in summer
also iuctuates win audiences that often upsets
Some days ten trainloads OF passengers will sud
said Mr- sheppard when We only expected two
or three; Extra trains must be made up az rapidly
this increases the risk OF handling the trains with
Frequently a thunderstorm in the summer time
demoraliZes the operation or a railroad as much as
a winter blizzard. Signals are likely 70 be twisted
so that the green light OF safety is substituted FOR
ooned along Of eafs 6aa by ge to ef
6d ae cole o 'snas 90 freeTe the ground
q watersoaked soil, and the electrical mechanisms
Of safety are rendered uncertain by the lightning
the railroads have to contend said T. w Lee,
road. "a is far safer travelling on a railroad
hain than staying al nome in New York As a
matter Of record. the who stays at home IS
twenty times mere likely to be killed than the man
who travels.
In tfe streets Of New-EoTk fl the year 1852"
continued NJ. Lee. according: the Police De
partment, Ss5 people We're killed By cars runaways
and from other causes. which. In population OF
$4,000. shows that about one person in ten thou
sand mot with death In the whole United States.
according tho report for 1853 of the Interstate
Commerce Commission onv s45 passengers Of rail
ROAD trains were killed; Thus IT is found that in
a population OF 100000 only person in
.2e.CJl kled-a percentage twenty-five times
smaller ;han tnat or the death record OF street
cidents in New-York: The total number of pas
sengers carried by the railroads of the United
States in 1902 was s4s SIS sos. that about only one
person in 100000 who travel on railroads aver
meets with Q fatal accident"