The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-10-15
Our Railroads Killing and Injuring
More People Annually Than the
Bl0odieSt War Would.


We still shudder at the blood shed
forty years ago in the war for South
ern independence. We stand aghast
at the immolation of human life now
going on on the opposite side of the
globe in the war between Russia and
Japan. Yet the American people are
yearly sustaining more loss in the
killed and injured in railroads acct
dents than either of these wars cost
Not all the devilish inventions to take
life, not all the long range quick
firing guns: not all the lyddite ana
Skirnos powder in the hands of half
a million Infatuated combatantS has
the power of destruction that our
railroads have. Startling thought but
true.
Nearly 10000 passengers We're
killed and hurt by our railroads last
wear. Now as | understand it, this
loss tremendous as it is, does not in
clude the railroad employees of whom
more are killed than of passengers.
The vast total must be nearly or quite
zoe, 900 people that the railroads
killed and injured in the United States
last year
No war of modern times has in
hicted such a loss. In the war for
Southern independence 1868 was
doubtless the year attended with the
largest number of casualties on the
field of battle. 1t embraced Chan
cellorsville, Gettysburg, VickSburg
Chickamauga, not to mention the
countless smaller engagements. Still,
it's list of killed and wounded fell
far within 100000 though L have not
the exact list at hand.
This question of railroad accidents
is probably the most serious one That
now contronts us. 1t concerns US all
for all of us must travel sometimes.
What are we going to do about 1t?
1t is clear that the danger of rail-
road travel increases vastly and prob
ably in geometrcal ratio with the
speed. Thus it is ten times as danger
Gus to travel at 100 miles an hour
as at ten Nevertheless. the cry is
ever more speed, and more speed
means more danger. When the gol-
den age comes and our eyes are
opened to the needlesSneSs and folly
of all this rush and hurry we shali
be content to travel at the moderate
gait BETTING rational beings Then
we shall see, or rather those who
come after us shall see, railroads adj
vertising slow schedules. slow--sure
and safe. But, till the golden age
arrives and we all grow rational we
must place around our irrationality
such SAFEGUARDS as we can.
At the bottom of all the trouble
! for cheapneSs. Not only must we
travel as swift as the bird but we
| must travel almost as cheaply. And
as the danger of travel increases with
the speed so does the cost. That is.
! if the danger is to be Kept anywhere
within bounds. When we get willing
! to pay not only for speed but for
safety too. We shall get it or. tat' least
/ in larger ,measure than we now do.
THAT is, of ccurse provided, we stand
out for it. Till then | do not believe
! that we can get them both or at
least not combined.
| Travel to be both fast and safe calls
/ for good roads and good cars. But
above all it calls for good men to
maintain the roads and to run the
cars and demands that these good
yond the limit of efficient and care
| full service. AS things now stand the
chief source of danger comes from the
! fact that the employees are either in
efficient at the beginning or else so
heavily overworked that they lose
their efficiency.
A much more efficient system must
| be adopted of selecting railroad en-
ployees high and low Even upon the
/ humblest one who drives spike OF
waves lantern hundred of lives MAY
| depend. We look closely after Uhe
] intelligence. habits and the morals OF
nearly all other public employees eX-
cept railroad employees. by far the
| most important of all We nave
| competitive examinations FOR the man
who handles our postal cards, but
none at all for the man who handles
our lives. Any raw lad is held good
enough for that.
Railroads should be permitted -
| charge enough for the transportation
of freight and passengers to enable
| them to maintain road beds. rolling
stock and motive power well WITHIN
| the safety limit, and above all &c
command the service of thoroughly
competent men, that is, if railroad
charges already are not sufficient fol
| this purpose.
All employees on whom the safety
of TRANSPORTATION depend should De
required to pass an examination fai
more searching than IS now the RUE
The object of this examination Shoulc
| be to weed out not only those VINO leaC
Incorporate lives. but also those Wht
by mental habit are in spite OF th@li
best efforts unfit for caliings demand
ing effectiveness and carefulneSs
The absent minded man should be
eliminated from railroad employment
which demands the greatest aiertnes:
and carefulneSs.
These men selected should be wei
Maid and not overWorked There is {
! limit beyond which the average mar
of sound mind and body cannot en-
dure fatigue and loss of sleep and still
think quickly and clearly. drowsA
man surely cannot. Then these meT
should be required to lead sober ans
orderly lives or be discharged. J
may be necessary that the State OF
nation intervene to regulate inlant
traffic just as it does the navigation
of our ports and rivers In fact the
! fearful list of casualties in inlant