The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-08

all last years accidents, A.14 per cent
happened 10 unlucky pedestrians, while
the people injured in railway travel made
only Al per cent of the total. Seekers
OF amusement and recreation suffered
615 per cent OF all the injuries while
the bicycle was responsible for 400 per
cent. The horse, the traditional friend OF
man, was accountable for IL per cent of
all accidents Of whatever description that
happened in this country I'm the course OF
the year The much Vilified motor car.
in comparison with other notwithstanding
agencies, seems surprisingly innocuous
In the early days of coal mining. espe-
cially in the anthracite fields of eastern
Pennsylvania fatal accidents were OF
such frequent occurrence that they scarce
ly aroused sensational interest. In 1870
more than FIVE mine workers out Of every
thousand met death through causes due
directly or indirectly to their occupation.
Finally laws were passed by the differ
ent states compelling mine owners ana
managers to exercise more care in their
operations and to conduct their business
with more regard for human life. This
remedy has been fairly effective but
mining is still one Of the most dangerous
Of all occupations. At the close of the
last century IL was figured out that 2.A
per thousand employees were annually ia
tally injured by accidents in the anthra-
cite and bitumnous mines OF the United
States. As the reports upon these figures
We're based were very incomplete, 1t is
undoubtedly true that even this appalling
number is a considerable underestimate
Of the human sacrifice demanded each
year that the fires of industry and COM
merce may be kept brightly burning.
6rakeman's Danger.
There was a time when the brakeman
who coupled and uncoupled cars was con-
sidered one of the servants of modern
civilization whose occupation was among
the most dangerous. For several years
past the highest inventive ingenuity has
been employed TO lessen the risks of his
work by providing mechanical devices to
help him. The improvement that has
been made is indicated by the fact that
during the last decade the number OF
coupling fatalities each year has de-
creased 81 per cent. although the number
o. trainmen employed has increased 80
per cent In the same time. Last year
fatal accidents OF this sort were thirty
five less than in 1904, while non-fatal in
irries were 3S1 less than in the previous
twelve months.
More than half the total number of per-
sons killed on steam railroads in 1904 were
trespassers upon the property of the
roads, persons for whose safety the roads
were not legally responsible In any way
But 1t is due to them that the railroads
appear in the statistics to have been the
| cause of more accidental deaths than any
other single agency. When one recalls
that there are more than 10000 miles of
steel rails. penetrating into every nook
| and corner of the United States; that the
railroads employ millions of men, that
the number of passengers carried annual
ly runs up to MANY millions; and that
practically the total population of the
country in some way or another comes
in contact with the railroads, the wonder
Is that mishaps are relatively so few.
Figures Here and Abroad.
II is common idea that fatal accidents
are much more frequent ON American
railroads than those in Europe, par
ticularly those in the United Kingdom;
and many persons constantly assert that
foreign lines are operated with much |
greater regard for safety than are the |
American. The facts are quite the con-
trary, however. The latest statistics |
show that the difference in conditions |
here and abroad is very slight, the num- |
Der of passengers killed to the billion car |
ried one mile being 15.5 in the United |
States, while in Europe, including the |
United Kingdom, ii Is 1915 These figures |
are the more significant when 1t Is con-
European roads is much slower than
ours; that foreigners are more amenable
to the rules and regulations made by the
roads for the safety of passengers and
employees; the foreigners also are con-
stitutionally less nervous, less insistent
| on speed and less impatient of delay than
the citizens of this country.
A comparison of the latest statistics OF
fatalities among passengers on English
and American railways shows that we
have clear advantage in the matter of
safety In Great Britain the proportion
of passengers killed to those carried one
mile is one in 6i.929.0o0, wh.a in this
country 1t is one in 65,16S143 In other
words, the average American ought to be
able to travel at least 100000 miles by
rail-enough to occupy him through sew !
eral life-times-before he ran into a fatal
accident; and he should be able to travel
2.54l,O96 miles without meeting with even
slight injury.