The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1906-08-31
Americap and Brittish Railroads.

The recent railroad accident at
Salisbury, England, by which
twenty three Americans were kill
ed, has led to very thorough dis
cussion of the whole question of
casualties to travellers upon rail-
roads, both in Great Britain and
this country. The comparative
exemption from such fatalities in
the former country and the great.
er aggregate loss of life in the lat
ter has for some time afforded
ground for unfavorable COMPARE
son as to the relative mortality
from such cause in America, with
no little censure, actual or implied,
for the apparent recklessness of
life upon American railroads.
Much of this has arisen from the
failure to make allowance, in stat
ing the numerical excess of such
casualties in this country, for the
greater milage of our railroad sys-
tenn as compared with that of
Great Britain. II happens oppor-
timely that, by a recent report
made to Congress by Representa-
tive Monroe. OF Chicago correct da
ia appear by which much of this
alleged railroad mortality charged
against as is disproved and that,
allowing for our great excess of
mileage and taking the average
losses over period of years, the
United States will not be found to
have the balance much, if at all,
against them.
Taking the length of railroad
mileage in Great Britain at the
close of the year 1904, it appears
that there were only $4,000 miles,
much of which was double track. |
That of the United States June 80,
1904, was 212,243, the greater
part of which was single track, or
nearly ten times greater than that
Of the United Kingdom. The
of persons who were kill
ed in the United States was TO-
DAG, as against ,l5S who lost their
ives on British tracks. The mum
Der of injured in the former was
81, 1855. and in the latter 1892.
This comparative exhibit is favor
lble to the United States, as in
both killed and injured the ratio
vas much greater in proportion to
Mileage in Great Britain than in
his country.
But there are other considera-
ions to be kept 10 view in making
'uch comparisons, which, if fairly
considered. will prove equally ia
vorable to this country in explain
ng the apparently reckless sacri-
Ice of life here. The report cited
livides the various states into
,roups and finds the comparison
# casualties equally favorable to !
his country. New England has !
of 5000 miles, or more I
han one. third that of the United ,
Yet the number of !
'ersons killed in the group was
'ut s; in the United Kingdom 1l5. :
he number Of injured in the for
ner 210, and the latter 1869,
iroup 2, consisting Of New York,
lew Jersy, Pennsylvania, Dele !
1are and Maryland, comprises !
3, 022 miles of railroad, or little /
1ore than the British mileage, yet i
be number killed in the former s
7as 113, and the latter lis; the i
njnred being 2,173 and 1853 re- b
And so as to the 9th 2
r groups the comparison was !
qually favorable to American :
Dads. !,
This exhibit tending to show
ow much error hos prevailed up t
n the question of relative securi- b
: to life upon British over Amer c
IAN roads, while correcting an err t
or long prevalent and used to the :
iscredit of this country, shonld :
OF tend to lull as into an undue
snse OF security or into arelaxa :
on of our efforts to reduce such
lortality to minimum by furth-
-~nlnl Observation-Disclosures The