The Minneapolis journal., 1906-03-28
ACCIDENTS SHOW
SAFEGUARDS LACK
Millions Paid Out in Damage
Claims in One Year, as Re
suit Of Wrecks.

Special to The Journal
Chicago, March 2S.-The assemblage
in Chicago Of more than 500 operating
officials of American railways for the
convention of the American Engineer
ing and Maintenance of Way assQcia-
tion, with accompanying exhibition of
safety appliances has served to call
attention to the neglect by the railroad
companies Of safeguards for the lives
and property intrusted to their care.
According to the statistics, the rail
roads Of the United States paid in 1904,
SIT ,002,602 for loss and damage claims,
large proportion of which resulted
from wrecks; $15,s3S, ,179 for injuries to
persons, and $3,602,00O to clear away
wrecks.
The book of statistics just issued by
the bureau of railway news gives the
total number of persons killed in rail
way accidents during 1905 as 1888.
The number of passengers killed is
given as 455; employees, 1881; and
other persons, 5,467.
But the Interstate commerce com.
mission reports for the same year 537
passengers killed and 3,26l employees.
| According to a commission bulletin, 25O
passengers were killed and 6,49S in
iurcd in train accidents during the
year ending June 80, 1905. There were
also 79S employees killed and 1862
injured in the same period.
The European Record.
The total rail mileage Of Europe is
1S2,252 and number Of persons killed
there during period of one year,
from the latest figures obtainable, was
4,997, as compared with 1858 in the
United States.
In 1894 one trainman out of every
1856 was killed and one out of every
twelve was injured while in 1904 one
out Of every 12O was killed and one
out of every nine was injured.
And as for passengers, in 1894 one
out of every 1,66S,791 was killed and
in 1904 the figures are one for every
523 injured.
Perhaps the most significant facts
showing the fallibility of the human
agency in train operation, and the
necessity of guarding against this in
trinity by positive automatic devices
is contained in the report Of the inter
j. state commerce commission of the
prominent accidents in 1904 and their
| causes.
Causes Of Accidents
Engineer Runs Past Signals. Two
persons killed and two in jured; damage
$4,000 in the wreck of a passenger train
running sixty miles an hour.
Engineer Falls Asleep.-One killed
and three injured; damage $5,745 in a
collision between two freight trains;
fireman unfamiliar with the road.
False Block Signal Given.-One killed
and twenty injured; damage $4,000 in
collision between two passenger
trains, caused by clear block signal
being given while the preceding train
was in the block
Conductor Misreads Orders.
two killed and twenty-five injured;
damage $16,S96 in a collision between
passenger and freight; engineer took
conductor s word without reading or
der himself.
Blunders and Recklessness.-Foul
killed and four in jurcd; damage SIS, los
in a collision between two freight
trains. Operator made mistake in copy
ing order, dispatcher failed to discover
error on repetition and two engineme1
disregardcd automatic block signals.
inexperienced Man Trusted-Seven
teen killed and thirtyfve injured ans
collision Of two freight trains causet
by failure Of brakeman to stop trail
by flag. He was a yardinan and hat
not passed examination for road brake
man. ;s..e. Z.
Neglect and thirty
two killed and thirty eight injured
damage 100, in collision betwee1
two passenger trains, hagman Of trail
standing at station failed to signal ap
preaching, train, and engineman" of lat
ter failed to keep good, lookout.
Violate Speed Rulc-s5'iixteen kille,
and twenty five iniured; damage $500
in collision between passenger an
freight trains, caused by engineer an
conductor Of passenger train ignorin
rule to run thru yards with speed unde
control. -
Light Out-Eighteen killed, fifty
seven injured; damage $15,720, coll
sion of two passenger trains. Enginee
ran past station where he should hav
stopped for orders. Agent says sigma
was set to stop; engineman says
showed clear, after the accident ligh
in signal was found to, be out. '