Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-11-12
TRAIN CREWS GET CARELESS
Blame for Nest Aco'd'ntS Traced to
Railroad Employees,
VIGILANCE THE PRICE OF LIFE
Causes Pointed Out and Remedies
Suggested by n Railroad Man
Several Good Rules for
Train Operatives.

dred thousand, It may be taken for granted |
that the companies do not kill people on
purpose, and that they uso all tho precau-
lions they know TO prevent accidents. IL
they had no humane instincts they must
be impressed with the bills they have 70
pay for personal injury and death claims
The employees Of the railroads are more
interested in the prevention Of accidents
even than the companies or the travelling
public. 1t is the employees who suner most
for upon them falls one-third OF the total
deaths and three-fourths OF all the injuries
Yet the employees are to blame for most
Of the accidents, If we are 70 believe r, c.
Richards, himself a railroad employe, who
has written a book on Railroad Accidents
Their Cause and Prevention" The book is
published by the authority of the Associa-
ton OF Railway Claim Agents, and shoulo
be authentic, for the claim agents know
more about wrecks and accidents than any
body else. They are FIRST in the field when
a casualty occurs, ascertainins causes look
ling up names and addresses and witnesses
even while the surgeons are busy with
bandages.
CareIessness Causes Accidents.
Accidents caused by the "act Of God;"
that is, unexpected washouts and land
slides. earthquakes and similar catastrophes
against which no precaution can prevail
and accidents to trespassers who drive or
walk on the track, Of course, are not the
fault Of the companies. These compare
lively are few in number.
But accidents caused by the careless
ness thoughtlessness or neglect of EN-
pioyes are the large majority of all that
happen" says Mr.. Richards land If We
could eliminate them or one-haf Of them
there would be but little cause for COM
plant on the part OF the management Of
the companies or criticism on the part NJ
the public and the claim agent would have
n bed of roses instead Of the busiest and
hardest worked Office on the road"
This author dismisses the question OF
safety appliances with little mention lie
says that 1t is the man and not the device
that renders travelling safe, and that acci-
dents occur where the right-of-way is lined
with approved safeguards.
Accidents Happen Every Day.
| Perhaps the employees. bearing in mind
long hours and old-fsshioned equipment
would take issue with him on this point
but he insists that his experience as
claim agent leads him to conclude that the
accidents that happen every day on every
railroad in the country. and which go on
happening every year in the same old way"
of greater care and thoughtfulness.
It is not the big wrecks that cause the
large total OF deaths. A few hundred peo-
pie are killed during the year by frightful
collisions Many thousands are killed by
accidents that are not mentioned in tho
newspapers. The public never hears of The
brakeman who falls between two moving
freight cars or the tramp, a trespasser,
, who goes to sleep ana tumbles from tho
hrakebeam on which he has stolen ride.
In his cautions to reckless engineers Mr..
/ Richards says: When you get bulletin
prohibiting your running down certain mills
, faster than thirty miles an hour don't dc
! II at forty or nifty miles an hour.
Rules for Engineers.
when you see a signal set against you,
= think of the wrecks you have known since
you entered the service and stop. Take
no chances. II you can see the signal
stop or slow down. In case Of doubt, al
ways take the safe course.
when in a terrible rainstorm you are
running with a slow order over a track
: which is being repaired, don't do it at q
speed of fifty or sixty miles an hour.
when you are making your station stoI
don't Jerk your train after it has stopped
or Is about TO stop. Don't pull or bach
up a few feet to get to the coal chute
because if you do someone is liable to gel
hurt"
1t is a strange thing that many grade
; crossing accidents occur and no one or
the engine knows that they happen
Whether it is on account of the kind and
position Of the headlights now being used
or because the engineer does not watcf
= the track. the claim agent does not know
$ An engineer will run down a man or
.Ta 10
I the next day, when he is called upon by
a the company for an explanation.
! Common Causes of Trouble.
Most OF the common accidents caused by
. neglect of the train crew are summarized
; by Mr.. Richards as follows
: Failure 70 watch for and observe signals
Trains following each other too closely
Trains following at too high rate o.
, speed.
! . Failure to protect trains stopped on th'
. main track.
Cars not being left in TO clear at sidings
Switches being left wrong
= Lack Of caution in time of storm or fog
: General carelessness.
Most OF the injuries to employees cause,
by their own carelessness are from coupling
cars. getting on or off, or falling from
= trains or engines. Mr.. Richards canno
imagine why a brakeman OF common sens
:, should stand on a foot board and whel
: the couplers are almost together put hi
hand in between them, nor why he shoul
stand in the middle Of the track and wal
' for a car or engine to approach and the
step on the foot board, or bralzebeam, whe
: by stepping TO one side he could get o.
), in safety. Why do men jump on an engin
= pilot to ride a few feet to make a switc
when the engine Is going so fast as t
, be dangerous?
= How Careless Brakemen Are Hurt.
- Why undertake TO climb from car to ca
8 when Il is not necessary
Why cross the track in front Of movin
- cars OF engines when they are so clos
- that the act looks like suicide?
- Why be struck in broad daylight by ovei
y head structures when warning telltale
have been erected7
" Why cut the steam hose before the steal
~ has been turned on?
why try to oil hot box when the trai
Is running?
IN It is suggested that the railroads ha'
bureaus OF employment properly conducts
~ TO secure the best men and schools
10 which to instruct the men as to the rul,
70 under which the railroads are operate
| NJ e. ole