The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-01-05
TOO MUCH WORK
CAUSES WRECKS
Salt Lake Railroad Officials
Say Strain on Superintend-
ents Is Too Great.
MANY CRAZED BY WORRY
RAILROADS NOT KEEPING PACE
WITH INCREASED BUSINESS.

The terrible strain placed upon railroad
superintendent and others responsible for
operation i'm handling the ever increasing
business with insufficient equipment and
yard facilities. has been the main cause
for the large number Of disastrous
wrecks which have occurred all over the
country durin gthe past week At least
this is the theory OF Salt Lake railroad
officials, and it is backed up by the re-
cent statement Of james j. Hill that
when he boards train for long Jour
ney he feels uncertain as Co whether
he viii ever arrive at his destination
alive.
Country Grows Too Fast.
The fact Of the matter is that the couu
try has been growing faster than the
railroads. Despite all the companies can
do, it seems impossible for them to catch
UP with the tide of prosperity which IS
sweeping the nation. As soon as one
yard is made suitable to handle the in
creased business il is discovered that
while the work has been going on the
business has increased to such an ex-
tent that even the reconstructed yard Is
The amount of traffic has reached such
q large volume on some lines that 1T Is
necessary TO keep trains dangerously
even partially take care of the business.
This makes a great congestion at division
points, makes the slightest divergence
from schedule liable to result I'm serious
accidents. AS consequence supperin-
tendents and other officials are driven
nearly insane trying 10 cope with the
problem OF properly caring for the num-
PEERLESS trains which are moving in a
constant procession. The strain on the
nerves Of these men and their assist
ants with the knowledge that the safety
of L.
close application TO duty. has i'm some
cases reached the breaking point.
Problem Serious One.
How this situation can be remedied is
problem which the railroads are try
Ing 10 solve. but so far with little success.
Men with iron nerves and intellects that
remain clear through incessant nerve
racking responsibility year in and wear
out are thrown into the breach but such
men are scarce, and. though discovered
down under the strain.
Another factor in the situation is the
OverworlsiHg Of the train crews 1t is
sometimes necessary for a crew which
has worked for sixteen or eighteen hours
10 be gent out immediately upon arrival
at its destination with another train.
Many wreck has been caused because
a sleepy train crew forgot or misunder-
stood orders. OF course there are other
reasons for these wrecks, among them
being defective equipment, poor roadbeds
ana OInel uClQenlai causes Dut the prin-
cipal basis of all the trouble seems to
he that the great railroad systems of
the country are being put TO a greater
strain than they can bear.
An official OF the Oregon Short Line
said:
'"rO give YOU some idea Of the work
the railroads are doing these days, let
me tell you that during just twelve hours
of one day last week we dispatched no
less than twenty-five freight trains from
Green River. Wyo. For some time prior
10 this the record for like period had
been eight. These conditions do not alone
apply to our road, but are common to
all. both east and west.
yes. we are hiring all the men neces-
sary TO do the work. and If the men on
duty are tired and overworked and con-
seuuently less careful of the cornpany's
interests on this account il is their own
fault. OF course there is such a thing
as overtime, but only in extreme cases
and not in sufficient quantity to hurt
anyone"