The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-01-08
LAW REDUCES ACCIDENTS:
EMPLOYEES SUFFER LESS,
PASSENGERS NOT HELPED

way considered. and no person who is
IN the slightest degree familiar with the
law and It's history would consider thai
il is in any respect designed 20 pro-
ments.
Men Benefited.
Considerations OF space forbid an ex-
haustive presentation Of the effects OF
the law. but as a matter OF fact IL has
been Of vast benefit 20 railway en-
ployes- While Il may not have accom-
plished all the results that were hoped
for at the time OF its enactment. II is
nevertheless true that many hundreds
OF lives have been saved and thOus-
ands Of injuries have been averted as
a direct result Of the laws operation.
For instance. in the year 1888. when the
law was enacted there were Us. 63S
tTainmen employed on the railroads OF
the United States. OF which number 80
were killed and 3 1873 injured IN coupling
and uneoupiing cars. In 1903 the num-
Der OF trainmen employed had increased
20 265. us, Of which number 2l7 were
killed and 3S16 injured IN coupling and
uncOupllng cars. In other words, with
e5.63s more trainmen exposed 20 risk
there were 80 fewer deaths and
5.4ai fewer injuries last year than
there were ia the year the law was
enacted. II the ratio Of coupling ac-
cidents 10 the number OF trainmen en-
ployed had been maintained as IL was
IN 1888 there would have been ass men
killed In 1876 and 12.s3l injured. instead
OF the numbers actually shown
Dangers Now Greater.
This truly remarkable decrease in the
number and proportion OF a class Of ac-
cidents directly affected by the safety
appliance law has been in spite Of the
fact that casualties generally have
steadily increased, both absolutely and
re atively. for several years past, and
the potential dangers OF both railway
travel and railway employment are
probably greater today than ever before
in the United States Railway traffic
IS twice as dense as II was in 1885. and
train operations and movements are
probably three or four times as nu-
merOus as they were then. thus great
~ increasing the chance Of accident.
Moreover. the demands Of traffic have
led 70 the employment OF a great many
men OF little OF no experience and OF
comparatively low efficiency. who would
not have been employed under normal
conditions Safeguards that We're for
merely considered imperative have also
been relaxed OF ignored IN many in
stances. either without the knowledge
Of responsible railway officials, or be-
cause the necessities OF traffic have
compelled them 10 wink al infracIiOns
OF the rules In ways too numerous 70
mention. familiar 20 all practical rail-
way men. have the dangers OF railway
travel and railway employment in
creased
when. IN the face OF a condition so
generally unsatisfactory. statistics show
that a particular class Of casualties
directly affected by legislation has de-
creased both absolutely and relatively.
the law and those responsible for its
administration are certainly entitled 20
some credit, and the public has a right
20 know the facts. Especially IS this
true in view OF its obvious moral,
namely. II IL is possible 70 reduce the
danger OF railway employment By means
OF a law properly administered, the
danger of railway travel may be like
wise reduced ". p. BORLAND.