Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-08

more thousands who were seriously Injured
The visitors reply to this may be regarded
by Americans typical, as It was by the
English manager. of the influence surround
ing the management of American railways
1T Is cheaper to kill passengers said the
American, - than 1t is to build roarbeds ac-
cordng to the English plan"
According to recent statistics compiled in
the United States, the danger to railway
passengers in America is about four times
as great as in England, and the danger to
employees about five or six times as great
Bad roadbeds are largely to blame for the
great number OF broken rails in America
as well as for large proportion Of derail-
ments A broken rail an English rail-
way Is very rare, Notwithstanding there Is
a great deal of severe winter weather par
t1cularly in the north Of England and Scot
land. In the state of New York alone dur
Ing the winter of 1905 and 1907 there were
2S99 broken rails. This SURPRISES the rec
ord In the united kingdom for the past ff-
teen years.
1t may be argued that the prevalence of
broken rails in America Is brought about
because Of the heavy locomotives Some
claim that 1t Is because of the great
speed Of the trains. The latter reason is
not probable. as there are much greater
number of fast trains here for every
thousand miles than there are In the
United States. The modern up-to-date
English locomotive weighs from 10 tons
to 145 tons BY the use Of the steel chair
there is not much danger of derailment.
even in case Of a broken rail, as the
chairs provide such splendid support that
1t is difficult for the rail to be moved
much out of alignment but with the
American roads, unless the rail should
be broken near the center of tie it will
slip out Of place almost Immediately.
1t Is common remark made by Ameri-
cans in defense OF roadbeds in the United
States that 1t Is nothing but natural that
England should have much superior per-
manent ways because the country is older
and roads have been in existence much
greater time. To make a statement of this
kind is a reflection upon the progressive
spirit OF American captains of industry.
The first railway train in England was
placed in operation on the Liverpool and
Manchester road September 10. 1890 Amer
lea was not far behind. The Camden and
Amboy road in New Jersey. now forming
q link in the Pennsylvania system between
New York and Philadelphia, was opened in
1881.
The question of broken rails in England
currence, while in the United States the
number of broken rails are increasing an
nually. 1t may be that the English rail
maker has mastered the science of making
rails that do not break easily. There is no
steel trust in England like that in America.
An English railway manager is responsible
for the statement that he would not care
to use Amercan-made rails on any part Of
his system.
Some Americans may regard the English
as too slow, but when one takes into con-
sideration the great number of unusually
fast trains in use in England 1t would seem
that English travellers are in as much of
hurry as are the Americans The English
man may be slow in some things but he is
not diatory In protecting the lives of the
people who travel upon English railways.
In this respect particularly the English
roads are far in advance of the American.