Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-26
RAIL WAY ACCIDENTS
More Are Killed and Injured in
America Than Abroad.
TRACK BEDS SAFER THERE
Motor Cars Also Getting Famous
for Casualties.
ENGLISH CHAUFFEURSC CAREFUL
Insurance Against Any Risk Pro-
vided in London-Germany's Law
for Workmen Compulsory.
TRACK BEDS SAFER THERE
ENGLISH CHAUFFEURs CAREFUL
BY WILLIAM +. CURTIS.

chicago RECORD Herald.
NEW YORK. November Is 1905.
The report of the interstate commerce
commission concerning railway accidents
in the United States shows that during
the year ending June 80. 1908. there were
3,764 people killed and 6S9S9 injured.
OF these 4O6 killed and 1855 injured
were passengers; employees 1888 killed
and 56.344 injured There was crafty
ing decrease from the previous year. when
647 passengers and 1853 employees were
killed. and 1859 passengers and 1859
employees were injured. making total of
1000 killed and $50 injured
These figures are appalling. especially
when they are compared with similar re-
ports from foreign countries. The total
number of passengers killed in england
last year was only 40 and 1856 were in
jured. while the number of railway en-
ployes killed was 454 and the number
injured 5.571. The annual average for
the last ten years in England has been
1.160 killed and LES injured. This was
an average of one passenger killed out of
seventy millions travelling. and one for
every 100000 was injured.
Risk in United Kingdom Decreasing.
The annual average Of accidents in the
United Kingdom for the last thirty years
has been one passenger killed for every
0.30O. 600 travelling, and one injured for
Zoo, 600 travelling: so that the risk is very
much less than formerly and diminishing
every year. In 1906 there was a very bad
record in England. because of two ter
rible accidents, one Of them to steam
ship train loaded with Americans, and
the total for that year was % passengers
killed and 631 injured.
The total number of passengers killed
by accidents to trains in Great Britain
last wear was only Is. and the number
injured was 534. while in the United
States 16J passengers were killed in train
accidents and 7.113l were injured.
The greatest slaughter was in collisions.
which seldom occur in England. Last
year in the United States Ala persons were
killed and 1912 were injured In collision.
while in the United Kingdom the total was
81 killed and o4 injured. The number
killed in accidents due to derailments was
313 and the number injured >, IL in the
United States. while in England there
were only IL deaths due to derailments
and go 10 injuries.
Railway Tracks Safer in Britain.
This means that the railway tracks in
Great Britain are much safer than In the
United States and are much more care
fully guarded. But ii should also be said
that the trains over there are very much
lighter than ours, and the number OF en-
plOyeS Is SO much greater that the tracks
can be more carefully watched and
promptly repaired. The track walkers on
British railways are scarcely ever out OF
sight of each other, and the distances al
lotted to section gangs are very much
shorter than In the United states.
AS rule the trains in Great Britain run
faster than those in the United States
and they carry more passengers. There
are many trains which make an average
Of fifty miles an hour and do not stop be-
tween the terminals-London, Bristol.
Hollyhead. Liverpool. Manchester, Edin
burgh and other cities. There are fifty
seven trains running daily between Lon
don and Manchester. distance of over
two hundred miles. and five of them, each
way. make no stops whatever between
the two cities. l was told there had
never been an accident to one Of these
fast trains. and they are usually crowded
with passengers.
We have some tracks in this country
that are just as good those in England,
but our great trunk lines could not af-
ford to build such solid roadbeds as they
have over there. The earnings OF the
roads would rever pay dividends on the
cost.
British Employees Get Less Pay.
The passenger and freight rates corre-