The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1909-01-05
NEW RAILROAD BODY
Permanent Organization Embrac.
ing Five States Formed.
HEADQUARTERS IN CHICAGO.
Ons Purpose 10 to Get In Closer Touch
With Railways and shippers-Elinnf-
nation Of Grade Crossings Urged.
Measures Against Trespsssers sus-
uested


Railroad coin missions of i've states
met IN Chicago the other day and or
ganiZed q permanent association to he
known as the North Central Assoc
ton Of Railway Commissioners The
object of the association IL declared
to be the consideration Of matters OF
mutual interest TO the association and
to the public"
The states represented are Illinois.
Michigan, Ohio. Wisconsin and lDdi-
ana. The movement WAS started ~
the commission Of the state OF Micbi-
gan, and G. l. Glasgow Of that body
was selected president Of the associs-
ton. Commissioner W H. Boys II
Illinois was elected vice president and
William Fitzpatrick secretary. The
headquarters Of the association will
be In Chicago. and meetings are to be
held at the call of the chairman or
upon the request Of any commission
which Is member IT the association.
The movement j. regarded by many
as one VI the most important since the
creation Of railroad commissions. says
the Chicago Record Herald III the
discussion preceding the Orga nization
. II wss agreed that there n TOO little
uniformity 10 the action Of the Tar-
oss state con missions and that gen
orally speaking what IL Of interest 10
the shippers and the railroads 81 one
state Is equally Interesting 10 those Of
another.
II f. afro admitted that there II
lack u sympathy and understanding
between The commissions and the rsiI-
roads. and IL is desired 30 get in closer
touch with both the railroads and the
. shippers II ia also hoped that the
scope ~ the organization may be En-
larged to include many commissions
and bat other orgaBIzs lions II similar
character may he perfected 10 consist
~ the commissions which have kin
dred interests by reason ~ their terri
torial grouping.
As beginning the association f. d.
reciing IL attention 10 the elimination
~ grade crossings End 10 the subJect
of trespassing on American railroads
Reports on both subjects were made
by committees appointed some months
ago whom a preliminary organization
was perfeefod The committee On
grade crossings. ~ which Commission
or Woods II Indiana T. chairman. re-
ported that smch crossings should be
eliminated. but the members we're at
I0s9 10 know bow The movement
z0Hld he accelerated.
( In Indiana. for example, there srs
more than 1901 unprotected grad
crossings and nearly 20.DtD IA Illinois.
II would eost the railroads AZ least
szgOSSOpro IN the former state and
: fwIce that much iB tie latter 10 eiiBi
nate these crossings IN Indiana the
railroads have spent only S2DD0lfsD "a
the last Gfe years Ia eliminating fhesf.
ero@sings. i,ft during the eoniBg year
they are expected 80 spend 81 moan
The committee 6ectded that future
crossings At grade should not be per
5nisted. that the state commissions
should he given the power 10 deal
with the separation ~ grades and ~
splsOrfiDn The cost bet@eer the rail-
roads ard the mnofctps lifie@, thar
laws should be passed requiring the
railroads 10 do away With certain
proportion ~ grade srosSings every
year md that the slaughter ~ people
at spet, crossings had been properly
characterized the great American
crime
The committee OH srsslasssug re-
I ported that faiIy ~ ,,@r cent ~ the
+ fatalities on American railroads Was
due 10 sre@rsssiBg. thai IL ~ sisouId he
( passed and enforced which would s6e-
qsstssy project fhs rsijroads sasiBst
7 tYe~pzsseys. sbsf s%eti1D fDregDeD
should have polite powers and that
railroads should be required, - fn
EasjaDa. 10 post 81 their stations the
m mes IT all p@rs1Ba e"gsL~sed ~ tres