The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-12-22
KILLED ON RAILS.
Interstate Commission Re.
ports 1888 Slain.
IO5.234 WERE INJURED IN YEAR
Board Asks Congress to Amend Law
So That It May More Efec-
lively Enforce Reason
able Rates.
lO5,234 WERE INJURED IN YEAR

Washington, Dec. 21.-The report Of
the interstate commerce commission,
presented today to the senate and
house of representatives, showr that
the total number Of casualties to per-
sons on the railways for the year end
ed June 80, 1908. was 14,41S, of which
10,1SS represented the number of per-
sons killed and 104, 1880 the number in
jured.
These figures do not include acci-
dents reported by switching and ter
minal companies, as follows: Employ
ees, IS killed, $50 injured; passengers,
2 killed, SO injured; other persons, SO
killed, SS injured; total, 125 killed,
1904 injured.
Casualties occurred among three gen.
eral classes of railway employees in
the service of carriers other than
those classed as switching and termi-
nal, as follows: Trainmen, 1,S42 killed
and 35,s21 injured; switch tenders,
crossing tenders and watchmen, 1877
killed, LOGS injured; other employees,
1,426 killed, 45,59S injured. The casual
ties to employees coupling and uncou-
pling cars were: Employees killed, 900;
| injured, 3,37S.
The total number of casualties to
persons other than employees from be-
ing struck by trains, locomotives or
cars was 5,01S killed and 4,572 injured.
Urging the need Of amendments to
the law, the commission says:
| 'The experience Of the past year
confirms our conviction that certain
amendments are necessary to enable
! the commission to more fully accom-
plish the purposes of the act.
"There is, in our opinion, urgent
need of a physical valuation of the
interstate railways of this country.
Even assuming that the valuation of
our railways would be Of no assist
ance to this commission in establish
ing reasonable rates, it is still nec-
essary If those rates are to be success
fully defended when attacked by the
/ carriers that some means be furnished
| by which within reasonable limits a
value can be established which shall
be binding upon the courts and the
commission.
1T seems plain to us also that some
method should be provided by which
railroads can be prevented from ad-
vancing their rates or changing their
regulations and practices to the disad-
vantage of the shipper pending an in
vestigation into the reasonableness of
the proposed change. Confusion and
discrimination result from present con-
ditions.
Nothing can be more fallacious than
to assume that damages are in most
instances remedy for the extortion
of an unreasonable rate, nor, if it
should be finally held that courts have
authority to prohibit advances, are the
injured parties in most cases able to
conduct an expensive litigation and file
the enormous bonds which are neces-
sary to the obtaining of an injunction.
There is no absolute standard of a
reasonable freight rate, and there is
therefore no absolute right upon the
part of a railroad to charge particu-
lar rate. Where a given rate has been
In effect, often for years, a strong pre-
sumption Of its reasonableness arises.
and there is no hardship in giving this
commission authority in its sound dis
cretion to require a continuance of
that rate until opportunity has been
afforded to investigate the proposed
advance.
"If this body is to be relied upon to
correct unreasonable railway rates
regulations and practices, instances
must frequently arise in which nc
formal complaint will be filed, but
where Investigations ought to be had
and orders made. Our experience
shows that 1t will often be necessary
to broaden the scope of complaints
which are filed and prosecuted II JUS
tice is to be done between different
communities. We believe that wher
ever 1t appears, either from a forma
complaint fled or from informal com
plant received or from the genera
knowledge OF the commission, that Q
given situation ought to be investigat
ed, the commission should have au
thority upon Its own motion or BY
modifying a complaint already fled t.
prosecute an adequate inquiry upor
notice to the carrier and to make a re
lieving order II one be required.
"The need OF exercising control owe
railway capitalization Is again urge(
upon the attention Of the congress.
'The commission also recommend
that It have broader authority to pre-
scribe and enforce general regulationl
relating 10 the movement OF franc