Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-02-11
NEW RAILROAD BODY
Permanent Organization Enbrac.
ing Five States Formed.
HEADQUARTERS IN CHICAGO.

One Purpose Is to Get In Closer Touch
With Railways and Shippers-EIimi-
nation of Grade Crossings Urged.
Measures Against T]respassers Suq-
gested.
Railroad commissions of five states
met In Chicago the other day and or
ganized a permanent association to be
known as the North Central Associa-
ton of Railway Commissioners. The
object of the association is 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 Indi-
ana. The movement was started by
the commission of the state Of Michi-
gan, and G. L. Glasgow Of that body
was selected president of the associa-
ton. Commissioner w. II. Boys Of
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 a member of the association.
The movement is regarded by many
as one of the most important since the
creation Of railroad commissions, says
the Chicago Record-Herald. In the
discussion preceding the organization
1t was agreed that there is too little
uniformity in the action of the vari-
GUS state commissions and that gen
orally speaking what is of interest to
the shippers and the railroads Of one
state is equally interesting to those of
another.
1t Is also admitted that there is
lack Of sympathy and understanding
between the commissions and the rail-
roads, and it is desired to get in closer
touch with both the railroads and the
shippers. 1t is also hoped that the
scope of the organization may be en-
larged to include many commissions
and that other organizations of similar
character may be perfected to consist
OF the commissions which have kin
dred interests by reason of their terri
torial grouping.
AS a beginning the association is di-
recting it's attention to the elimination
OF grade crossings and to the subject
Of trespassing on American railroads.
Reports on both subjects were made
by committees appointed some months
ago when a preliminary organization
was perfected. The committee on
grade crossings, of which Commission
er Woods of Indiana is chairman, re-
ported that such crossings should be
eliminated, but the members were at
a loss to know how the movement
could be accelerated.
In Indiana, for example, there are
more than 1000 unprotected grade
crossings and nearly 10000 in Illinois.
1t would cost the railroads at least
$25O,O00,O0O In the former state and
twice that much in the latter to elimi-
nate these crossings. In Indiana the
railroads have spent only 100000 III
the last five years in eliminating these
crossings, but during the coming year
they are expected to spend $1,000,O00.
The committee decided that future
crossings at grade should not be per-
mitted, that the state commissions
should be given the power to deal
with the separation of grades and to
apportion the cost between the rail-
roads and the municipalities, that
laws should be passed requiring the
railroads to do away with a certain
proportion of grade crossings every
year and that the slaughter Of people
at such crossings had been properly
characterized 'the great American
crime"
The committee on t~respassing re-
ported that fully so per cent of the
fatalities on American railroads was
due to trespassing, that laws should be
passed and enforced which would ade-
quately protect the railroads against
trespassers, that section foremen
should have police powers and that
railroads should be required, as in
England, to post at their stations the
names of all persons convicted of tres
passing.
Steamboats, Perilous Voyage.