Perth Amboy evening news., 1909-12-21
1898 SLAIN
BY RAILROADS
Interstate Commerce Board
Reports to Congress-
105,234 We're Injured.
LAW NEEDS AMENDING

N~0@%AA@@-sD~~@-f
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 4,41S, OF which
101SS represented the number of per-
sons killed and 104, ,230 the number in
jured.
These figures do not include acci-
dents reported by switching and ter
minal companies. as follows: Employ
ees, 90 killed, $50 injured; passengers,
2 killed, SO injured; other persons, SO
killed, S8 injured; total, 1875 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, 137
killed, 1,088 Injured; other employees,
1,426 killed, 45,59S injured. The casual
ties to employees coupling and uncou-
ping cars were; Employees killed. 222;
injured, 3,3TS
The total number OF casualties t.
persons other than employees from be-
ing struck by trains. locomotives or
cars was 5,018 killed and 4,572 injured.
Amendments to Law Needed.
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 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. 1t is still nee
essary IL those rates are to be success
fully defended when attacked by the
carriers that some means be furnished
by which within reasonable limits
value can be established which shall
be binding upon .the courts and the
commission.
Must Pravent Sudden Rate Increases.
IT 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 dlsad-
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, IL 1t
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.
Wider Authority Necessary.
IF this body is to be relied upon to
correct unreasonable railway rates,
regulations and practices, instances
must frequently arise in which no
formal complaint will be filed, but
where Investigations ought to be had
and orders made.
I'VE believe that wherever It APP
pears, either from a formal complaint
filed or from informal complaint re
ceiyed or from the general knowledge
Of the commission, that given situa-
ton ought to be Investigated, the COM
mission should have authority upon its
own motion or by modifying COM
plant already filed to prosecute an
adequate inquiry upon notice to the
carrier and to make relieving order
If one be required
Control Over capitalization Urged.
THE need Of exercising control over
railway capitalization is again urged
upon the attention of-the congress-
The commission also recommends
that 4 have broader authority to pre-
scribe and enforce general regulations
relating to the movement OF traffic.
When a standard of reasonable prac-
tice has been established by the volnn-
tary action of the carriers or can be
fairly ascertained by suitable invesd-
CATION conformity to that standard
should be made obligatory. and this
can best be done, In our judgment, by
empowering the commission to make
suitable regulations. This gives to the
practice the sanction and
SUD H9port of public authority and oper-
ates to secure its uniform Observance =