Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-11
TRESPASsERs ON RAILROADS.
Carelessness the Cause of Many
Deaths and Injuries.

From the Scientific American.
1t is not generally understood how large
a proportion Of the deaths and injuries on
the railroads of this country is due to the
risks willfully taken by trespassers who
persist in using the right of way Of a
public thoroughfare. The annual reports
of the interstate commerce commission
for the last eleven years show that in this
period 10000 persons were killed or in
jured and that of this total about 10000
were killed outright. The large ratio of
fatalities to injuries, which is several
times larger than the ratio that obtains
in the case OF accidents to passengers and
employees. suggests that practically all
these accidents were due to trespassers be-
ing struck by moving trains. The records
of the commission show that in 1898 4.O63
trespassers lost their lives on American
railroads; that five years later the number
OF killed was 5000. and that i'm 1907 II rose
to 5.612: that is to say, on every day of
that year an average of over fifteen peo-
pie lost their lives entirely through their
own folly in trespassing on the right of
way OF the railroads. Figures compiled
by the Pennsylvania railroad alone show
that 49, trespassers lost their lives on
that systems lines in 1890 and ISL were
killed in 1904: while i'm 1907 the number
reached 915, an average of about three
for every business day Of the year. In
the last named year this company inaug-
urated vigorous campaign against tres
passers, and as result the number of
fatalities in 1908 was reduced to 757.
There is no country ia the world where
the loss of life due to trespassing On rail-
roads approaches these figures, not even
IL we take into consideration the smaller
mileage of the railway systems in Europe
and elsewhere. The difference is easily
explained Ii is due to the stringent laws
in Europe against trespassing, to the
careful policing of the tracks and espe
cially to the fact that violations of the
law are invariably punished. Here in the
United States conditions are exceedingly
lax. Some of the railroads, and notably
the one referred to here. endeavor to en-
force the law against trespassing on rail-
road property. .The Pennsylvania com
pany exhibits thousands of warning signs
along the right Of way; but unfortunately
the actual punishment of persons violat
ing the laws against thus trespassing has
been infrequent, the cost of Imprisonment
often lettering the local courts from
holding those who have been arrested by
the watchmen.
The fatalities and injuries are most fire.
quent where the railroads pass through
manufacturing districts in which the
tracks are lined with factories. The rail-
road frequently offers the shortest cut
between the factory and the home, and
statistics show that men of the laboring
class, artisans and their wives and chill
dren. are annually killed by the hundred
Evidently the remedy for this shocking
slaughter. which stands as a distinct re-
proach against the civilization of Amer
lea. is to be found in the thorough CO.
operation of city and country authorities
with the railroads In the rigid enforce
ment of the law against trespass.
So long as the public realizes that warm
ing placards, railroad watchmen and laws
against trespass are subject to the caprice
of local magistrates who look with a le-
nient eye upon offenders. trespassers will
continue to walk on the track and this
horrible annual roll of deaths and injury
will continue to increase.