Evening journal., 1910-06-13
R.R. TRESPASSING
FATAL TO $4,000
Pennsylvania R. R. Co. Posts
Tracks Warning all TO
Keep OFF Property
TO RIOIDLY ENFORCE
LAW AGAINST VIOLATORS

Trespaaalug on railroad property Ia Vie
atlon OF the law has caused the deaths
o. more than $1,000 peope IN the United
States In the last eleven years. In this
same period more than 5000 trespassers
have been injured,
with IA view to reducing TO a minimum
the practice Of trespassng on its prop
erty, the Pennsylvania Railroad has de-
termlned to redouble its efforts to secure
on its lines that rigid enforcement OF the
law against trespassing which in foreign
countries has done so much 10 decrease
the number of fatalities resulting from
trespassing.
In 1907 the Pennsylvania inaugurated a
vigorous campaign against trespasslng,
and due doubtless to this. the number
OF trospassers killed in 1908 was only 757.
In 1909 49, lost their lives in this way.
Ia the eleven years prior 20 January 1st.
1910, exactly 1872 people who were on the
Pennsylvania Railroads right of way in
wlful violation Of the law, i'm spite of
thousands of warning signs a'ong the
railroad were killed. 1t Is thus seen that
in the eleven years an average of two
trespassers a day have been killed on
Pennsylvania Railroad property. This long
death roll is every year charged up to
the railroad even though these people are
killed as result Of their violating the
/ law, and under conditions over which the
Company has no control.
/ II is not only tramps who are killed and
| injured while trespassing. though thous-
snds Of them lose their lives i'm this way
every year. Men Of the laboring class,
factory workmen. their wives and chill
dren, who use railroad tracks as thor
oughfares. are killed by the hundrsd. That
the practice Of walking on railroad tracks
is prevalent in Industrial districts gives
added significance to the fatalities on the
Pennsylvania system as a result of tres
passing. The tracks of the Pennsylvania
are lined with factories. as they run
through the densest Industrial section,
through territory which holds more than
half Of the population of the United
States. over 10000 trespassers were ar
rested in the year 1909.
In 1898. 4.065 trespassers lost their lives
on American railroads; five years later the
number was 5000 and i'm 1907 the number
killed was 5,6i2-more than IS day These
figures are taken from the annual reports
of the Interstate Commerce Commission
Figures compiled by the Pennsylvania
Railroad alone show that 465 trespassers
lost their lives on that systems lines in
1899; Isl were killed i'm 1904; while I'm 1901
the number reached 9l5-an average OF al
most three for every business day in the
year.
The Pennsylvania Railroad has now
posted its tracks and stationed watchmer
to see that warnings against trespassina
are respected. BY redoubhng it's efforts the
company is endeavoring TO reduce tn,
number OF trespassers who are killed an,
injured. by an even greater number thar
il has done in the past three years.
The cooperation Of city and county au
thorities has been solicited in this cam
paign. Heretofore the actual punishment
Of persons violating the laws forbiddins
trespassing on railroads private prop
crty has been infrequent. The cost Of i'm
prisonment has deferred the local courts
from holding those arrested while tres.
passing on railroad property.