The Topeka state journal., 1911-06-15
RAILROAD NEWS.
j. ID. III. Hamilton Gives Safety
Advice in Colorado.
"OWe Highest Degree of Care to
Passengers" He Said.
CAUSE CAN BE TRACED
Carelessness at the Bottom of
All Railway Accidents.
Other Items Of General Interest
in Traffic World.

In the "Get the Safety Habit" meet
| ing at La Junta, Col, at noon today,
J. D. M. Hamilton, claims attorney of
the Santa Fe spoke to the employees
on safety matters. ]. B. farrell, pub
licity agent of Topeka opened the
| meetings stating that the object OF
the series of rallies was to impress up
on the employees the importance of
Systematically keeping out of danger.
THE movement" he said, 'is based
on the cry that the greater the care
exercised by employees the less the
| loss of life and property, as most ac-
cidents can be traced to care1essness.'
Speaking on the subject of handl-
ing passenger traffic, Mr.. Hamilton
said:
ITO passengers we owe the highest
degree of care. It matters not wheth-
er the person is travelling upon cash
fare ticket, pass, or government mail
clerk permit-they are all termed
passengers, and the courts have hand
ed down decisions which make rail-
ways insurers to a high degree of
their safety and to them we owe
especial attention. The injuries to
passengers usually, and I might say
wholly occur from either collisions and
derailments, or improper handling of
trains carrying such passengers.
collisions and derailments can be
treated under one head. The former
is always traceable to careiessness
upon the part of the employee, either
of the dispatcher, or of the employees
in improperly reading or Interpreting
or failing to observe train orders.
This illustrates in a forcible manner
the care which should be exercised by
those in authority in the employment
of servants possessing a high degree
Of intelligence and experience in the
work required of them, and If neces-
sary to educate them to a careful
protection of life, and its preservation,
is one Of the highest duties imposed
upon man. in addition to that Of pro-
tecting property.
"Derailments are caused by defect
of equipment or roadway, or care
lessness of some employee. How i'm
portant is it that our engines aud cars,
and roadways, should be so con-
structed as to be at least reasonably
safe. do not mean the doing of vain
or unnecessary things. but such things
as will inure to safety, and that they
be kept so by honest inspection and
repair. It is true, and bespeaks praise
for the present operating manage
ment, that accidents occurring from
broken or defective wheels have been
almost obliterated from our list of
casualties. So much so good. But
can we say as much as to our present
method of inspection of which will
speak more in detail hereafter.
obstructions, embankments so arrang-
ed that slides will not occur water
ways of such openings as will prevent
track from becoming soft and dan
gerous in its carriage of trains load-
ed with passengers and freight. This
is done by providing sufficient open
| ings to carry water off. It is true
these suggestions can not be acted
upon and conditions remedied in a
year or two, but little by little ac-
| ~ Mi 40 I1x4 I'LL
to higher standards of perfection, and
| thereby nearer the goal of safety.
Improper handling of trains carry
| ing passengers is another phase Of
tho question. How often have we
noticed either in stopping or starting
| a train, a careless engineer makes a
sudden application of steam or air,
| and passengers are thrown down on
platforms or in the aisles before they
have an opportunity to either get on
| or alight from train, or to take a seat
| in the car. This sometimes occurs
| when stopping an engine at a water
| tank, as we'll as at stations. It seems
| that so many of these pilots Of trains
| consider it more important to prompt
| ly get water than to do an act for the
safety of their human freight. 1t no
| doubt saves little time. but brings
| denunciation upon the head Of the
management, and causes an Ill feeling
and injury that should not have been.
|
| length of time to permit passengers to
| take passage, as we'll as to alight
therefrom and the brakeman or porter
should be in position to render aid
to women and children, as weIl ss to
| the infirm. Stools should be placed in
| proper position and attention paid to
the platform being safe. This is not
only an act of courtesy, but a precau-
tion- Strange to say, however. it is
not always done. Accidents have oc-
Cured, and will continue to occur
| from such want of care upon the part
of trainmen. Heavy luggage, such as
valises, large packages etc, should be
kept out of the racks in coaches. and
| to be placed in the aiSles or passage
ways, platforms or vestibules. A tate
decision of the supreme court of Kan
| sas, in which our company was inter-
ested, illustrates the doctrine of where
double track at station exists, it is
negligence to operate a train over a
track which passengers are obliged
| to cross either in coming from or go
ing to trains, that such an act is neg
| ligence, and in this particular instance
We paid dearly for such want of care
upon our part
Again, during the winter months
| platforms and steps of coaches should
be kept clear of snow and ice, and
| the same not allowed to accumulate
thereon. Snow should be swept Off
and ice sprinkled with ashes, as this
| is cheaper than to pay for injured
| backs, broken ribs or bruised bodies
Train employees should be given
| hypodermic injection / nthe observance
| of instructions of this character, un-
til their bodies are bloated, and their
minds inoculated with the safety
cure.
BURLINGTON AN1I-W.ASTE PLAN
Rock Island Scheme Adopted to Warn
Employees.