Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-01-14
DEATH TOLL Of
THE TRESPASSERS
1896 people Met Death on Pennsys
Tracks BY Walking or Crossing
Same During Past Ten Years

Trespassing on Pennsylvania Rail
road Systems property in violation Of
the law has caused the deaths IF 1896
peoples approximately two day
since. January !, 1900 In the same
time 1888 people have been injured as
result of trespassing. These facts
are brought out in the records up To
January /, 1911.
In 1907, when 916 people We're kill
cd while trespassing on Pennsylvania
Railroad property, the management Of
that company inaugurated campaign
to educate the public TO the dangers
Of trespassing. The cooperation OF
city and county authorities was invit-
ed aad wide publicity was given to
the efforts the company was making
To put an end to this evil which was
annually costing so many people their
lives. AS result Of the efforts Of It's
officers and employees, the number OF
trespassers killed on the Pennsylvania
Railroad In 1908 was TAB, reduction
OF 173, or more than Is per cent. The
railroads activities in this direction
we're redoubled in 1909 and again was
the death roll for trespassing reduced
to 633, or about 10 per cent. There
has been a reduction of SO per cent.
in the last four years, as records for
1910 just completed show that 585
deaths resulted from trespassing on
Ps nnsylvania Railroad property
In waging war on trespassing, the
pennsylvania management has posted
its right Of way with signs warning
people against using railroad tracks
rs thoroughfares Division officers
have co-operated with their local
newspapers in giving publicity to the
awful results of trespassing. The gem
eral managers of the different lines of
the system have been unceasing in
calling to the attention of their staff
cfficers the necessity for showing the
public that while it is a rare occur
renee that passengengers on trains
suffer any injury, it is equally true
that thousands of people trespassing
on railroad property in violation of
the law are killed every year, or are
MANNED for life.
Having succeeded in decreasing the
Practice Of trespassing on its lines,
the Pennsylvania system is now pre-
raring to conduct an eve1 more ag-
gressive campaign during 1911. Tracks
will be reposted with warning notices,
the enactment of stringent laws will
be requested, and every ofiic and EN-
ploys of the railroad system will be
asked to lend his assistance to de-
crease still further the number Of
deaths resulting from trespassing on
property of the Pennsylvania system,
including the Pennsylvania railroad
lines east of Pittsburg, the Long
Island railroad, Cumberland Valley
railroad, Baltimore, Chesapeake e At
lantic railway, Maryland, Delaware G.
Virginia railway, Pennsylvania lines
west of Pittsburg, Vandalia railroad,
and the Grand Rapids & Indiana rail
way.
The renewed and diligent efforts the
Pennsylvania railroad is making to
STOP trespassing will be measurably
I
influential, the management believes,
in arousing the public to realization
that in railroad accidents it is the in
dividual who loses his life, than which
there can be no greater sacrifice. Dis
cussilg, yesterday the dangers of
trespassng, an officer Of the Pennsyl-
vania said: The railroads may be
penalized by payments in money, but
the individuals or citizens penalty is
the supreme one of life, which, mani
testify, is the highest duty of the State
to protect by such legislation as will
tend to prevent trespassing On rail-
roads. Probably the public is indiffer-
ent because each individual thinks he
viii not be hurt. but among the 9TH
er moral awakenings that are taking
place, perhaps the meaning offs this
great sacrifice of life can be brought
home"