The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-12-16
ACCIDENTS ARE DISCUSSED
IN LENGTHY REPORT
Continued from Page ~

r oyement of an enormously en-
larged volume of traffic, have great
l.; increased the duties and respon-
sibilities OF train service employees
and multiplied the chances of error
on their part. Notwithstanding
these added duties and responsible
ties which the conditions OF modern
laiIroading have imposed upon en-
r!oyes, the methods of discipline and
regulations calculated to insure
safety in train operations have re-
NAMED practically unchanged.
To prevent railroad collisions
adequate measures must be taken,
first, to reduce the chances of hu-
man error to a minimum and, Sec
ond. to neutralize the effects of such
error when it occurs. The recon-
mendations previously made by the
commission for legislation requiring
the Standardization of operating
rules and the use of the block sys-
tenn were designed to reduce the
probability of mistakes by employees,
and those recommendation are once
more presented for consideration of
The Congress. Uniformity and con-
slstency in operating rules are nee
cssary to secure safety, and it is nor
probable that satisfactory code
which will meet the demands Of
rodnrn operating conditions can be
secured without appropriate action
~ the federal government
The commission points out that
c, ccssiye speed has been an impOr-
tant factor in many train accidents,
and that conditions of safe opera
ton are often ignored in The effor.
to bring fast trains in on time. This
IS bad practice. for which the
travelling public is largely RESPONSE
be, ana it should be discontinued
adequate measures should be taken
to compel low speed wherever CON
ditions require ii whether schedules
are maintained or not"
The total number OF casualties OF,
steam roads, during the year ended
June 30, was $50, 1928, of which lO,-
$50 We're persons killed and 1863.
'"S, injured. These figures indi.
cate an increase over the previous
year of 1883 killed and 1879 in.
Jured. OF the total number OF
casualties, 400 railway employees
we're killed and 92,363 injured
through industrial accidents
happenings incident to railroad
business, but not due to the opera
ton OF trains. .
An analysis of the figures fur
n,shcd by the steam roads shows
that OF the number of persons killed.
us were passengers, 3,G35 en-
p!oyes, and G,G32 other persons
trespassing and not trespassing, in
dicating an incresc of thirty-thrce
II the total number of emplOye,
Killed. a decrease of thirty-eight in
tie total number of passen gers
Killed, and an increase of 1914 in the
total number of persons killed other
Than employees and passengers. In
ne iaSt class were MANY victims
OF Grade crossings.
ot the persons injured. 1876
were passengers. li2.44a employees.
1lld li-tto persons other than pas
*nhe"r- and employees.
Elaborate details are given in the
II port Of the routine work of the
commission during the year Gem
efall\, it shows large increase
Ih' number of formal ccmelaints
"'H was '.'', Il decrease of 1926, as
.9Ainar'd with The previous year;
''N cas"s were DISPOSED OF. an am
crease OF l"G, The commission con- /
'art'd !,Iil hearings. as compar.1
with as the previous year and too,, |
'-',e"0 PAGES of testimony.
Nc INVESTIGATION of rates ,na ,
practices of cypress commands
Nhlrh, the report says. els prob,hr,. |
lie most important single niece .,
work ever done by the commission,
was practically concluded dnri,.r !