The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-12-16

ton suggested Dy tne interstate SOhl-
merce commission in it's twen'y-siXth
annual report submitted today to
congress. Discussion of disasters Cn
American railroads during the last
year constitutes an important feature
of the report.
1t is pointed ont that many of the
accidents resulting in fatalities might
have been ayerted by the exercise Of
proper pre- caution of the employment
of suitable devices and good equip
ment. Figures given show that CT
the total of S,2l5 derailments during
the year, 1,S77 were caused by defects
of roadway and 3,S47 were due to
defective equipment. This indicates
an increase over the previous year of
652 in the derailments due to bad
roadway, and 1923 due to bad equip
ment
The investigation by the commits
sion itself of railroad accidents in
volvng loss of life, the report says,
has proceeded far enough TO indi-
cate the need of more effective meas
ures than thus far have been taken
to secure safety of railroad travel '
While the previous suggestions of the
commission as to the adoption by the
railroads of all-steel, or steel under
frame cars are being adopted "as rap
idly as conditions will permit and the
danger from the use of unsOund cars
is gradually disappearing, the serious
dangers of defective roadway and the
use of unsound rails still remain, as
result of which derailments are
likely at any time to occur. Concern
ing its investigations, the commission
says: ...
"Of the 81 derailments investigated,
IA were either directly or indirectly
caused by bad track. In of these ii
cases the derailments would probably
have been avoided had existing speed
restrictions been observed; but in all
the remaining cases no adequate
speed restrictions were i'll force, and
in 3 cases the track conditions We're
so obviously unsafe that derAlments
were likely to occur even at low speed
In one serious derailment an exam
nation OF the track in the vicinity oil
the accident disclosed 906 rotten ties
within a distance of 147 rail lengths.
Under many of the rails there were
as many as II bad ties, and under
each of 3 rails there were II ties so
badly decayed and broken as to be
totally unfit for service. In many OF
these ties the spikes were so loose
that they were easily removed by
hand, the wood having no longer any
holding power. The track in the vicin-
ity of this accident was poorly ballast
ed and was unsafe for the passage OF
trains at ordinary speed. This derail-
ment occurred on straight track while
the train was running about thirty
miles per hour."
The report says that "the most dis
Quieting and parpleXing feature in the
problem of accident prevention is the
large proportion Of train accidents
caused by dereliction of duty by the
employees involved The commission
believes that as a rule there are no
men that have a keener appreciation
of their responsibilities than tranmen
and enginemen." and yet it is pointed
out that SO per cent of the whole mum.
ber of accidents investigated We're
caused by mistakes on the part OF
employees.
There is disposition in some quar-
ters" continues the report "to
charge these lamentable errors TO
failure of discipline and to hold en-
ployees wholly responsible for such
failure. This is a superficial view
which contains no promise of effect
i've remedy.
"A remarkable increase in the speed
and weight OF trains within recent
years, and the crowding of tracRs and
terminals caused by the movement OF
an enormously enlarged volume of
traffic have q leatly increased the du-
ties and responsibilities of train ser
vice employees and multiplied the
chances of error on their part. Not
withstanding these added duties and
esponsibilities which the conditions
of modern railroading have imposed
upon employees, the methods of dis
cipline and regulations calculated to
insure safety in train operation have
remained practically unchanged.
."To prevent railroad collisions ade-