Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-01-27

I1ero Is a tlrm OF experts IN new
York who do nothing else but test
with every known method ingenuity
can devise, the rails as they are sent
out from the factory. In making this
test they always act for the purchas-
er and nearly all of the railroads buy
ing steel rails employ this firm Of ex.
perts to test their rails. Some rail-
roads, however, act on the theory that
as they are paying the highest market
price they demand that the factory
furnish absolutely good rails and guar.
antee them without any test. As a
matter of fact a large percentage of
the rails manufactured are rejected
before actually put into use. Others
are discovered to be defective after
short use and are thrown out, but
after all the precautions taken, as
stated above. now and then defect
occurs which is only discovered by an
accident or wreck.
The reports for the past year
showed that very few people are in
jured nowadays by the coupling and
uncoupling Of trains, and the railway
men lay this to the fact that auto
matte couplings now universally in
use have minimized the danger and
that there is no longer a necessity for
trainmen to stick their hands between
the bumpers and hence very few &C.
cidents of that sort happen. However,
they say that many trainmen insist on
kicking the coupling pins with their
feet and accidents often happen in
this way.
The reports show that nine train.
men were injured last year by over
head distractions, and the companies
declared that this is universally due
to the carelessness of the trainmen
in ignoring "tell.tales" and signals
meant to warn them. The railway
men all agreed among themselves
that SO per cent Of the accidents due
to the operation Of trains is caused
by the violation Of orders and they in
sist that If all orders issued by the
company land all companies in the
United States have practically the
same rules and instructions regarding
the operation of trains) were really
obeyed, there would be no head end
or rear end collisions nor accidents
due to negligence.
In this connection the Odessa wreck
which occurred in Minnesota last
month was discussed, and Mr.. Foster,
assistant general superintendent OF
the C. NJ. & st. P. Railroad company,
stated that this wreck was due to no
other cause than the failure Of the
brakeman to go back and flag the
oncoming train; that neither stress OF
weather nor condition Of the track,
nor any other cause would stand in
the way of the flagman stopping the
following train If he carried out his
instructions: that If the brakeman
in this case had gone back as he had
'been instructed to do and flag the
train or placed torpedoes on the
track. the wreck would not have &C.
Cured. He said the fear of being
left frequently prevents the flagman
from going as far back as the case
requires, and that in spite Of all the
precaution that the company takes,
the orders In this regard are not fully
obeyed.
The recent wreck at Tunbridge on
the Great Northern railway was stated
by Mr.. Gruber to be caused by the
failure Of the engineer of the freight
train to obey his orders; that he was
instructed to take the side at Tun-
bridge and had five minutes in which
to do it, but ran by the station before
realizing that he had reached It; and
that even after he had stopped his
train, apparently no efforts were made
to hold the oncoming fast mail while
he was preparing to back his train to
the station.
The railway managers present took
the position that the railway com.
missioners could be of immense help
to them in their efforts to prevent
wrecks by assisting in creating GER
tain public sentiment which would
help them in the enforcement Of their
orders. They insist that every order
made for the regulation of trains is
practicable and 2can be obeyed, and
if obeyed these collisions would not
occur; they insist that they are resort
ing to every method in their power to
educate their men regarding the diff.
ferent rules for the operation of trains
and that they devise every possible
means to enforce obedience, but they
say that in the prevention Of such
wrecks they have to deal with the
human equation" and that so long
as the human mind is fallible these
accidents will occur. The only ques-
ton is to what minimum can they be
reduced?
The members of the commission
were satisfied that the railway man
ayers are doing everything in their
power to prevent accidents and
wrecks. and they are also speaking
advisedly when they say the number
and safety of wrecks can be reduced
only as strict obedience to their rules
can be enforced, and the commission
ers undertook to cooperate with the
railroads in this matter, and to urge
upon trainmen and also the public
generally, a hearty cooperation with
the railroads in this regard. The
members of the commission recognize
the fact that until the trains can be
operated automatically, and that as
long as the safety and lives Of passen-