Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-12-16
Disasters Discussed
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rail- lengths. Under many or the rails
there were as many as II bad ties,
and under eacn OF 2 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 re.
moved by hand, the wood having no
longer any holding power. The track
in the vicinity of this accident was
poorly ballasted and was unsafe fer
the passage of trains at ordinary
speed. This derailment occurred On
straight track, while the train was
running about 30 miles per hour"
The report says that "the most dis.
quieting and perplexing 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 40
men that have a keener appreciation
of their responsibilities than railroad
trainmen and enginemen," AMI yet
it is pointed out that 63 per cent of
the whole number of accidents inves-
tigated were caused by mistakes on
the part Of employees.
There is a disposition in some
quarters" continues the report, ito
charge these lamentable errors to fail
ure of discipline and to hold employees
wholly responsible for such failure.
This is a superficial view, which con.
tains no promise Of effective remedy.
"A remarkable increase in the
speed and weight of trains within re-
cent years, and the crowding of
tracks and terminals caused by the
movement of an enormously enlarged
volume of traffic, have greatly in
creased the duties and responsible.
ties OF train service employees and
multiplied the chances of error on
their part. Notwithstanding these
added duties and responsibilities
which the conditions of modern rail
reading have imposed upon employees,
the methods of discipline and regula-
tons calculated to insure safety in
operation have remained practi-
cally unchanged.
ITO prevent railroad collisions ade-
quate measures must be taken to neu-
tralize the effects of such error when
It occurs. The recommendations pre-
viously made by the commission for
legislation requiring the s%tandardiza-
ton of operating rules and the use OF
block system w:re designed to re-
duce the probability of mistakes by
employees, and those recommendations
are once more presented for consid-
Grafton OF the congress. Uniformity
and consistency in operating rules
are necessary to secure safety, and
it is not probable that a satisfactory =
code which will meet the demands of I
modern operating conditions can be
secured without appropriate action by
The federal government"
The commission points out that ex-
speed has been an important /
factor in many train accidents, and
conditions of safe operation are |
often ignored in the effort to bring
trains in on time. This is a bad
practice, for which the ,travelingipu pub
lie is largely responsible, and it
should be discontinued. Adequate /
measures should be taken to compel
low speed wherever conditions re-
luire it whether schedules are main
lained or not"
The total number of casualties on |
steam roads, during the year ended
June 30, vas 180,l23, of which 10,5S5
persons killed and 169,53S iniur-
ed. These figures indicate an increase
the previous year of 1879 killed
and 1879 injured. OF the total mum.
Der Of casualties, 4U0 railway employ
were killed and 92,363 injured
through industrial accidents'-hap-
penings incident to railroad business,
but not due to the operation of trains. (
An analysis of the cures furnished
by the steam roads shows that of the /
number of persons killed, 31S we're
passengers, $685. employees and 6,632
other persons, trespassing and not
trespassing, indicating an increase of
IN the total number of employees
a decrease of 80 in the total
number of passengers killed, and an
increase of 1914 in the total number of
persons killed other than employees
and passengers. In the last class
were many victims Of grade cross
ings.
OF the persons injured, 1896 we're
passengers, l42,442 employees, and 49,
ITO persons other than passengers
and employees.
Elaborate details are given in the
report of the routine work of the COM
mission during the year. Generally,
it shows a large increase. The mum.
Der of formal complaints filed was
155, a decrease Of 1876, as compared
with the previous year: 778 cases
disposed of, an increase Of 1876.
The commission conducted 1854
hearings, as compared with 943 the
previous year, and took $4,000 pages
of Testimony.
The investigation Of rates and prac.
OF express companies, which,
the report says, lis probably the most
important single piece Of work ever
done by the commission" was prac.
tically concluded during the year.
AS a result" says the commission,
ut appeared that many of the prac.
tees of express companies were ut
~inaYcnSahlp thot &hoir IN othods