The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1912-12-16

Ia nj e5s'llI lesll Ecsl
strictious beeR Obe1 but Il n.
the rennafninZ ~ 7aeleQu1o
speed restrictions we're = force. and
in sthree cases aeStFack condition.
we're 50 ObTIously unsafe tllat tieEail--
merits were Ilkely 70 occure even 4
ioW speed. IN one serious derail-
ment an examination Of the track in
me vicinity Of the accident disclosed
S0s rotten ties within a distance OF
M rail lengths. Under many Of the
.Tails there we're as many Is eleven
had tles. and under each Of two rails
there we're twelve ties so badly de-
czyed and broken as TO be totally un-
ut for service. In many OF these ties
che sSxes we're so loose that they
we're easily removed BY hand. the
wood having no longer any holding
mower. The track IN the vicinity OF
this accident was poorly ballasted and
vas unsafe for the passage Of trains
al ordinary speed This deraiIment
occurred on straight track while the
train was running about thirty miles
per hour
The report says that the most dis
cu:etiug and perplexing feature in the
problem Of accident prevention is the
large proportion OF train accidents
caused By dereIiction OF duty by the
employees involved. The commission
believes, that as a rule there are no
men that have keener appreciation
of their responsibilities than railroad
trainmen and engineermengs and yet
it is pointed out that sixty-three per
cent Of the whole number OF accidents
investigated were caused By mistakes
on the part of employees
There is a disposition in some
continues the report. TO
charge these lamentable errors to
failure OF discipline and TO hold en-
ployees wholly responsible for such
failure. This is superficial view
which contains no promise OF elective
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 trafac, have greatly In
creased the duties and responsible
lies OF, train service employees and
the chdEees OF error on
their part. Notwithstanding these
added duties and responsibilities
which the conditions OF modern rail-
roading have imposed upon employ
ees. the methods Of discipline and
calculated to insure
safety in train operation have re-
NAMED practically unchanged
ITO prevent railroad collisions ade-
auate measures must be taken. first
to reduce the chances OF human error
TO a minimum and second to neutra-
lie the eReCts OF such error when it
occurs. The recommendation pre-
viousIy made by the commission for
LEGISLATION requiring the standardi-
zation of operating rules and the use
Of the block system were designed to |
reduce the probability of mistakes By |
employees, and those recommends
lions are once more presented for
consideration of the Congress. Uni
sormity and consistency IN operating |
rules are necessary to secure safety /
and it is not probable that a salts
factory code which will meet the de-
nands of modern operating conditions
can be secured without appropriate
action by the federal government
The commission points out that ex-
cessive speed has been an important |
factor in many train accidents, and !
that conditions OF safe operation are
often ignored in the eHort to bring
fast trains in on, time This is bad
practice, for which the travelling pub
lie is largely responsible. and it
be discontinued. Adequate
measures should be taken to compel
low speed wherever conditions re-
ouire it whether schedules are main
tanned or not"
The total number OF casualties on
steam roads. during the year ended
June 80, was 1923, Of which 1885
were persons killed and 16s,53S in
5ured. These figures indicate an IN
crease over the previous year Of 1s9
TR1a