Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-01-10
BROWN LEE DISCUSSES
RAILWAY FATALITIES

San Angelo. Tex, Jan. 9.-Hon.
Brown r. Lee. member Of the legisla-
tdre from this district and one Of the
prominent leaders OF the hoisse OF
representatives In the thirty. first and
thirty-second session of that body.
has given out this statement;
The official figures Of the fiscal
year ending June 30 last. just made
public by the Texas Railroad Com
mission, showing the number Of per-
sons killed and injured during the
year embraced In the report are cal
culated 70 arouse thoughtful men to
action. That 27e persons met their
death incidental to the operation Of
railroads during the wear presents a
.ubject for study by those who have
the happiness and the welfare OF the
people OF this state at heart.
These figures without ANALYSIS
are almost appalling. A close exam
nation OF them. however, suggests
a wav 10 reduce the member Of deaths
snl II is to this end that am calling
attention 10 existing conditions OF
The total number of deaths-379-
3 the official reports received Icy the
Railroad Commission show that 1870
were trespassers at the time they
met their death while still another
/ 20 were neither employees nor passen-
gcrs. Thus It Is seen that on OF a
total Of 279 killed 100. or nearly .;
per cent of the total number. me;
their death through probably lack
/ OF diligence on their part, or the alb
sencc OF a deterrent force to keep
them from danger
The harvest Of death among tres
passers is not fonfined TO Texas alone
Figures from the Interstate Com
merce Commission show that for the
ten years ending l90S-the latest
figures obtainable railroa Is OF
the United States killed 49,ll3 tres.
passers and during the same period
1850 passengers met their death and
3l.SQe employees were killed "a
frightfu' and staggering number
While IN Texas only about 8 per cent
cf those killed incidental to the op-
Grafton Of railroads are tresnassefs.
these figures for the United States
.goverine ten years show that over &c
per cent of those killed by r,i'rooi
we're trespassers at the time thew me.
their death
"i have been in full sympathy Will
most of the legislation that has o. rc
cont velra been enacted in this stare
r,ru'atpc railroads. | believe how
over lnese regulatory measures
should 20 extended 20 protect th0s'
whC through their own acts swell a.,
death lists II should be borne IL
mind that q tresnasser Is one who I!
/. net killed az r public crossing, mo-
n any other place whore he or sh,
has 2 rirht to be
with all the money that has beer
spent ara is helns spent u! Iallrodu
| which is added TO the cost of NOV
; inc the commerce Of the country
c much Of Il being the result Of leeis
lation enacted to secure greater safe
: ty for employees ana to the trl,eiinl
public. but little has been done II
the way Of enactlng laws to protect
trespassers from their own Eegli
: fenc, or to relieve the commerce o
the country Of the burden this neg
: ligenoe imposes. II is now no viola
= tion Of the law TO Use railroad track
as thoroughfares, and railroad 4
powerless to keep people off it5 prop
| erty even when the danger is great
Such law to nv mind is needed.
In the name Of humanity thinl