The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-12-16
INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION
SUBMITS ANNUAL REPORT TO 0C0NCRESS

" q hlIllIullAl anu StNOliu W HSa" |
tralize the effects OF such error when |
Il occurs. The recommendations pre-
viouSly made by the commission for
Legislation requiring the standardiza-
ton of operating rules and the use of
the block system We're designed TO re-
duce the probability of mistakes Icy
employees, and those recommends
tons are once mere presented for
consideration of the congress. Uni
tormity atd consistency in operating
rules are necessary to secure safety
and it is not probable that a satlsfac
tory code which will meet :he de
mands of modern operating conditions
can be secured without appropriate
action by the federal government"
The commission points out that en-
cessive speed has been an important
factor in many train accidents, and
that conditions of safe operation are
often ignored in the effort to bring
fast trains i'll, on time. This is bad
practice, for which the travelling pub
lie is largely responsible, and itshould
be discontinued Adequate measures
should be taken to compel low speed
wherever conditions require it wheth-
er schedules are maintained or NOT.
The total number of casualties Oh
steam roads, during the year ended
June so, was 1S0,123, of which 10,5S5
were persons killed and 1G9,53S in
jured These figures indicate an in
crease over the previous year of IS?
killed and 1879 injured. OF the total
number of casualties, lOO railway EN-.
ployees we're 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 figures furnished
by the steam roads shows that of the
number of persons killed, 3lS were
passengers, 1865 employees, and Il,
632 other persons trespassing and
not trespassing. indicating an increase
of SO in the total number of employees
killed, a decrease of 3S in the total
number of persons killed other than
employees and passengers. In the
last class were many victims of grade
crossings.
OF the persons injured, 1886 were
passengers, 142,442 employees and
1910 persons other than passengers
and employees.
Elaborate details are given in the
report of the routine work Of the
commission during the year Gener-
ally it shows a large increase. The
humber of formal complains filed was
I55 decrease of 1876, as compared
with the previous year; IT'S cases
were disposed Of, an increase of 12b.
The commission conducted 1 ,l5i hear
ings, as compared with 943 the pre-
vious year and took 125,000 pages OF
testimony.
The investigation of rates and prac-
tices of express companies, which,
the report says, lis probably the most
important single piece of work ever
done by the commission" was practi-
cally concluded during the year "As
result" says the commission, 'it
appeared that many of the practices
of express companies were utterly
inexcusable, that their methods were
archaic and their rates discrimina-
tory and unreasonable. The report
of the commission has worked a rev
olution and renovation in the methods
and rates of express companies"
Similar investigations, it is indica
ted, are in progress of substitution o.
tonnage in transit, allowances to ter;
minal roads, weighing of freight, is
suing of passes, bills of lading, private
cars, rates on anthracite coal and |
other important transportation matters
Through evidence furnished by the |
division if inquiry, 93 indictments were
returned for offenses against the act
to regulate commerce, "a against ship
pers or passengers, and 5 against
shippers and carriers jointly. Sixty
one prosecutions were concluded. the
total amount of fines assessed being
s344,42O.
The commission, in conclusion, re-
news its recommendation for con-
gressional legislation providing FOR a
physical valuation of railroads, uni.
'orm classification, a more explicit
definition of the authority of the com.
mission over telegraph and telephone
ines, and control over railway cap
alization. The report indicates the