The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1913-04-25
MUST KEEP AWAY
FROM R. R. TRACK
Railroad Co. viii Prosecute Trespassers
Law in Effect June II Prohibits
Persons Walking on Track

A law passed at the last Legislature
which makes it a misdemeanor to walk
on a railroad right of way where there
is double track. The railroad Off
cials thruout the state have signifed
their intentions Of enforcing the law
which goes into effect on the 18th day
of June. This is going to cause lot
OF inconvenience to people of this city
who use the Great Northern right OF
way in going home. Several deaths
and numerous accidents have occurred
in this vicinity as the result of people
crossing the tracks to and from home,
but in the future they will all be liable
to arrest.
It is said that one OF the reasons the
law was passed was because OF school
children going to and from school have
nearly driven engineers distracted. An
attempt was made to get law passed
allowing any employee to arrest per-
sons found walking on the track and
to bring them before a justice, but
this, however, was defeated, and a
warrant must be served. Every agent
has been instructed to cause the arrest
Of people who disobey this rule.
Railroad men are human and they
dislike very much being in any way
responsible for the killing OF these
track walkers. One engineer killed
five men in one week on the double
track line between Seattle and Tacoma.
No wonder a man like this, who is
compelled to see the engine bear
down upon some poor fellow, and yet
is unable to do anything, should desire
law that would tend to prevent such
accidents.
Twenty-seven persons were killed
and II were injured between Tacoma
and Seattle on the Northern Pacific
double track line during 1911 and
1912. Seventeen persons were killed
and IA were injured between Tenino
and Vancouver, Wash, between June
80, 1911 and December Z, 1913.
two were killed and two were in
jured on the single track line between
South Tacoma and Tenino. Five were
killed and three were injured on the
Grays Harbor single track line and two
were injured on the South Bend line.
The figures indicate that the greater
percentage of deaths occur on double
track line.
"A trespasser very frequently steps
from one track to the other unexpect-
edly when the train is right upon him.
The next thing, it is necessary for the
engineer and fireman to get out of the
cab and pull the mangled bodies out
from between the engine wheels.
Sharp curves are often responsible
for deaths OF this kind. The head
light is no service in foggy weather,
and it is nearly always impossible for
the engineer to see the trespasser until
too late.
Frequently the trespassers are un-
der the influence OF liquor and in nc
condition to tell whether they or the
locomotive has the right-of-way. Many
Of them are working men that go from
place to place in search of work with
their blankets on their backs. The
professional hobo is seldom run down.
THE public in general has got into
the habit of track walking without ap-
preciating the danger. In no European
country do people ever walk upon the
railroad right-of-way. 1t is distinctly
an American habit, and to the Euro
pean the practice seems inconceiv-
able"