El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-12-19


gress today. The commission makes
vigorous recommendations for addi-
tiOnal powers over the physical con-
struction and operation Of the roads.
Commenting on railroad accidents,
deaths and injuries the report says:
The commission again is compelled
70 note the exceedingly large proper
ZION Of train accidents due to dere-
LECTION Of duty on the part Of employees.
Eifty-siX Of the accidents investigated
during the year, or nearly "A percent
OF the whole number, were directly
caused by mistakes Of employees. These
mistakes were Of the same nature as
those noted by the commission IN Us
last annual report: namely. disregard
Of fixed signals, improper Tagging,
failure to obey train orders, improper
checking Of train register, mlsunder-
standing Of orders, occupying main
track on time Of superior train, block
operator allowing train to enter occu-
pied block, dispatcher giving zap oroer
OF using improper form Of order, oper-
atOr's mistake IN copying order, leaV-
ing switch open IN face Of approach
ing train, excessive speed, failure 10
identify train that was met.
why Do They Oeeurs
These errors are exactly the ones
which figure in the causes of train
accidents year after year Their per-
sistence. leading always TO the same
narrowing results, points inevitably 70
the truth Of one or the other Of the
following alternatives:
Either a. great majority OF these ttt-
plorable railroad disasters are unavOid-
able, or there exists a widespread lack
OF intelligent and well directed eIIOrI
TO minimize the mistakes Of employees
IN the operation Of trains. It IS not
believed that all those accidents which
are caused by the mistakes Of employees
are unavoidable It is quite true that
man is DrOne to error. and as long as
absolute reliance is placed upon the
human element in the operation OF
trains accidents are bound TO occur
but until II can be shown that all reas-
enable and proper measures have Deen
"a ken for its prevention. no action can
be classed as unavoidable.
"AlI the mistakes noted above are
violations Of simple rules whlch shouIQ
have been easily understood Dy men OF
sufficient intelligence to be entrusted
with the operation Of trains. The eVl-
dence is that in the main the rules are
understood but are habituauy violated
by employees who are charged with re-
suonsibility for the safe movement OF
trains The evidence also IS JpaI IN
many cases operating oIIlcers are cog
infant of this habitual disregard OF
rules and no proper steps are taken 20
correct the evil
vigorous Supervision Lacking.
MANY operating officers seem 10
nroceed upon the theory that their re-
spOnsibility ends with the promuISa-
ton Of rules On very many Ialiro stus
there is little or no system OF lnspec-
ton or supervision Of the WOrk OF tram
service employees so far as pertains 20
those matters which vitality affect
safety Employees are not examined on
the operating flles eASepL e ~ -Io-+
OF their promotion, and only the most
Derfuuctory efforts are made TO deter
mine their fitness to perform the gu
ties assigned to them from time 10
an Drevious reports the commission
has recommended legislation. requiring
rhe Standardization OF operating ruIes-
II is vital to the safe movement OF
and uniform in character, so lneU ne
NAV be easily UNDERSTOOD ana IleI
there may be no doubt as 10 their ap-
rTfcatfon To this end federal leglsld-
'''-- 1isobeTinE Block Signals.
sDisObedience of signal 1ndlcaIlOhs
on block signaled railroads Is OHe u
the most serious phases or the dCCI-
DENT situation such disobedlence OLten
occurs in connection with lne HONS-
meut of important high speed pdsseH-
ger trains, and When II L ssu 5e+Ior-
sble casualty list is its invarlaDle &C
c--T7rsn in7ent Fourteen Of the lnVeSIl-
gated accidents WhlcF nave Occur 81
IN block signaled roads since July l.
7o11 were caused by engInemen rum
ming bv stop signals OF IalIng 70 !S-
5r7ce sDeed as directed by cauIlOn Sig
nails In these IA accidents 4U9 pc
-orS v-ere killed and 81 were injured
In seven Of these accidents the C1-gg
sb1e enginemen themselves We're ktIle1si-
no adequate reason can De o1LS1 - -
for these serious lapseS from duty ~
men who in many cases surfer oeatL
as a consequence treQuenI-E ~ -
hard even to suggest plausLDiS -
1ia1ation for the disObedience OF sig
- f775fcsffons That they are as
obeved- however. is g, fact ana the 4lEgs
mat are annually sacrlIlceo from ne Ils
cause call loudly for some means u
arresting its results. =so,,+z If
ttis Character occur on roads equlppeo
with modern systems OF a ueo1l-'--
block signals, where ei1DQLa1SS 49,, y, Of
lions 10 prevent accidents CshoIL %
Guarding against the consequences U
Signal disobediencel nave, peeh . s..eIi.
TEe trains involved IN these IaILIS .5
q b1a disasters generally are OpeIaI-.~
- +-r4e+a7 enaDiOves Of long expert
80 ant the record abundanuy
proves that even splendlo sisIlal S4 .lIPa5
ment and admirable olsclp ~ --.tt3 49,
-ffb long experience and hlgh mora
cF7a-a otar on the part of employees -. 80
- nrevent the occasional man talI-
Lack Of Speed Limit
srFTiqb sDeed was an important COIL I
fributfng cause of several serious a ccI-
dents during the past year IN -I-so.l5
roads there is no limit 20 me $3.50
At which passenger trains are alLoN 80
to run. Enginemen are mus Sl llCoT
AGED TO run their trains az eAoes -.
sneed in an effort to make Up -
lost on schedules that are III 1iiS go.
~sfefv Such high speed IS espeGllaLIs
dangerous in times OF 1og OF ~. 1 ~
when signals can be seen pHt d Collii-
-. - ffz-alv short distance. ne Hla01I7
lr1r-r7 allowable speed of trans on 81
-oads should be eSta DnShe9 a. q 80
-f-7sr and il should not be leII enbLSLs
~ the Judgment of enginemeh 70 "
fernine whether or not TINS IlInl' u
dInasmuch as the only purpose Of in
vesfigatfon" the report continues, is
~ learn the true causes Of accidents,
81 that such causes may be eliminated
- f71Ilv as practicable, it is nanlIesIiy-
ir1oossible for the commission Iully 70
accomplish such purpose unless en-
powered by law to enforce It's recon-
commissions Recommendation
AD7one the important recommen1a-
tons for new legislation are the Lol-
That one period be fixed for the
beginning of all actions relating TO
TRANSFORMATION charges and that that
period be within three years from the
COMPLETION Of the service as to which
damages are claimed
That a carrier which fails TO demand I
payment Of charges for any trans
Dcrtation service within a period OF go
days shall be deemed guilty OF giving
D rebate to the shipper.
That the commission be authorized
10 make orders. after investigation. re-
specting the construction and MAIN
tenance OF the physical properties Of