The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-12-23
AGE OF CARELESSNESS.

The American people are proyerbially
careless OF human life. Never day
passes that news Is not flashed over
the wires that there has been an ap-
pallIng accident, with a long list Of
dead ard injured. Many, very many,
of the catastrophes which wiring the
eart-strings Of friends and relatives OF
the victims are the direct result Of care
lessness; others can be traced TO- the
greed OF those in charge OF the busi-
nes of great corporations who take a
chance of bringing sorrow and woe to
many homes rather than incur the ex-
pense of providing the necessary safety
appliances.
There have been number of acci-
dents this year which investigation has
| shown might have been prevented. In
deed, one may well conclude that a
great majority of them would not have
occurred had even the most ordinary
! precautions been taken. The interstate
| commerce commission has endeavored TO
ascertain the cause of several bad rail-
road wrecks during the past year and
the result OF the inquiries is set forth
in the annual report, in which the gov
ernment is urged to provide greater
safety for travellers and employees upon
American railroads.
The commission takes note Of the fact
that ffty-sin Of the accidents investi"
gated during the year. or nearly "a per
cent of the whole number were direct
| ly caused by the mistakes of employees.
The specific mistakes made are enum.
Grated in the report and in placing the
responsibility, the commission con-
elndes:
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
10 the truth Of one or the other of
the following alternatives: Either
great majority Of these deplorable
| railroad disasters are unavoidable or
| there exists a widespread ack OF In
telligent and well-directed effort to
! minimize the mistakes OF employees
| in the operation OF trains. II Is not
| believed that all those accidents which
| are caused by the mistakes OF cm-
| poyees are unavoIda bic. II Is quite
true that man Ia prone 10 error, and
| as long as absolute reliance is placed
| upon the human element in the opera
ton OF trains accidents are bound TO
| occur. but until II can be shown that
| all reasonable and proper mea sures
have been taken for It's prevention
no accident can be csssed rs un-
! aVoida bic.
But the railroads do not escape re-
sponsibiIity for many of these fatal
mistakes Of their employees, for inves
tigaton has shown that habitual dis
regard Of the rules On the part OF those
in charge Of trains was known by the
officials in charge of the operating de
partment and that no proper steps were
taken TO check the evil. In this con
nection it may well be observed that
indictments are now pending against Of
6ciaIs as well as employees in some oil
the most fragrant eases.
Besides more stringent laws on thf
subject il is probable that the inveutiv,
genius Of the American people will bt
called into reqWsition to prevent these
deplorable accidents. In this connection
it is noted that tbe possibility Of ab
solute prevention Of railroad collision.
Was demonstrated in Pittsburg the
other day at test Of an automatic
train control device. Fifty senators
congressman and railroad officials were
present. The action OF the device i: