The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-12-19

Large Proportion of Deaths Due to
Dereliction of Duty on Part of En-
ploycs-Seventy-Fo Per Cent Di-
rectly Responsible.
Washington, Dec. 1a.--Emphasiz-
ing the necessity for further action by
the federal government to provide
greater safety for travellers and em-
ploNes upon American railroads, the
interstate commerce commission. in
its annual report. submitted to con-
gress today, makes vigorous recon-
mendations for additional powers over
the physical construction and opera
ton Of the roads. The commission
also recommends that 1t be given au-
thority to supervise the issue Of rail-
road securities and some measure Of
control over the capitalization.
Conditions disclosed by the com-
missions investigation of railroad ac-
cidents during the year present a sit
uation which, the commission be-
lieves. ought to be the subject Of Inn
mediate legislation. Seventy-six ac-
one collisions and twenty-five derail-
ments, and caused the death of 283
and the injury of 1880 persons.
Commenting upon these facts, the
report says:
Employees to Blame.
"The commission again Ia compell.
ed to note the exceedingly large pro-
portion of train accidents due to dere-
lictiOn Of duty on the part of em.
ployes. Fifty-six Of the accidents in
vestigated during the year, or nearly
"a per cent 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 its last annual report.
namely, disregard Of fxed signals:
Itmproper tagging; failure to obey
train orders: Improper cherking Of
trair regfsteIf.. misunderstanding Of
orders; occupying main track on, time
F9hk superior train III III b 6ber1tor ale
lowed train to enter occuuied block:
dispatcher gave lap order or used inn
proper form of order: operator made
mistake in copying order; switch left
cessive speed; failure to identify train
that was met.
Lack of Effort.
"These errors are exactly the ones
which figure in the causes Of train ac-
cidents year after year. Their per-
sistence, leading always to the same
narrowing results, points inevitably to
the truth Of one or the other Of the
following alternatives: Either q
great majority of these deplorable
railroad disasters are unavoidable or
there exists widespread lack Of in
telligent and well-dirccted effort to
minimize the mistakes of employees in
the operation of trains. 1t is not be-
are caused by the mistakes Of en-
pioNes are unavoidable. 1t is quito
true that man is prone to error, and
as long as absolute reliance is placed
upon the human element in the opera
tion of trains accidents are bound to
occur. but until it can be shown that
all reasonable and proper measures
have been taken for it's prevention M
accident can be classed as unavoid-
able.
Violations of Rules.
/. "All of the mistakes noted above
are violations of simple rules, which
should have been easily understood
by men of sufficient intelligence to I've
entrusted with the operation or
trains. The evidence is that in the
main the rules arc understood. but
they are habitually violated by em-
ployes who are charged with respon-
sibility for the safe movement OF
trains. The evidence also is that in
many cases operating officers are
cognizant Of this habitual disregard
Of rules and no proper steps are TAX
en- to correct the evil. Many operat-
ing officers seem to proceed upon the
theory that their responsibility ends
with the PRONUNCIATION Of rules, ap-
parently overlooking the fact that no
matter how inherently good a rule
may be. it is OF no force unless 1t is
obeyed. On very many railroads
there is little or no system Of inspec-
tion or supervision Of the work OF
train service employees so far as per-
tains To those matters which vitality
affect safety. Employees are not en-
amned on the operating rules except
at the time of their promotion, and
only the most perfunctory efforts are
made to determine their fitness to per-
form the duties assigned to them from
time to time.
Supervision Weak.
This lack of supervision and in
spection with respect to matters at.
fecting the safety OF trains is unex-
plainable when the careful supervi-
sion of all matters directly affecting
The auditing and checking systems
used for detecting the dishonesty or
employees are marvels of ingenuity
and careful attention to detail, but
means of determining whether trains
are operated in accordance with the
requirements Of safety and in con-
formity with the rules are almost en-.
tirely lacking.
I'm previous reports tho commis-
sion has recommended legislation re-
quir.ng the standardization of operat-
ing rules. 1t is vital to the safe
movement OF trains that rules should
be explicit and uniform in character,
so that they may be easily under.
stood and that there may be no doubt
as to their application. To this end
federal legislation Is necessary.
Disobediemce of Signals.
"Disobedience Of signal indications
on block signalled railroads Is one Of
the most serious phases of the acct-
dent situation. Such disobedience of.t
ten occurs in connection with thS
movement of important high-speed.
passenger trains, and when it results4
In a collision or derailment a, most