Weekly journal-miner., 1913-12-24
LAW VIOLATIONS BY RAILROADS
 NECESSARY
IMPOSSIBLE TO ALWAYS COMPLY WITH THE SIX TEEN HOURS A DAY MA TIONAL LAW

WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 22 -"Violations of the law limiting the service of train employees on American railroads to sixteen con secutive hours go to the very heart of the efficiency and safety of train operation" said Commissioner Charles C. McChord, commenting upon a statement issued by the In- terstate Commerce Commission an alyzing the monthly reports of in- terstate railroads on hours of serv- ice during the fiscal year ending June 90, 1913.
 Nearly 300000 violations of the l6-hour law were reported by 26o railroads during the year, the roads submitting various reasons why such violations were necessary. The commissions anhlysis points out, however, that while this figure may appear abnormal to the lay mind, it must be remembered that s1,1ll men were employed ill handling trains during the year and that the excess service probably would not exceed one instance to each employe.
 'The difference in efficiency and safety of operation between various railroad systems" Mir. McChord said, 'is shown clearly by the com missions analysis in the marked disparity between the ratio of ex- cess service to mileage between railroads serving practically the same territory. For instance. one of the Eastern roads. operating more than $500 miles of tacks, re- ports 5,224 instances in which train men were on duty for periods longer than those provided by law; while another road in the same terri tory, with a mileage of less than $500 miles, reports 22,663 such in stances.
 "A comparison of the figures sub mitted by two other of the princi- pal eastern lines shows, respectively, mileage of 2,25S with 5,45l ir- stances of excess service as com pared with 2,82o miles and l6,448 instances. In the prairie country, one road with a mileage of 4z55, 1eports approximately 10000 in- stances of excess service, while an- other road ill the same territory, with more than 7,500 miles of tracks, reports only 2,3l0 instances of ex- cess service.
 ''ln the southwestern territory. one road, operating less than 6,4OO miles of tracks. reports approxi- mately l.700 instances of excess service. while another line, similarly
 ituated. geographically, reports only 2SO instances on a mileage of more than 7,504 A corresponding com Oarison between two roads Ill the Northwestern section of the country shows a mileage of approximately 5000 miles with less than 800 in- stances of excess service, while an other road, with less than l00O0 miles of line, reports nearly 6OOO instances of excess service"
 Commissioner McChord, within whose supervision comes the actual administration of the hours of serv- ice act, directed the preparation of the analysis.
 The law provides a maximum oi sixteen hours as the limit of con tinuancc service for trainmen en- gagged in the physical operation of trains This law admittedly is being violated continually by the railroads many times unavoidably. The car riers are required to report each in stance in which an cmployc served more than sixteen hours consecu- lively, a fine oi $500 being the pen alty for failure to report
 The analysis shows that dcrail- mcnts afforded the most prolific cause of excess service, S8,3H cases being attributed by the carriers to that generic cause. In 33,36O in stances, the delays were due to coupler and drawbar defects. while 17Z35 cases were attributable to miscellaneous car defects. Land slides. high water and fire were re- ported by the carriers involved, as responsible for l7oS5 cases; and ! A. nr: ,.I n