The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1913-07-14
Murder by Wholesale

Murder by wholesale
Figures in the abstract don't have much meaning;
hence the government announcement that In "a
wears 188O37 persons have been killed and 139561o
persons injured on the railroads of the United
States really conveys to us only vague impression
of careessness and sacrifice
But we can visualize this human wreckage by the
r1se of little Imagination. At ball game 1000 per-
sons make a pretty large crowd and 500 spread
throughout grandstand and beachers look as II all
fandom had turned out. Only few ball parks IN
the country large enough to accommodate 3O,O0O
persons. The crowded circus tent OF the biggest
show on earth holds only about u 900 persons The
biggest crowd you ever probably, didn't exceed
10000. 1t is almost physically impossible to see
more than that number because, in the localities
where that many can be assembled, there usually
ism It room in one spot for more.
The city of Dallas by the last census, had 81, 1O4
inhabitants. Two Dallases could be suddenly ami
hated with the loss of every soul and the death list
wouldn't equal this toll of man-kiling railroads
Philadelphia, third largest city, has only as
many inhabitants the railways killed plus the rail-
way injured during these two dozen years It took
centuries to build up Boston and Baltimore but in
the lifetime of young our railroads have killed
and manned enough folks to populate both these cit
les, with enough left to make three cities the
size of Albany N. Y. Multiply by 30 the most per-
sons you ever saw at one time and the total then
wouldn't equal this grim of the sacrifice of flesh
and blood to greed and thoughtessness In only one
of our great industries.
The railroad managers aren't primarily to blame
They are only our agents. we, the principals, are TO
blame We haven't solved human life But we can
reduce the toll when want to- Indeed, we are be-
ginning to reduce it and we guess everybody will
agree it was high time
That boy scout row to Olympia and back shows
the boys certainly getting some wholesome exer-
else.
The women ought not to complain of being over
looked on the minimum wage law commission at
least.
Republicans have certainly lost their grip-the
dems walloped the daylights out Of them even at
baseball in the congressional game at Washington.
Looks as if furnishing harbor for the fishermen's
fleet might form good excuse for getting the mid
die waterway dredged out.
There is no getting around it, the weatherman has
gotten his samples mixed
Don't know why those governors want to ask Gov
ernor Lister to talk about Efficiency and Econo-
my in office for when most of the 1ftalk along this
line comes from people not yet in office.
Five of Joe Tumulty's six children have been hav.
ing mumps on both sides. Being secretary to Wood
row Wilson and father to five sets of mumps is real
ly enough to entitle fellow to the swelled head
Estimated that in six weeks European steamers
could bring 10000 armed men to this country. We
don't scare The Cleveland Grays could meet 'em
at the landing place in 16 hours:
Tacoma's building record for June indicates that
what everybody says about Tacoma s prosperity is
really true
Turn TO the Want Ads