The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1913-12-26
GREATER SAFETY
FOR TRAVELLERS
Interstate Commerce Commission
Asks Greater Powers
CLAIM HIGH SPEED OF RAIL.
ROADS COST MANY LIVES.
Commission Favor Standard Operat-
ing Rules for all ROads-Mistakes
Of Employees Responsible.

Washington.-Emp the ne
cessity for further action by the fed
eral government to provide greater
safety for travellers and employees up
,on American railroads, the interstate
commerce commission. In its annual
report, submitted to congress Friday,
makes vigorous recommendations for
additional powers over the physical
construction and operation of the
roads. The commission also recon-
mends that 1t be given authority to
supervise the issue of railroad securi-
ties and some measure of control over
I-he capitalization.
Conditions disclosed by the COM
missions investigation of railroad ac-
cidents during the year present sit
,uation which, the commission be-
lieves, ought to be the subject of i'm
mediate legislation. Seventy-six ac-
cidents Investigated comprised 81 col
lisions and 25 derailments, and caused
the death of 283 and the injury of 1880
persons.
"The commission again Is compelled
to note the exceedingly large proper
, tion of train accidents due to derelic
tion Of duty on the part of employees.
Fifty-six of the accidents Investigated
during the year-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 fixed signals; improper tagging;
failure to obey train orders; impro-
per checking Of train register; misun-
derstanding of orders; occupying
main track on time OF superior train;
block operator allowed train to enter
occupied block; dispatcher gave lap
order or used improper form OF order;
operator made mistake in copying or
der; switch left open in face OF APP
preaching train; excessive speed;
failure to identify train that was met.
"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 great
majority OF these deplorable railroad
disasters are unavoidable or there ex
lists a widespread lack OF Intelligent
and weIl-directed effort to minimize
the mistakes OF employees in the oper-
alton of trains.
'In previous reports the commits
sion has recommended legislation re-
Quiring the standardization of operat-
ing rules. 1t is vital to the safe move
ment OF trains that rules should be
explicit and uniform in character so
that they may be easily understood
and that there may be no doubt as to
their application. To this end federal
legislation is necessary.
'Disobedience of signal indications
on block-signaled railroads Is one of
the most serious phases of the acci-
dent situation. Fourteen Of the inves-
T,yated accidents which have occurred
y Y block-signaled railroads since July
l, 1911, were caused by eneinemen
running by stop signals or failing to
reduce speed as directed by caution
signals In these IA accidents 105 per-
sons were killed and 311 we're injured.
In seven of these accidents the culp-
able enginemen themselves were kill
ed.
High speed was an Important con-
tributing cause of several accidents
during the past year. On many roads
there is no limit to the speed at which
passenger trains are allowed to run.
Enginemen are thus encouraged to
run their trains at excessive speed in
an effort to make up time lost on
schedules that are in many cases al
ready sufficiently fast for safety"
The report shows that the work of
the commission Increased tremendous
ly In volume. Scores of violations of
law by both carriers and shippers
were Investigated. In this connection
the report says that "the false billing
of freight by shippers continues" 1t
Is pointed out that serious abuses of
transit privileges by both carriers and
shippers constitute a continuing evil.
remedy for which Is being worked out
by the commission. Failure on the
part OF the carriers to collect from
shippers certain demurrage charges
was made the subject Of many investi-
cations, because this is regarded by
the commission as one of the most in
sfdious forms Of rebating. Stress also
fsAaeid upon violations OF the anti-pass
II. s$ but the report indicates that
.tRSse are becoming less and less FREE
Quent.
Eight pounds ground green bone,
p ~