The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-04-30

ed more miles and more passengers
 were carried for greater distance In 1906 passengers numbered 69, 1 219,o0o. Freight transported was 20,- 259,000 tons But in 1912 revenue
 passengers had increased to 84,s34, 900 | and freight had increased to 24,675, 900 tons. So it is difficult to make out any l case to show that fewer trainmen were justified in 1912 than the company found necessary in 1906.
 And to indicate that the Iessened number of trainmen was in fact due to the effort to cut operating expenses call your attention. to the fact that | the same reports, above referred to, show. that in 1906 6,366 trackmen other than section foremen were en- p1oyed, while in 1912 but 4,453 are shown as employed, or almost 2,000 less. -
 In this connection I call your at tention to the remarks of the coroner in the Westport case, relative to the rotten ties at this point, and to the cir cumstance that under his very eye spikes were pulled from the ties with the naked hands of witnesses, al- though the bad track was not the cause of the wreck. And also say to you that a similar condition was re- ported as existing at several points on the lines between New Haven anG New York.
 The connection between adequate train crews and the -tracknnen and the safety of the trains is clear to any body.
 The very year following the merger the railroad Commissioners in their annual report directed attention to the fact that the number of road ca sualties had increased fifty per cent
 We may examine the figures for ourselves. It will not take much time to do so.
 In 1908 the total accidents to train men reported in Connecticut were -212.
 In 1912 the total accidents to train men were 338.
 The increase is more than fifty per cent.
 In 1906 the accidents to passengers were 19.
 In 1912 the accidents to passengers were ETA.
 The increase is more than 1.4os per cent.
 I believe you will be justified in in | ferring that this result is one of the | products of undermanned trains and | undermanned tracks.
 And the total disparity is even more | striking. In 1906 the accidents to ali persons were 612, and in 1912 the ! accidents to all persons had increased | to 1,476.
 say to you that this Full Crew bill
  was in New York, or Pennsylvania
 say to you further that if you will make a careful scrutiny of the rules of this railroad company made for the use of it's employees you will find more than one rule which con more men on trains than are now carried
 When a company makes rules call ing for more trainmen than it pro vides, and it once had those men, and it laid some of the men off during a panic, [ believe you will be Justified in finding that that company believes that those men are necessary to the operation of its trains.
 The argument will be made here hat you ought to leave this matter to he Public Utilities Commission.
 do not think so. The matter is of prime importance. It is a question ,f broad policy which the General As ,embIy ought to determine. More ,ver these men, these trainmen, through their brotherhoods, went to he railroad commission, and that / ,ody refused to help them.
 The Public Utilities Commission is ( n its personnel the old railroad com T nission What the railroad commis- [ ion decided the Public Utilities Com T mission has decided. They think ' like.
 If the Public Utilities Commission ' oes not think as the railroad com