East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-12-10
.FLAGMEN TO Be HELD
TO BLAME IN FUTURE
FOR WRECKS ON R. R.
ENGINEERS No LONGER THE
"GOAT'-INTERSTATE COM
MISSION REPORTS.
Many Other Points Are Touched in
Annual Statement-Men Employed
nc Crossings Must BE Familiar With
Rules OF the Road-WOodcn Coach
as Condemned.

II
nc Crossings Must BE Familiar With
Rules OF the Road-Woodcn Coach
es Condemned.
WASHINGTON, Dec. lO.--No more
Is the engineer of the fast flyer the
goat" OF big railroad wrecks. The
Interstate Commerce Commission's
annual report, issued today. gave him
nearly clean bill OF health. Where
he used to bear the blame. a new
victim has been raised-the flagman,
ignorant OF the company's rules.
The commission pointed out that
there has been a considerable de-
crease in the number OF collisions due
TO the failure of the engineman TO
obey the indications OF the block sig
nal" At the same time II held that
II is unreasonable TO expect freedom
from wrecks when railroads employ
flagmen OF little experience without
any examination, as to their knowledge
OF rules.
Strong recommendation was made
for universal use OF system OF auto
matte train control in conjunction
with other safety devices.
During the year the commission in
vestigated 6S train wrecks which
caused death to 169 persons and In
juries TO 2.l34. Improper flaging
was given as the prime cause OF
wrecks. Inherent weakness OF the
train order system was responsible in
several cases. and the commission ad-
vised use OF extra checks to safeguard
against danger Of forgotten instruc-
tions Inspection and supervision OF
work Of train service employees is
improving. the report stated. but there
is still need for Standardization OF op-
Grating rules.
The report declared that there has
been no material improvement in bad
track and roadway conditions which
have been the cause OF many wrecks
no material Improvement
The commissions recommendations
summarized. were:
Construction of building adequate
for the commission.
Use Of steel cars in passenger ser
vice and prohibition Of use of wooden
cars between or in front Of steel cars.
Limitation TO three years for filing
Of actions relating TO transportation
charges.
Passage OF appropriate and ade-
quate legislation for the commissions
control OF railway capitalization.
Authority explicit and emphatic,
for the commission to examine car
riers' papers. accounts, etc.
Establishment OF a minimum pen
atty Of 500 for violation Of the
hours Of service act.
The report pointed out a continu-
ance of use OF cars in defective con-
dition and advised railroads TO ac-
quaint responsible employees with the
safety appliance laws.
Progress in work OF the physical
valuation of railroads was reported
Eight parties are now going over the
roads and the commission advises in
creases of these parties. Satisfactory
progress in surveying tentative routes
for the federal raolroad in Alaska was
also reported.
Among the commissions larger in
vestigations pending are:
Probe OF the financial relations,
rates and practices of the L. & y.
road. the Nashville & Chattanooga
and others; investigation OF alleged
rebates Of the steel corporation; in
vestigation of the Little Kanawha
railroad. the Pere Marquette. the G
II & d.: the Dock Island; the car
icing subject; Of cement, iron ore and
steel rates and transportation prac-
tices; rates and rules for telegraph
and telephone companies; and inves-
tigatlon of revenues of carriers in
official classification" territory
The commission evinced intention
of seeking further indictments of com
panies billing coal TO fictitious con
Germs or destinations for rebilling. III
will also vigorously prosecute ship
pers who falsely report shipments or
give false weights. Early prosecu-
tions will be brought against rail-
roads that give concessions to ship
pers through warehouses or similar
devices.
The commission said that II con-
gress would grant authority II could
proceed to make uniformity Of freight
classification without injurlng either
shippers or carriers