The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-02-15
MANY
IN THIS COUNTRY
Thousands Are Killed Annually in the
United States, Despite All Pre-
cautions Which Have Been
Taken by RaIlrosds.
TRACKS AS HIGHWAYS
Legislation Which VIII Provide Sc
we're Punishment 10 Said to be
Only Solution for This
Problem.

Str1cter laws and stricter enforce
ment for the prevention OF trespass
Ing upon railways are urged upon the
state legislature in 1.-THE Deadly Toll
OF Trespass on Railways" bulletin
OF the Railway Business association,
the national organization of manufac.
turing, mercantile and engineering
concerns dealing with the railroads.
There were," the bulletin declares,
1000 persons under 81 years oil
age hille0 or injured while trespass-
Ing on railways OF the United States
from 1901 to 1910, enough to make a
mile post for every mile around the
world
Comparing the record of the United
States and the United Kingdom, the
following figures are quoted:
Killed. Injured.
United States ..s.1901-1O 5O,025 53,427
United Kingdom. .1901-1O ABA 14.31o
In the United States laws agains,
railroad trespassing are generally not
enforced.
in the United Kingdom persons
other than passengers or employees
found on railroad property are fneo
SO for each offense."
When Titanic goes down. It is
pointed out, "and hundreds perish, d
thrill OF horror runs through Chris.
tendon. Thousands perish one at a
time and nobody pays any attention,
not even the neighbors"
Progress toward enactment OF laws
providing effective penalties and to-.
ward conviction and sentences for
those who wilfully expose themselves
to danger is said to be slowly spread
ing, while loss of life and damage as
affecting railways Is increasing
France Furnishes trespassers by fines
up to s579 and Jail up to month;
Germany by fines up to $25; Canada
by fines up to $50 and imprisonment
up to two months. The Wabash rail
road operates part of its mileage
through Canada. In the year ending
June 80, 1914, OF the "a trespassers
killed on the road only three were
killed in Canada.
Penalties are But, Few.
In the United States laws are few.
and even where penalties are pre-
scribed magistrates hesitate to i'm
pose them, as local authorities dislike
to feed and lodge convicted tramps."
Trespassers, however, include little
children and wage earners living in,
the vicinity whose death Or disability
leaves families destitute.
Elevation of track in Chicago was
resorted to at an expense of 10 mil
lions, which is expected to reach $50
millions. Trespassers leap over a
city ordinance and climb on to the
elevation In their conscientious devo-
ton to the pursuit of being killed. and
MANNED In three months 339 arrests
were made on the elevated right OF
way of four systems. Only So OF the
offenders were punished
"Thirty-five states have no laws
specifically prohibiting persons walk
ing on railroad right Of way. Thir-.
teen states by statute prescribe pen
alties ranging from IS fine to 10 days
in Jail in Maine, to $500 fine or one
year in jail in New York; New York,
Wisconsin, Maine, New Hampshire,
Missouri, Rhode Island, Delaware
Georgia, Minnesota and Washington"
Missouri has law which protects
the railroad from damage suits. for
the purpose Of which trespass Is a de-
Tense for the railroad, but the law in
defining the act a trespass for that
purpose specifically says ''but no,
otherwise"
Roads Would Lessen Mishaps.
Activity on the part OF many rail-
roads to lessen the number Of fatal |
accidents IN their liness Ia hearinx