Norwich bulletin., 1916-05-08
an annual interest eharge at paF

an annual interest charge at per cent. of $26, ,439,3 1855.
 'sThe number of all-steel cars in sef- vice has increased from 629 in 1909 to 14,286 on January 1, an increase of 2,171 per cent"
 The Public Utilities Commission of Connecticut, in it's report of the Mill ford accident, said:
 < "The facts in this case clearly show that the primary cause of the acei- dent was the failure of the engineman to obey the signals"
 The report of Chief Belnap of the Bureau of Safety Of the Interstate Commerce Commission, speaking of the signals on the day of the Milford accident, said: signalled between New Haven and Stamford and those in the vicinity of the accident were put in service on June 8, 1914. The length of blocks is not uniform but signal locations were established to provide proper spacing to grades, visibility, curvature and interlocking plants. The average length of the blocks is about one mile.
 After the accident both automatic signals were found to be in the stop position, being held so by the cars of the trains involved occupying the blocks.
 These observations and tests (Chief Belnap's observation, tests and inspec- tion) confirm the testimony that the signals were working properly before, at the time of and after the accident and the system of inspection and maintenance of the apparatus is good" !"
 Signal Engineer Morrison Of the New Haven testified under oath at the 5aa A4 Del. fNf lows:
 From the day they (the signals) were put in operation to the day of the accident, based on an average days business, there had been approx- imately 7,132,s60 signal operations. During this period there had been re- ported 250 instances in which signals dications when the clear indication should have been shown, or one safe failure for each 2S,000 movements, which is 99.99 per cent. perfect per- formance. During the same period eight instances had been reported in which the signals had improperly dis played proceed, or one improper indi- cation for each s91 ,607 movements, which is 99.999 per cent. perfect move ment."
 The New Haven Company offered a prize of $10,000 for the best suggestion of a device for automatic control and Chief Belnap in bis report tells of 1 on this matter, as follows:
 "In connection with the investiga- tfon of automatic train control de- vices made by the New York, New 1 Haven & Hartford Railroad, MT. Mor- l rison stated that over 1000 plans or 1 devices had been submitted to him for consideration. Of those submitted 1 r,T111- hod hot
 ever. Later an installation of these
 two devices was made for the purpose ] of attesting their efficiency. The first l device tested after a short trial proved an absolute failure. The second de- | vice has been the subject of expert ment for about year but has giver
 more or less trouble and does not meei eli of the requirements (the ten pro- | visions prescribed by the Interstate l Commerce Conmission), and up tC
 date has not reached a satisfactorS | stage of development. MT. Morrison | stated that during the test of these l two devices in two instances a trair
 was not stopped when 1t should have I been, and for these failures the man. | ufactureres were unable to account
 hope the efforts of the New Haver | in this direction, as disclosed by tht l testimony of Signal Engineer Morri. l son before Chief Belnap of the Inter. T lAa 1 dicate the efforts of the New Have1 l to find some way in which 1t can re. | duce the hazard of railway operation
 The New Haven and every railway | of any size in the United States is con | stantly experimenting in an effort tt
 secure these results. The New HaveI and all other railways of the country do not want accidents any more thar other business concerns want acci 1 dents, first on the grounds of human 1 ity, for these accidents are very saC I and distressing to the officers anC 1 management, just as accidents in oth. ] CT business concerns are sad and dis l dressing to the managements; sec. ond because these accidents are yer! 1 expensive to railways, and in thes,
 days of excessive legislation, over,
 regulation, constantly increasing lab l or's demands, increased cost of ma i terials, greatly reduced income be cause of low passenger rates for yer. luxurious service (the rates are nC higher on an average and in many in
 stances not as high as in the old dayI 1 of shabby and kerosene lighted cars
 the poorest service imaginable Ill
 ventilated and poorly heated cars) anC
 cheap freight rates Every much cheap
 CT rates than in the days when tht service was seventy five per cent poorer)--the stockholders, the req owners of the railways. and all direct l ly and indirectly interested suffel I from the heavy expenditures inciden to accidents. Another point, a sigma
 device that would meet the provisions required by the Interstate Commerce Commission and that is the highes
 authority in the land on these mat l ters) would be worth millions to tn
 inventor and millions on millions t the railways of this country.
 Some speak of the New York Sub | way system of automatic block con
 trol and urge its adoption. hav
 been told by the very best authori ties that the subway system could no 4 be used, because of atmospheric con ditions, on an over- earth steam O