The Cordova daily times., 1917-01-15
COMM |SS|ON |S DOING GOOD
 WORK
The thirtieth annual report of the

The thirtieth annual report of the
 Interstate Commerce Commission,
 under date of December l, 1916, shows that 1854 formal complaints were filed during the year ended october 3l, a decrease of l10 as compared with the number filed during the previous year. During the same period 67l cases were decided and 135 were dismissed by stipulations or otherwise, making a total of SOC cases disposed of as against 1,1O7 during the preceding year.
 During the year the commission con ducted 1,485 hearings and took ap' proximately 154,4S8 pages of testi. mony, as compared with 1,543 hear. ings and 200,438 pages of testimony during the preceding year.
 The division of correspondence and claims received and answered approxi, mately 50,000 general inquiries. Thou. sands of complaints were satisfactor- fly adjusted by correspondence, simp- ly by pointing out to the complainant his rights and obligations under the law. During the past year 6,040 spe- Cial docket applications were filed by carriers; orders were entered in A. 370 cases; and reparation awarded in amounts aggregating $432,493.39 In addition 1883 cases were dismissed without an order.
 During the twelve months ended Oc- tober 31, 1916, 106,442 tariff publica- tions containing changes in rates, rates. classifications or charges were filed by carriers. The law authorizes the commission to reject and refuse to file any schedule that is rendered for filing which does not contain law full notice of it's effective date. This authority was exercised during the period above stated in more than r. 900 instances.
 The division of locomotive boiler in spectiOn reports that 352 accidents were caused by failure of locomotive boilers and their appurtenances. with 29 killed and 407 injured thereby. The fatalities were due almost entirely to one single class of accidents, viz, crown sheet failures, due to low water where cOntributOry causes or defects were found. Owing to unprecedented traffic conditions more than 5000 To- comotives, which were in storage the preceding year, were in use during the year covered by the report under service conditions where in many in stances proper maintenance was diff cult. The number of locomotives in spected was 52,65O, of which 24,685 were found defective. or 47 per cent The number ordered out of service for repairs was 1,943.
 The engineering forces of the com. mission engaged in valuation work from October 1, 1915. to September 30, 1916, covered 50,840.38 miles of road. If the same rate of progress should be maintained in the field for the future as during the past year, the road and traffic surveys should be completed by January l, 1920.
 The division of safety reports that 1923 railroad employees were killed during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1916, and 2,194 injured in coupling and uncoupling cars, and casualties resulting from overhead and side ob- structions and from falling from and getting on and off cars occasioned 5O5 deaths and 13,S11 injuries.
 The investigation of applications for medals of honor under the act of February 23. 1905, continued during the year. This act authorizes the pre- sident to bestOw bronze medals of honor upon persons who by extreme daring endanger their lives in saving or endeayoring to save lives from any wreck, disaster or grave accident, or in preventing any such wreck, disas- ter or grave accident upon any rail road within the United States engaged in interstate commerce.
 Since the passage of the act 29 ap. plications for medals have been filed. 20 of which have been approved and medals awarded. and nine have been denied. During the past year three medals have been awarded and one denied.
 During the year ended June 30, 1916, 55 collosions and 30 derailments, a total Of S5 train accidents, were in- vestigated by the commission. These accidents resulted in the death of 209 persons and the injury of 1,44l per sons. Of these casualties. collisions caused the death of 153 and the in. jury of 1,121 persons; derailments caused the death of 56 persons and the injury of 320 persons.
 
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