The Pulaskian., 1917-10-05
AN UNNECESSARY
 ECONOMIC WASTE
PRESIDENT B. F. BUSH OF THE MISSOURI PACIFIC ISSUES RuL- LETIN TO TRAlNMEN URG-
 ING CARE OF STOCK.

President B. F. Bush of the Mis- souri Pacific has issued the followings appeal with the hope that it will have some effect in reducing the amount of stock killed annually by the railroads:
 During the five years ending June 30 1917, on the railroads in Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana, comprising 15 roads with a mileage of 12.641, there were struck and killed total of 121 ,596 head of live stock, viz: i Horses and Mules-10,23 236. Cattle-11. .536
 Hogs-62, ,569.
 Sheep and Goats--4,526.
 Others-2,729.
 Equaling approximately 10 head per mile of line for the hve.year period.
 At current prices, this enormous waste is valued at approximately $7,- S00,000, which is interest on $130000, GOO at 6 per cent.
 "A soldiers daily meat ration, at present costs. averages 16 cents or approximately $5 per month, and the wastage reduced to dollars and cents would buy meat for an army of 500, 000 men for one month.
 "If 121, ,596 head of stock were load cd into railway cars, it would re- quire 2.105 cars, or@S4 trains; and if the cars were all coupled together into one train, that train would be IT miles long.
 Statistics indicate that the major percentage of causes for the stock getting on the right-of-way are:
 Farm gates left open:
 Struck on public and private cross
 ingsi
 Struck within town and switch lim- it's.
 "The general manager of the Mis- souri Pacific Railroad Company, dn, der date of July 4, 1917, issued pub lie circular in which was contained the follow advice on how
 THIS ECONOMIC WASTE GAN BE
 REDUCED" Owners of stock keeping their ani~ mals in fenced enclosures and not per hitting their stock to roam at large on railroad right-of-way;
 Town officers passing ordinances prohibiting the practice of permitting the practice of permitting stock to roam at large;
 1 Superintendents, roadmasters and section men making a personal appeal to the owners of stock to keep their animals in fenced enclosures;
 Engineers taking every preeaution within their power to avoid striking stock and never failing to report stock seen on rfght=of-way:
 Section men driving stock off right of-way, keeping farm gates closed, and fences and cattle guards in good re- pair; giving preference to locations where liability of stock getting on right-of-way is greatest;
 Newspaper editors presenting this important matter to the public throcgh the press;
 Everyone making persistent, per sonal effort to bring about desired re- suits.
 "This is a matter in which railroad trainmen and all citizens are vitally concerned The one set of persons (trainmen) can try mot to strike stock; and the other set of persons (the public) can prevent live stock from venturing on the right-of-way. "The Government looks to every cit ! izen and every municipal or other public body for aid and assistance IL asks for soldiers and for food II dou- ble demands doing away with this needless waste so far as it comes from care1essness on either hand ! since doing so will feed our army G. 500,000 men) next year for one month.
 "All citizens, patrons and co-work- CTS with the railroads should co-ope- rate to prevent this great loss: and we are confident that so far as the railroad employees are concerned, the reminder will make them doubly anxious to avoid the losses wherever il is humanely possible to do SO
 "The killing of stock on railroads should be reduced to the absolute minimum during the continuance of the war
 "B. F. Bush, President"