Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-11-29
REMARKABLE SHOWING.

ln the current tissue OF the Railway
Axe. the accident record made by the
railways Of the United States in 1920.
aa disclosed by statistics Tor that year
which recently have been issued by |
the Interstate Commerce Commission.
ia the best record that ever has been |
madc since statistics upon the sub |
Jcct have been kept. The total num- |
hcr uf persons killed. 6.95s. was the
smallest IN twenty-five years, or since
iSps Rut Ia appreciate the fun sig
nihcancc Of this statement IL Is nee
,ssary to consider the increases that
have occurred in the number of rail-
way employees. In the trains run. and
IN the amount of traffic handled.
The railways accident record was
relatively at Its worst in 1910. when
the great safety first" movement was
started. The accident statistics for
1910 are incomplete. but a comparison
uf tho statistics for 1911 with those
Tor 1890 shows the great progress
that has been made.
Tho number OF passengers killed in
1871 was 2se. and in 1920 only 22s.
Meantime. the number OF passengers
carried one mile increased over 4, per
cent. Tho average passenger. on the
basis Of IN. results OF operation in
1911. could have Travelled at the rate
cf A. miles an hour for EOS years be-
fore hcinw KILLED. while on the basis
OF the results OF operation in 1920
he could have travelled at the rate of
40 miles an hour for ass years without
beinG killed. The danger Of travelling
by passenger train was reduced AZ per
cent.
rhs number OF employees killed in
ieii was 5000. and in 1920 only 2.57s.
The number OF employees in 1911 was
i.sse.tbs. while In 1890 u was 2.0si.-
p3f. Therefore in 1911 the number Of
employees for every employe killed was
sia. while In 1929 Il was 7sS. This
increase OF almost 1s per cent in the
number OF persons employed by the
railways for each employe killed
shows that there was corresponding
f.,
patton of the average railway en-
ploye.
The total number Of passenger.
employees and all other persons killed
IN 1911 was 1896, and In 1920 only
tass. reduction Of "a per cent
Meantime the number Of passengers
carried one mile increased 44ls pei
cent. and the number Of tons OF freight
carried one mile e4 per cent. This
shows that while the amount Of pas.
sengrr traffic handled increased al.
most oue-half and the amount o.
freight carried increased almost two
thirds, the total number OF persons
Killed decreased one-third.
The number OF trespassers killed il
1911 was 5.2s4. and in 1920 only 2.166
There was decline in the number o
fatalities 20 every class of persons ex
ccpt those classified as other non
tfespasscrs," which increased from
i,ihi 60 1867. This increase in fatal
ties occurred az highway crossing
and was due to an increase in tn
number Of automobiles struck h
trains or irsins struck by automobile,
The safety first" movement in
ausurated In 1919 recognized the fac
that most accidents were due to care
isssness ana recklessness on the par
- the personnel Of the railways rathe
shsn % defects OF their plant. Tn
great reduction OF accidents undoub,
cdly has been due principally 10 tn
educational work which has been car
ricd on among employees and the ei
forts of safety first" committees con
posed OF both officers and employees.
u In significant, and also very graf
fysns. 90 note from this recital the at
mirshlc results that have attend,
the safety first" movement, as show
hy the large reduction in the class
rfoVentablo accidents since it's IL
susurstion. An the newspapers
the country Joined heartily with raj
road msnagements In promoting tn
movement. and the results show no
valuable !, hos been in averting Il
Jury and loss OF HE.
The railroads have had seriol
siuass for several years. and are on