Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1921-03-23
MORE KILLED AT GRADE CROSSINGS
THAN IN REVOLUTIONARY WAR
In Hearing on Grade Separation Bin, Senator
Bennett Presents Startling Figures On
Railroad Finances and Control. Rior-
dan and kiiiiiea Oppose
By FRED I. HoLAEe

The big legislative fight 70 eonpel the rail-
roads 70 bear the expense Of grade separation
was placed before the legislature Thursday af-
ternoon By Sen J. Henry Bennett when he
sdvoested he bill 70 accomplish that purpose.
sen Bennett said that passage of Esch-Cun-
Minis Law entirely changed his position on
the subject and that he believed these dan
geroas crossings should be safe BY grade
separation
Arguments Ia opposition were made bx D.
E Rsordan. Eagle River. representing the
steam roads Of the state. Henry Kiililes. Mil
gsakee. representing the St-Psul road and
JUDGE Fletcher. Chicago
The tremendous increase in the numbar of
automobiles licensed and driven upon the
sixhvays brings. about an entirely new and
said Sen Bennett The increase in the 70
tai number Of automobiles and trucks during
scarcely eomprehend Al q. s nat We s can e.
year 1920 there were 1926. 252 licensed auto
mobiles In use. against 1885,. 01s at the end OF
1918.
The number of crossing accidents and lives
lost in Wisconsin increased during 1920 over
1919. Covering the whole United States it Is
killed in 1920 than in any previous year. In
1919. 1853 people were fatally injured in au-
tomobile accidents. In 1920 the number was
approximately 10000. In 1921 the number
Of killed will be increased It is said BY the
Highway Commissioner that rs per cent of
the people killed or injured at grade crossings
are motorists. Three times as many American
citizens were killed at grade-crossings during
the past three years than were killed during
the Revolutionary War The American easu-
alties in the principal battles of the Reyolu-
tionary War were less than 7 900 and the
grade-crossings killed or injured in the United
states IN the past three years more than 20 900
men, women and children.
In point OF grade-crossinSs accidents Wis
eonsin holds 18th place among her sister states
Wisconsin has $50 grade crossings her state
trunk highway system alone Under this hill
If it is enacted into law. the dangerous grade
crossings in Wisconsin may be eliminated, the
expense thereof charged to the railroads and
fh0 rail H. rvsen >. -
widest possible area, diffusing the expense
throughout the entire United States. Wis
eonsin should get its snare of benefits, If
there any benefits to be obtained under
the Eseh-Cumrains law, and the only benefit
which it seems TO me we can Obtain practi-
eally speaking. is to let the United States pay
the expense of these separations.
I would not propose that all of Wisconsin
grade crossings be separated in one year-that
may be worked out by the Railroad Commits
sion IN order Of the dangerousness of the cross
ings eliminated But the expense under this
changed situation should be borne entirely by
the railroads, and by them in turn passed on
to the commerce of the country.
The department of Engineering of the
railroad Commission has supplied with
a great deal of data collected by the Com
mission on y subject 1t Is found that there
are $500 public grade crossings with the var
ious steam railroad tracks in this state. These
crossings are approximately one-half urban
and one-hah rural On the basis of prices
existing prior to 1917 the cost of separating
grades of the rural crossings would amount
70 about $4,000. for an overhead structure.
and about $4,000 for underhead structure"
Among other statements made by Sen Ben
nett relative to railroads generally and re-
garding their financial condition he stated
that the public had been defrauded by millions
OF dollars by the railroad interests under the
cost plus contracts with equipment companies
controlled By the same baaks that controlled
the railroads. By means Of blue prints he
showed that twelve New York banks and
trust companies. dominated my j. p. Morgan
& Co. and represented by % men, sat on the
ri nil d. h..
United States. He asserted that the six hun
dred million dollars provided 70 be paid to the
railroads by the Winsow act approved in the
last hours of the administration of ex-Presi-
dent Wilson. was a six hundred million dol
lar steal He showed that the same group
OF Wall street banks that controlled the rail-
roads in the United States largely controlled
the coal companies. the steel companies be-
side other interests.