The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-05-20
.TRESPASSING TAKES BIG TOLL
Is Cause of Nearly One-Half of Fatal
Accident on Roads.

During the last ten years $4,000
people have been killed and injured
in this country while trespassing or
walking on railroad tracks and bridges
and unlawfully riding on freight and
passenger trains.
Nine thousand of this great army
of killed and injured were children
under fourteen years of age; IL, 900
were between fourteen and twenty
one years; 5000 were hoboes and
tramps and the remaining $4,000 were
useful members of society, including
clerks, Industrial workers and profess
sional people, the majority of whom
lived in the communities in which
they met death or injury.
1t is generally thought that train
wrecks cause most of the casualties
on railroads, but this is far from being
the case. AS a matter of fact, fatal
tiles to trespassers, that is, persons
who have no business on the railroa ds
amount to seven times the number of
all classes of persons killed in train
accidents. It is even more impressive
to note that notwithstanding the I'M
avoidable hazards of railroad opera
ton nearly one-half of all the fatal in
juries that occur on the railroads is
chargeable to trespassing on the
tracks.
This needless waste of human life.
is a sad reflection upon the intelli-
gence of the American people. because
it should be stopped and il will be
stopped WHen the pubic spirited ClIA-
ZenS in every town, city and COM
munity of the entire country become
awakened to the full significance of
1 this unnecessary killing and manning
of human beings.
Indeed. great Improvement has al
ready been made Beginning in 1903
and up to 1915 the number of tres
passers killed and injured on the rail-
roads Of the United States was about
| 10000 per year, but during the last
Il . hi 49,
duced to an average of about 5000
per year. Notwithstanding a large in
| crease in population and a correspond =
/ ing increase in railroad business. On
one road alone, the yearly average
number OF trespaSSerS killed and in
| jured fifteen years ago was 100,
while the record for 1921 shows less
! than 500 or an actual reduction of ~
per cent.
This magnificent result in saving
human life and preventing untold
pain and suffering is directly due to
! safety education in the home the
| schools, the mines. the steel and iron
| industries and other manufacturing
| enterprises and to the general infIu-
ence of the safety first movement
which has been carried on thruout the
| United States for more than ten years
and particularly to the untiring efforts
put forth by the railroads thru their
| police departments to keep all persons
off the tracks who have no business
to be there.
To further prevent death and in
jury from trespassing. teachers
preachers, business men and women
and all public spirited citizens are
urged TO use their influence in having
| these simple precautions followed:
l. Do not walk on railroad tracks
/ or bridges.
. Do not allow children to play
around railroad tracks or stations
g. Do not crawl under or between
cars.
/ f. Before crossing tracks at cross
ings. Stop. Look and Listen to see il
a train is coming, and after a trair
has passed make sure no other train:
are approaching in either direction
/ s. Do not crawl under crossing gate.
| when they are down. Stop until trair
J passes
/ g. Do not allow children to PLAY
/ around turntables. cranes, cars. OF
other railroad property.
i z. Use the streets and highways in,
stead of the railroad tracks in COINS
| to and from work.