The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1923-10-11
SAFETY FIRST MEETING

The Safety First committee Of the
Montana division of the Oregon
Short Line held their October meet
ing at the Commercial club rooms on
Thursday forenoon and finished al
IL o'clock. Twenty railroad men
were present and about a dozen
visitors from the town. The meet
ing was presided over by Superin-
tendent R. E. Brooks of the Montana
division, and q review was made of
the questions left over from the
September meeting held In Pocatello
and then new matters were called for
and discussed.
Mr.. Brooks made very touching
report upon the circumstances at
tending the collision of two freight
trains near Kemerer recently In
which two men were killed. He said
that Engineer Richards, one OF the
best men on the road and considered
among the most reliable and depend
able OF all their engineers, made
what they call one of the human fail
ures in acting on plain orders. He
was pulling his train westward and
took siding as directed, to await
the passing of two east-bound
frleghts. In order to gain informa-
ton of the possibility of being able
to go on to the next siding to meet
the trains, he went into the tele-
phone booth provided for such SER
vice and talked to the train dis
patcher and was told that he should
meet the second train at the next sid
ing. Omiting all thought of the
presence of the approaching first
train he pulled out upon the main
line and was struck by heavy train
moving at 35-mile speed. He was
killed and his fireman was damned
against the firebox, covered with a
tenderful of coal and burned to
death. It was such terrible things
as this, he said, that bring home the
Importance of making every pro-
vision and detail for safety, and
whether there is defect In plans or
in thought or in materials or road
bed or a lamp gone out that should
be cleaning or canal bank washed
out that lets flood soften or cut the
railroad grade and pitch train into
the ditch, it behooves everybody, in
Guiding the public, to know correct
rail operation and to do everything
that is humanity possible to prevent
injuries of every kind.
W. L. Hill, safety agent, of Salt
Lake was present and in addressing
the meeting he expressed his appre-
citation of the cooperation OF the
public in preventing accidents, and
the visitors for their pres
ence. He urged everybody to use
their influence to get drivers of autos
to stop and look before driving upon
q railroad track. Carelessness in
is the outstanding danger OF
the age and is entirely in the hands
Of the public driving the cars. The
at Fort Hall is giving rail-
road men much anxiety and they are
trying to find a way to eliminate it
Or make it safe, but due to the many
interests of reclamation, highway
and railroad traffice of present and
'uture years it presents complfca-
ions that it will require time to
solve. Many other crossings in the {
ALLEY are very dangerous and some
# them may be remedied by sub
Ways, while others await changes in ]
he highway to see where to build
ubways.
Mayor Peck was present and spoke {
or the town, expressing the cordial
of its people and the de-
ire to work hand in hand with rail-
DAD people in service and safety. :
Mr.. Brooks, Mr.. Hill and Mr.. !
Willis were dinner guests at the
kiwanis club.