Railroad Accidents Part 3

Among the many cases of this kind, I have selected some which will ill.u.s.trate the matter. They are selected for the purpose of calling the attention of employees to accidents which might be avoided by the exercise of care on their part, and do not include any cases caused by such negligence on the part of the person injured as should bar a recovery.

Herbert Janson, wife, daughter, son and George Griffith killed; Morris Peck and Henry Blume injured, December 18, at 9:00 p.m., while driving across the tracks at Haskell; caused by sleigh being struck by engine running forty miles an hour. Headlight not burning, as required by Rule 55. No flagman at this crossing at night.

H. S. Sorner, who was riding in an automobile across the tracks at Morton, April 14, was struck by engine; automobile was demolished but occupants not seriously injured. No gates or flagman at this crossing.

Jacob Reich and Elbert Harris struck and killed while driving on 13th St., Montgomery, May 29, at 5:30 p.m., by engine. Gates up.

The piano wagon on which these men were riding was demolished as well as the piano, and the horse killed.

K. L. Manson, injured, rural mail carrier, struck by switch engine No. 869, at Woodmont Ave., Custer, June 12. There are gates at this crossing, but they had not been operated for a year on account of being out of repair.

Gertrude Schiff, aged sixteen years, and Gustave Schiff, aged twenty years, were injured while driving across the tracks at first crossing east of Granton, August 9, at 6:35 p.m., by being struck by engine. No whistle was blown for the station and bell not rung. The station employee, whose duty it was to be on the crossing to flag same when trains were pa.s.sing, had left there only an instant before the accident in order to go to the station house to a.s.sist in loading and unloading baggage for another train.

H. L. Connors, driving across the tracks near Lowell, November 18, was struck by engine. No whistle sounded or bell rung for the crossing. Whistling post not in right place.

M. A. Graves, while crossing the tracks at 9th Avenue and Wilbert street, Ontario, May 8, was struck by switch engine. No one on the engine knew that the accident had occurred.

Edward Langdon struck and killed by engine at 7:21 p.m., August 6, at Water and Orchard streets, Berlin. No one on the engine knew that an accident had occurred; train traveling twenty-five miles an hour. Ordinance provides speed limit of twelve miles an hour; gates at this crossing, but not in operation. If Rule 6 had been complied with this accident would not have occurred.

Wagon belonging to the Empire Novelty Company struck at Calkins at 9:37 a.m., October 29; wagon and contents badly damaged. Flagman at crossing claims to have been sick at the time of the accident, was in his shanty sitting down. He could not speak or understand English. Driver injured.

Many of these crossing accidents occur and no one on the engine knows that they happen. Whether it is because of the kind and position of the headlight now used or because the men on the engine are not keeping a proper lookout or by reason of the recent manner of construction of the large engines, making it impossible for the men in charge always to see an object on the track, I do not know, but I notice that some of the Cla.s.s G-9 engines have the air cylinder and pump on top of the running board. While riding on a train the other day, I asked an old runner whether they obstructed the view. His answer was an object lesson. He took his hat and placed it in front of the window opposite which I was riding and asked me if that obstructed my view. The cylinder could, I think, be put on the tank and the pump below the running board, which is now made wide enough to hold a political meeting on. Formerly they were narrow, just wide enough for a man to walk on, the old theory of construction being, as I understand it, that there should be nothing protruding from the sides of the boiler which would prevent the man in the cab seeing the bunting beam. If it were practicable to so construct the running boards and place air cylinders, pumps, etc., so that this could now be done, the engineman would certainly have a much better chance to see, and possibly some of these accidents be avoided.

And while the public insist upon our running trains at a high rate of speed and guarding the crossings with gates, flagmen, or warning bells, they, at the same time, for some inexplicable as well as unconscionable reason, attempt to hold railroads liable for all deaths and injuries, no matter how great the care and foresight the companies have exercised, or how gross the neglect of the injured party. It therefore behooves us to do everything possible to prevent such accidents, not only that we may thereby save life, but also money.

If gatemen and flagmen were uniformed and given authority to arrest persons crossing the track when gates are down and a penalty provided and enforced against people attempting to cross or walk upon a railroad track when the gates are down or they are warned by a flagman, accidents at crossings would be greatly reduced. As it is now the public compels the erection of the gates and then almost universally disregards them.

Before leaving this subject of accidents at highway crossings I want to call attention to Rule 12, which says that when cars are being pushed by an engine (except when shifting or making up trains in yards) a flagman must be on the leading car, and Rule 9, which requires that when cars are being switched over highway or street railway crossings a man must be stationed on the ground to act as flagman. Too much importance cannot be placed upon the observance of these rules, not occasionally, but always. If employees would comply with them fewer people would be injured. Try it and see.

In munic.i.p.alities, run as slowly and carefully as you can and see that the engine bell is always ringing. Rule 3. Freight trains in going through stations should reduce their speed and do so under control, as per Rule 6. The fireman, as well as the engineman, should be on his seat keeping a lookout, and not engaged in waving a signal to some one on another train or elsewhere, or putting in a fire, and the engineman should see that he does this. On the double track when you are going to meet another train at a crossing, try to get the engine over the highway before the tail end of the other train gets by it. If you can't do that, slow up a little, so as to give the people who may be waiting a chance to see you, and, if you think there is danger, open your whistle to let them know that you are coming; that is what the whistle is for.

In the country be sure to sound the whistle; not once, but four times as required by Rule 2, and see that the bell is kept ringing until the crossing is pa.s.sed, at dangerous and obscure crossings where you can neither see the travelers approaching nor they you; if you are running at a high rate of speed, sound the whistle before you get to the post, as well as at it. The law requiring the giving of this warning eighty rods from the highway was enacted when few trains exceeded twenty-five miles an hour. Now, when few pa.s.senger trains make less than forty, and many over seventy, in the open country, so little time elapses between the sounding of the whistle and the reaching of the highway that when possible more timely notice should be given.

And I want to say here that one of the difficulties met with in this cla.s.s of cases, is the fact that sometimes engineers fail to blow the whistle and ring the bell, and as long as men are human I suppose such things will happen; but let us commence now and try to do it every time. The greater the storm of rain, snow, or wind, the denser the fog, or the darker the night, the more important it is to give the warning. In most of the states the law provides penalties for failure to sound whistle or bell. Some day they will be enforced.

If there is any way to discover whether the engineman and trainmen are observing the signals, which are located along the track for the protection of the pa.s.sengers, other employees, travelers on the highways, themselves, and the property in their care, other than having inspectors observe their action on approaching signals, and ascertain if they give the required warning of their approach to highway crossings, etc., and you will advise the managements what it is, I am sure they will be glad to adopt such a plan. It has always been customary to have auditors examine the accounts of officers and agents handling money to see that not only are their accounts correct, that the money collected is remitted, but also to ascertain if the business of the company is done in accordance with the rules and a correct record kept of the transactions. No one for an instant thinks that the fact that the officers' and agents' accounts are examined is any discredit to them; most of us are not only willing but anxious that it should be done, as it is a protection to us as well as to the company. And if it is necessary to check up the officers and agents who handle money, is it not much more necessary to check up men who handle human beings and property of immense value, to see that they observe signals and rules before, instead of after, an accident?

And as it sometimes happens that an engineman will not notice that his headlight has gone out, especially when there is snow on the ground, any employee who sees an engine moving after dark without the headlight burning should stop it and tell the engineman; if you can't do it yourself call up the train dispatcher, so he can do it at the next station.

TRESPa.s.sERS

Occasionally we have an accident in which trespa.s.sers are killed or injured while walking or playing on the tracks, which might be avoided by greater care and watchfulness to discover their danger, by warning them of the approaching train, either by continuous sounding of the whistle, by slowing up, or by stopping when you have reason to think they do not know a train is coming, especially on the double track when trains are moving on both tracks. The most heartrending of them all are injuries to children, and, sometimes, to women.

Let me cite you several of such cases:

Albert Jennings, ten years old, was sitting on the tracks north of Lampton, July 9, at 10:45 a.m., where he was struck by a work train of twenty-two empty flats backing north and both legs crushed. Air not coupled in as required by Rule 44; no hand brakes on the cars. Conductor was on the front car; claims he was keeping a lookout, and although he had a clear view for over a quarter of a mile says he did not see the boy until he was within three or four car lengths of him.

Charles West, aged eighteen months, struck and killed 1,000 feet south of Savannah Station, June 16, by train. Child came on track through a break in the right of way fence.

Margaret Kennedy, struck and killed on June 13, at 6:10 p.m., while walking on the tracks inside the city limits of Utopia, by engine running about twenty-five miles an hour; although the engineman saw her in time to have stopped, he did not realize that she did not see or hear the train coming, and failed to do so.

Mrs. Helen Boston, eighty-four years old, struck and killed on a bridge near Lenox, September 1, at 4:35 p.m., by engine. Track is straight for about two miles and a half east of place of accident, and the woman wore a bright pink dress skirt. No one on the engine knew the accident had happened.

December 21, engine ran over G. P. Krauss, at 5:40 p.m., a quarter of a mile south of Slazenger. Engineman says he saw something lying on the track and thought it was a bough of evergreen. He did not know until he reached the station that anybody had been struck.

As the traffic and population increase, cases of this kind grow in number, and, for some unknown reason, the public think that, while they must keep off the property of private individuals, where there is no danger, they are privileged to go onto a railroad track where everyone knows there is great danger, and after doing so a few times, the courts say they have a license to do so, and that we must look out for them and see that they don't get hurt. On the same theory I suppose the courts would say after a man burglarizes your house six or seven times that he has a license to try it again, and if he gets hurt because too much force was used in throwing him out, that you must respond in damages. So when you discover that people, old or young, are making a custom of walking through the yards or on the track, report it to your superintendent before, not after, someone is killed or injured, and he will try to stop it. And if you find a child or a drunken man on the track, drive him off, because if you don't they are likely to get killed; and your company will not only back you up but thank you for your thoughtfulness.

INJURIES TO OUTSIDERS

Rule 27 says that cars must be placed so as not to project over highway crossings, and yet any one going over a railroad will see any number of them so left, and the result is that about once in so often a wagon strikes a car in an attempt to get across, a horse is frightened, and a runaway results, someone is hurt, and money paid to settle the claim.

A serious case of this kind occurred at Warburton, July 9, in which Mrs. Jansen was fatally injured, caused by her horse being frightened by a freight car which was left standing fifteen feet in the highway, the end of the car being on the crossing plank.

Horse ran away and she was thrown out.

When cars are left in such position they not only frighten horses and cause accidents similar to the one last mentioned, but also obstruct the view of approaching trains. Both the law and rules of the company prohibit this, and the practice should be stopped.

And right here I want to call attention to Rule 32, which prohibits engines standing within 100 feet of a highway crossing, under a bridge, or near cars occupied by pa.s.sengers, when it can be avoided, and yet the rule is so often disregarded that one wonders whether any one knows of its existence. Especially is this so with engines hauling pa.s.senger trains stopping at stations and occupying half of the highway, when they could just as conveniently be back some distance from it.

The stoppage of trains with the rear car standing in the highway should also be avoided so far as possible, particularly in the winter time, when there is always more or less steam leaking from the hose, as it is likely to frighten horses waiting to get by or in crossing the track.

Rules 18 and 50 say that trains must not block highway crossings more than five minutes. The failure to observe these rules is the cause of as much, if not more, criticism and profanity on the part of the public than almost any other one thing that train and switchmen do. No one but the person who is waiting to get across the track, and sometimes it is a doctor answering an emergency call, can realize how tantalizing and annoying it is, so, for goodness sake, observe the rules in the future.

LOCK TURNTABLES

Turntables should be locked (that is what Rule 31 says), and yet they are often left unlocked. The result is that children are attracted to the place, and sooner or later one of the little ones gets hurt as did the following, which are cited as examples:

Anthony Young, a ten-year-old boy, had his foot caught at Grandison, March 30, while playing on turntable which was unlocked.

Phillip Chartres, eight years old, injured at Alvin, August 14, 2:30 p.m., while playing on turntable, which is about 1,400 feet north of roundhouse. Turntable was not locked.

Now, it wouldn't take but an instant to lock the turntable. Why not do it and prevent some child, perhaps your own, from going through life a cripple?

Be careful not to leave any torpedoes around that are not attached to the rail, as required by Rule 7, and never put them on a rail in a highway; if you do children may pick them up and in playing with them get injured as did

John Newton, aged nine years, June 30, about two miles north of Walker. This little boy with his sister and another boy were returning from school, walking along the track. They picked up a torpedo lying alongside the track, and after trying to open it with a knife young Newton placed the torpedo on the rail and struck it with a stone, the torpedo exploded and pieces of the tin striking him in the eyes and face, badly injuring him.

DAMAGE BY FIRE TO ADJACENT PROPERTY

One of the great risks that every railroad that uses coal for fuel runs is the risk of fire to adjacent property started by sparks or ashes from engines. Any man running an engine ought to know from the sparks thrown out and fires started whether the engine is in good or bad order. Rule 29 says that the enginemen must report defects in netting and ash pans; this is required so that if the inspector overlooks the defect, or if one occurs between the regular inspections, it will be remedied before any damage is done, and if an engine is throwing more fire than she ought to, it is up to the engineer to report it and get it fixed. It will take less time than to make a report about the fire and condition of the engine, and, at the same time save both the owner of the property and the company a loss.

In the lumber and sawmill country it is especially important that this be done, and where engines are working in or around sawmills, lumber yards, powder and tie plants, and other places where danger of fire is great, the apparatus for preventing the escape of fire should be absolutely perfect, and it ought to be the personal business of the engineman to know that fact; he should be present when the inspection is made, and see that it is done thoroughly, the same as he would if he and not the company had to foot the bill if the engine started a fire.

On the outlying divisions where traffic is light and trains are few, if an engine starts a fire, stop and put it out. If conditions are such that you can't do that with safety, drop a note off to the first section crew or agent, so that they can send men out to extinguish the fire. If you don't the Lord only knows where it may run to (on the western prairies I have known it to go twenty-five miles) or how much damage it will do in the lumber country.

If the precautions suggested here, which are neither new nor original, but can be found in the rules and on the bulletin boards, had been adopted, none of the following cases would have occurred:

June 3, engine No. 2041 started a fire at Hansel & Woods Company's powder plant at Myron Valley; netting on this engine was in bad order; the hood provided by the company to be placed over the smokestacks of engines going into the plant of this company also in bad condition.