Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 310, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 December 1910 — RAIL’S AWFUL TOLL OF DEATH [ARTICLE]

RAIL’S AWFUL TOLL OF DEATH

Gruesome Total of 3,804 Lives LostArraignment of Careless Transportation Methods. The annual compilation of railroad fatalities in this country shows a gruesome total of 3,804 lives lost, and arouses once more the recurrent comment upon the recklessness of our transportation methods. Unless the railroads are to be done away with altogether, however, it is difficult to see how the accidents are going to be avoided. The number of such casualties varies) directly with the amount of traffic, as has been proved conclusively by the statistics. This year it is higher than last year by 1,013 deaths. Business is better than in the preceding period, however—the calculations are made from July to July, It should be remembered—and the cost is duly reckoned) on fate’s books and paid by the nation. In the year before the last the deaths totaled 2,827. In the year next preceding they amounted to 4,759, and tai 1906 they were an even 6,000. So that, while more were killed In 1909 than ta 1908, the number was almost I,oo© lower than In 1907 and only a little more than one-half the total of 1906. It seems fair to say that the American railroads are making decided advances in carefulness. The volume of traffic Is probably smaller to some extent than in 1907 and 1906, but it has certainly not fallen off In anything like the proportion of the reduction ta fatalities. There is a net gain. If a great loss. The totals are stin large, but this Is a large country and ships a large amount of freight over its rails.