Chapter L: N. Corbey, brakeman, injured at Calton, Nov. 28; went into coal

shed to get coal for caboose. In coming out he stepped on a broken
board in the floor of coal shed and sprained his left knee and
left hand.

H. L. Minturn, injured at Acworth, Jan. 16, while running to throw
a switch, he ran into a three-throw switch upon which there was no
light.

Jacob Paley, boiler-maker helper, injured July 11, at Hinsdale;
was striking punch knocking out rivet; the punch came off the
handle and struck him in the eye.

A. D. Yarrow, injured April 3, at Alberon, while throwing switch
near roundhouse, the switch light fell and struck him on the head.

Albert Kaufmann, machinist helper, injured July 6, at Hamburg; was
in roundhouse working near dynamo belt, which became unlaced and
loose end of belt came round and struck him on the left arm.

ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY OBSTRUCTIONS

Next in order, I wish to call your attention to accidents caused by overhead obstructions, drawbars, lumber, poles, cinders, and other obstructions left too near the rail, holes and trenches left uncovered, and failure to block guard-rails and frogs, etc. Everybody is or should be familiar with Rules 45 and 49, which require blocking of frogs and guard-rails and a clear space of six feet from the rail, and yet one would sometimes think, from the appearance of some yards, side tracks and switches, that the rules, like the midnight closing ordinance, were dead letters. It, however, is the intention and desire of the managements that they, like all other rules, should be enforced, and no one is so much interested in that enforcement as the train and yard men, who work in the yards and on side tracks and switches. If they had been observed, or if their non-observance had been reported by the men who must have known of their violation, none of the following accidents would have occurred:

P. B. Montgomery, brakeman, fatally injured at Mason, while
attempting to uncouple car G., P. & A. No. 593 from O., M. & C.
No. 1783; chain on pin being broken; blocking gone from
guard-rail.

John Lenahan, switchman, killed at Juniper, June 4; footboard of
switch engine on which he was riding struck a telephone pole lying
in the grass alongside the track, throwing Lenahan under the
engine.

P. D. Kendrick, brakeman, injured at Bentley, Jan. 5, 7:00 p.m.;
was riding on the side of a box car, when he was struck by a spike
sticking in a board, which was part of the fence around the cellar
which was being excavated for the new depot at Bentley. It was
necessary to amputate two fingers of Kendrick's right hand, his
right leg, and he also received a very bad scalp wound.

Peter Alton, brakeman, was climbing up the side of A., B. & C. car
No. 2843, at Hackley, when he was struck and knocked off the car
by a highway crossing sign at that place, and so badly injured
that it was necessary to amputate both his legs below the knee,
and his right shoulder blade was also broken. This crossing sign
cleared this car only 2 ft.

K. G. Purdy, switchman, killed in Walton yards, Dec. 10; caused by
his being knocked off the top of a car by the Avery Street viaduct
and run over and killed.

I want to call especial attention to the Alton, Montgomery, Purdy and Kendrick cases. In the former the crossing sign had been in the same place for over 20 years. The man who put it there, roadmasters, and section foremen, who should have discovered its dangerous proximity to the track and moved it to a safe distance, the one required by Rule 49, were grossly careless, and the injured man and other trainmen who had passed it daily for years must have discovered that it was too close to the track, and if they had reported it, as they should have done, this accident would not have happened, and they were blamable for not doing so. In the Montgomery case the section foreman was at fault for not properly blocking the frog, as required by Rule 45, the roadmaster for not seeing it was done, and the car inspector and repairer for not discovering that the coupling apparatus was defective and repairing it. In the Purdy case the management was at fault for not seeing that warning whips were up for the viaduct--they are now; and in the Kendrick case the man who hung up the lamp too close to the track to warn people, instead of making it a protection, increased the danger, and the division engineer who allowed it to be done was inexcusably careless. Such cases not only swell the total number, but account in a large measure for the total increase in personal injury accounts of the railroads.

Section foremen do not seem to realize the importance of examining the whip guards for overhead obstructions every time they pass them to see that they are in proper position and if not, pull them down with the hook provided for that purpose. If the roadmasters would be more particular to see that this is done we would have fewer accidents of this kind in the future.

And in removing hand cars in yards, place them far enough away from the rails so that a man riding on the side of a freight car won't be struck by them, as happened to

A. T. Swanson, brakeman, injured at Tracy, Aug. 30; he was hanging
on the side of a car, and was struck by the handle of a hand car,
which had been left too near to clear a man on a car.

ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY CARELESSNESS OF ENGINEMEN

I shall next call your attention to accidents caused by carelessness of enginemen which should not have happened and with proper care and thoughtfulness will not occur in the future:

George Bowman, engineman, killed at Holstein, on Sept. 9; caused
by engine running off the track, this being the end of the road,
and the first time Bowman or any of the crew on the train, other
than one brakeman, had been over the line. A section foreman, who
was sent along as pilot, claims to have told Bowman when he came
to the Y, north of the depot, but Bowman paid no attention to the
warning, and made no effort to stop. This engineman had been on
duty for 14 hours when he got to Creever, at about 12 o'clock
midnight, and asked for 8 hours' sleep, but was sent out again in
four hours and a half.

Michael O'Neill, turntable man, injured Oct 17, at Patten; he was
pushing turntable with engine on it, and while doing so engine ran
off before he got it to the stall where it was to go in; struck
him on left shoulder.

Ralph Burnham, rear brakeman, train No. 55, seriously injured at
Bradley, night of Dec. 21, by being caught between the tender of
engine No. 641 and the mail car. This man was standing on east
side of track and started to cross over to the west side to help
couple the air, steam hose and whistle. He knew the engine was
coming back, but owing to the amount of steam escaping from it did
not realize it was so close, and before he could get over was
caught. The steam was escaping from the steam hose at the back of
the tender. It is customary for some engineers to have this steam
blowing off as they are backing up to make couplings; others shut
off the steam, as when it is blowing off it is almost impossible
for the brakeman to see. Why should not all enginemen shut it off?

In a double track district, if you are running on the wrong track and there are any section men working on the track or employees or others walking or running on the track, you should act upon the theory that even if they know you are coming they will think you are on the track usually occupied, and until you know that they actually understand the conditions you must be prepared to stop in time to prevent injuring them. And if two trains are passing on the double track and there is anyone around, don't let it be your fault that an injury occurs because ample warning was not given of the approach of two trains instead of one.

John Cooper, section laborer, struck and killed by engine No.
1564, April 16, at 9:00 a.m., near Steuben, while working on the
track, cleaning the crossing, engine was running on south-bound
track. Although running on the wrong track, engineman is unable to
say whether or not he whistled for the crossing. No one on the
engine saw the man.

ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY MOVING CARS ON OR UNDER WHICH MEN ARE WORKING

Injuries caused by the moving of cars being iced or on or under which men are working seem to me of a class so inexcusable as to merit the discharge of the party at fault. Think how you would feel if you or your boy was under, on, or in, a car with a flag out and someone moved the car without notice and you or he was run over. The following are a few such cases:

Philip Elder, car cleaner, injured at Armstrong, July 5; caused by
train being moved by switch engine while he was on the ladder
filling the water cooler.

Patrick Connelly, car repairer, injured Nov. 29, at Falesburg, was
under end of car on repair track; Switchman Moody backed train No.
27 on No. 5 track, and cars did not clear coach No. 368; it struck
the car under which Connelly was working, moving it about 10 ft.
and dragging Connelly, who caught hold of brake-beam. Flag out as
required by Rule 1.

A. F. Brown, car cleaner, injured at Perryville yards, May 3, at
10:00 a.m., was working in smoker No. 762; engine No. 37 coupled
onto the car and pushed it down track and it collided with some
other cars, knocking this woman down. No switchman riding on the
car at the time of the accident.

Injuries caused by carelessness in throwing switches and derails we all know ought not to occur, and yet they are of frequent occurrence. The following are samples.

G. M. Claney, engineman; Alfred Dolan, fireman; injured about 10
a.m., June 4, at Peronia; after going in on side track to get some
cars, got signal from brakeman to come ahead. Brakeman failed to
throw derailing switch, and while going to main line engine left
the track, went down embankment, and turned over.

Richard Jones, brakeman, injured May 7, at Nelson. Foreman Brinson
told him to cut off two cars and ride them out onto main line, and
after he had started the foreman noticed an engine coming up the
main line, and threw switch for side track, the cars collided and
he was thrown down in car.

ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY KICKING CABOOSES

Accidents caused by kicking caboose cars in which men are resting are of altogether too frequent occurrence, and are as inexcusable as they are frequent. Rule No. 10 should, I think, prohibit the practice, as it does of moving cars containing passengers unless coupled to the engine and air-brakes in use. Had this been done, the following cases would not have happened:

K. M. Simpson, brakeman, injured Dec. 12, at Albion, was in
way-car cleaning ashes out of stove, when the way-car was struck
by another car kicked onto it by switchman, throwing him against
end of car.

Paul O'Connor and E. Putnam, brakemen, injured Feb. 22, at
Dodworths, were asleep in caboose No. 1473, on caboose track.
Switch engine went in and got caboose and kicked it out on lead.
It did not clear the switch track, and as other cars were kicked
back on caboose track it was struck by them throwing these men to
the floor.

Indeed, I believe that if the practice of kicking freight cars in yards and at stations was prohibited the saving in the cost of repairs of equipment and for damage to contents of cars would be greater than the increase in pay-roll caused by necessary increase in the number of men in the crews.

Speaking of accidents of this kind brings to mind those resulting from careless handling of boarding cars, which are now so common during the summer season. We all know the class of people who inhabit boarding cars, how little they appreciate the danger, that they are on the sides, top, under, and in the cars. So handle them, not as some brakemen do egg cases, but carefully; never move the cars without going to see that no one is under them cooking his dinner, that the occupants of cars are all in a place of safety, and never make a fly or kick with them, always have the engine coupled up, and don't uncouple it until the car has got to the place it is to be left. Roadmasters and foremen should see that the opening for ingress and egress from the cars is on the side away from the traffic. The switch to the track on which the cars stand should be locked and the key in the foreman's pocket, or else a rail taken up so that no one can get in on the track without notice. If you run across any cases where this is not done, report them before, not after, some one is hurt.

MOTOR AND HAND CAR ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES TO SECTION MEN

Before leaving the subject of injuries to employees caused by the carelessness of other employees, I want to mention some motor and hand car accidents and injuries to section men caused by the use of defective cars, by fast running, overloading, and by failure to comply with the rules. Why men on motor cars and hand cars coming in from work want to run faster than is safe (they never do it on the way out), why they should overload, use defective cars, run closer together than 300 feet, be out after dark without a light, leave their cars on the highways to obstruct the same and frighten horses, contrary to Rules 46, 47, and 48, we may perhaps guess. And yet we can see no good reason for failure to comply with the rules which are made for their own protection, as well as that of the company, and if more careful instructions were given them by the roadmasters and more supervision exercised, many of the accidents mentioned below would not have happened. And on account of the class of men now employed on the track, such instruction and supervision is more necessary than ever, as the records show that we have many more such cases in proportion to the mileage and business than we did a few years ago.

G. Botticelli, laborer, injured March 23, south of Yerkesville,
was riding on the front end of hand car, which was being followed
by another hand car; section foreman signaled to the rear car not
to come too close to first car, signal was not heeded and the
second car ran into the first, derailing it.

H. P. Dennis, laborer, injured May 28, west of Orion; caused by
the handle of a hand car breaking.

N. R. Forbes, injured near Larkin, June 24, with four other men,
was riding on a hand car going home from work. While going down
grade, trying to get to station before train pulled out, car
jumped track, all the men were thrown off, and Forbes injured.

In passing over highway crossings, especially in cities and in running past stations, hand and motor cars should be so run that the man in charge could stop the car in its own length.

INJURIES TO EMPLOYEES CAUSED BY THEIR OWN CARELESSNESS

Lastly, I shall call your attention to a few of the accidents in which employees are injured by their own carelessness, thoughtlessness or recklessness, and frequently it is the latter. If we could eliminate them and one-half of those caused by the carelessness of other employees much of the unfavorable criticism of railroads would cease, as the cause would no longer exist.

We will take up some of the most common accidents of this class, caused by coupling cars, getting on or off, or falling from, trains or engines, moving or standing. The following cases will serve to illustrate how frequently unnecessary chances are taken and the result.

Can anyone imagine a reason why a man of common sense who is old enough to be out of school should stand on a footboard and when the couplers are almost together put his hand in between them to pull them over or try to kick them over with his foot, walk backwards, contrary to Rule 51, between the rails fixing a Jenney to get ready to couple, instead of stopping the car or engine and getting the coupler in position; why they should stand in the middle of the track and wait for an approaching engine or car to reach them and then step onto the footboard or brake-beam, when they could just as well get on the side or other end, and do it with safety; why men jump on an engine pilot, which Rule 33 prohibits, or on a moving car to ride a few feet to a switch, when the same is going so fast as to make it dangerous, unless they want to show how expert they are; why they should get off moving cars or engines under the same circumstances; why a man should not get off a standing car or engine without getting hurt; undertake to climb from car to car when unnecessary; cross the track in front of moving cars or engines, when they are so close to them that to the uninitiated it looks like suicide; or cross between cars, when they could just as well climb over? But rather than take the time, which the company pays for, they take the chances, and then if they get across, like the man who drove over in front of the engine at the last highway crossing and waited on the other side to see the train go by, they wait until the tail end comes along and get on there, but if they get caught blame the engineman for coming too fast, or the company for not having the track nickel plated, or for having a handhold in the wrong place.

Why they should allow themselves to be struck frequently in broad daylight by overhead obstructions, for which tell-tales are erected to warn them; by building close to the track, with the location of which they are familiar. Yet rather than work their gray matter a little, they get hurt. Why a man sent out to look after broken rails or defects in the track shouldn't watch for trains from both directions or take the trouble to ascertain before starting whether trains are on time. And yet we all know that just such chances are taken every day with results shown in the following cases, which are such as happen all the time; the only reason or excuse that can be given for them, that I can imagine, is, that the men injured never should have been employed; that instead of being employed on trains and engines and drawing--not earning--more pay than principals of schools, and frequently than school superintendents, they should be working in a barn or shoveling dirt instead of on a railroad, where their recklessness, carelessness, and failure to realize the dangers of the business and the necessity of complying with the rules and taking no unnecessary chances, not only endanger their own lives, but those of others. They are of the same class that the railroad organizations, for the protection of their desirable membership, ought to help get out of the service, not try to keep in until someone is seriously injured or killed, and then complain and say the company is liable because they kept such a grossly careless, incompetent man in the service; and if you will think for a minute, you will know that none of the careful, forehanded men--the men who own homes and have a little money in the bank--are in this class.

I will first refer you to some cases caused in coupling cars, and by getting on and off cars, of which the following are fair samples, each of which not only could but should have been avoided by the exercise of a little common sense by the injured person:

G. L. Penston, collector, injured at Wanley, May 10; went in to
uncouple hose after getting train onto track; did not tell anyone
he was going in between the cars; other cars were switched onto
train and his head was caught between the cars.

Henry Kendrick, switchman, injured at Mertonville, March 13; was
standing on front footboard of engine, which was about to couple
onto a car; draw-bar on engine was too far to one side to make the
coupling and Kendrick attempted to kick it over with his foot, but
missed it and his foot was caught and crushed.