Editor Railway Conductor:

Apropos to my last letter as to why railroading is so dangerous in free America, I find the subject of such magnitude that it is almost impossible with this limited space to give a clear understanding, considering all points and their many bearings.

There must be something radically wrong in American methods when compared with the casualties in other countries.

With so many causes of accidents it is difficult, more than that, it is impossible to center on any one point that will furnish the desired solution. A report issued by the Interstate Commerce Commission, Oct. 18th, shows that the total number of casualties to persons on railroads in the United States during the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1904, was 55,130 comprising 3,787 killed and 51,343 injured. This shows a large increase over the previous year. The total number of collisions and derailments 11,291, involving $9,383,077 damages to cars, engines and roadway. This is an increase of 648 collisions and derailments, over the previous year. The casualties were an increase of 233 killed and 5366 injured, over the preceding year.

The Washington correspondent of the New York Evening Post has been on a tour of investigation, and the report is exceedingly interesting as well as mortifying, for it shows that a majority of these accidents are due to negligence or oversight of the employes. The Interstate Commerce Commission reports on twenty-seven serious railroad accidents, and fifteen of the twenty-seven are due to employe's negligence. On that basis over fifty per cent of accidents are laid at our door, while the remainder is due to the officials and other causes.

The New York Herald gives a summary of nine years and the result was 65,145 killed, and 439,542 injured, on a fifty per cent basis the employes were parties to that slaughter. While no one supposes that these casualties were intentional, it was never-the-less due to our oversight, and it is now our duty to use every possible means to avoid such repetition. To obviate

the slaughter, important members of the Commission recommend: extension of block signals, reduction of hours of labor of railroad employes, elimination of all inexperienced men and boys in the despatching service, abolition of the train order system and substitution therefor of the electric staff system and double tracks; with these recommendations backed by the conditions of the officials, will endeavor to reduce the disasters and will doubtless, to a degree, be successful and it is therefore doubly important that we should use our utmost to minimize our over fifty per cent and see how many we can reduce the totals of killed and injured, this year over last. It is true the responsibilities of the conductor have increased with the business, in much greater proportion than has his compensation, but there should be no neglect on his part, for this reason; his efforts should increase with his responsibilities.

As an illustration of increased responsibility, in 1879 and '80, the capacity of an ordinary car was 20,000 lbs. and twenty or twenty five cars was a train, at this day the car capacity is 80,000 lbs. and a train frequently sixty to seventyfive cars, so the present day conductor has really three trains in one, as compared with the conductor then. Certainly we have more facilities and better conditions, and consequently the conductor must never lag, but keep "hustling" in order to hold his schedule, and with this perpetual strenuosity he must not overlook his orders, which are more numerous than in years past. His orders should be watched with a care akin to affection, he should never allow them to go out of his sight, keep them in your hand and never place them in a book which is kept in your pocket, until sometime after the point of execution has been passed. Our memory is treacherous at best, and should not be burdened with train orders any more than the car numbers or any other responsibility. I have seen conductors carefully fold orders and place them in a book, and as carefully put them away in their pockets as if they did not expect to refer to them again until they reached their desti

nation; and then the thought occurred to me, if at the critical moment, would they remember that book and those orders which they so carefully placed out of sight, and so naturally out of mind?

No other domestic problem is more important to the American people than the prevention of railroad accidents and it is up to the "man behind the gun" to exert every possible means to avert the horrible catastrophies which have been so frequent and so fatal in recent years. We must school ourselves, for the day is not far away when some drastic measure will be enacted to punish the crew when it is shown that it was their fault and the sooner we realize and profit by that realization the sooner we will be benefited and the public, will be spared and relieved from this horrible suspense.

Since the above was written the Railroad Commission of South Carolina has given the report for the year ending June 30th. We append the report for the three largest systems:

Editor Railway Conductor:

Where are we at? Politically speaking we know, but from a railroad view I mean. We have built "castles in the air" for the past two or three years, that have fallen with tremendous crashes-we have gathered up the fragments with care and patched up another just such "castle," with the same result. Our line has been in an unsettled condition so long that we have been kept in a flutter. Since the C. H. & D. took us (C. C. & L.) in, talk has gone the usual course regarding J. P. Morgan & Co. securing the entire system, and operating in connection with Erie. This would even be better for all concerned, as the Chicago terminal question would be settled at once, and this alone has apparently been the contending problem. Anything will suit us, just so we get the business, which by the way is good, as we are doing all we possibly can with the limited power at hand. Two of a lot of ten engines ordered by C. C. L., have arrived, and the C. H. & D. has taken them-we want them, which is quite another question. Commencing Oct. 1st, we are working under a schedule which gave us quite a substantial increase. It took the conductors fifteen days to get the schedule, and think each did all in his power.

We have been recognized as the Order of Railway Conductors, which is a great deal, so that any time with a notice to the Company, of thirty days, we can take up any matter pertaining to the schedule. Taking into consideration the year-the financial conditions, etc., I am proud of our success. Brother Wilkins complimented

us on our success in the matter. By the way, Brother Wilkins is fully posted on matters pertaining to the Order, and is a fine gentleman, good enough looking to be President of United States. [Rather guess that will hold you for a while, Brother W.-ED.] There was not any considerable number of Brothers at the Division room the day Brother Wilkin was with us, in fact, several were in town and could have attended. How any conductors can be in on such an occasion and not attend, is something I cannot quite understand. Further, Brothers, how can you be in and not attend regular meetings? Many times there is just enough for a quorumsometimes there not enough to open lodge. This is an important matter. Try for the interest of the faithful officers that go regular, and encourage them. We lose our faithful secretary and treasurer, Brother F. H. Dickinson who has effected a settlement with the Wabash Co. and goes to LaFayette or Tipton to become yardmaster at a substantial salary. We dislike to lose such conductors. Brother Dickinson has been a faithful attendant at meetings-fully informed on questions pertaining to by-laws, etc. Not one of us but might be just as well informed. Why not read up on the by-laws just the same as the book of rules? I am just home from the Division rooms where we elected officers for the ensuing year.

Now Brothers, please see the necessity of being present to help the new officers with their work.

But

When this letter appears in THE CONDUCTOR, we will have about completed another year. A new leaf is about to be turned in the book of Time, and each one of us is almost a page nearer the finis which concludes life's history. The well thumbed pages of the past-some illuminated with the pictures of hope, others blotted with the tears of sorrow, are turned down forever. Their contents are past revising. Those items are transferred to the records of eternity, and what is written, is written so there can be no erasures, alterations or interlineations. the white leaves of safety are before us-a new page is directly under our hand. Our Superintendent with his force of assistants, has removed from Cincinnati to Peru where our dispatchers and M. M. are located. From a seemingly reliable source comes the report that our passenger trains are to go into Chicago, via the Erie from North Judson. We were pleased to see a line from Box Butte 429-sorry to learn of Brother G. L. Sanborn's death. Come again, Brother, the latch string still hangs outside 125, Keep the new pages clean, Brothers. Peru, Ind.

DOUBLE E. S.

Again will we soon be called upon to meet in Grand Division of our noble organization, in the far west. While the thought of again meeting the good Brothers and extending the glad hand of Brotherly love, brings to our minds many pleasant memories of the past, and while we are reminded that there are many things for which we should be thankful, there is always

something springing up before us, which brings sorrow to our heart, profound sorrow. How many of our dear Brothers whom we met at the last convention in Pittsburg, Pa., have been called to the great beyond! Some of God's noblemen have been called away, and their presence, sound talks, and advice on every subject will be sadly missed. These dear Brothers have for many years past, been our closest associates, and their demise and absence in our convention is a lamentable fact. But the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, and we can say nothing more than Blessed be the name of the Lord. The proverb is that the good die young, which is very true, even when such men as Brothers J. B. W. Johntson, R. E. Purden and T. S. Clarkson, permanent members, are taken from us at a ripe old age, they were true to the cause and good, useful members of the O. R. C., and I very sincerely desire to extend my sympathy to the bereaved ones. Harrisburg, Pa.

Editor Railway Conductor:

J. P. STUTSMAN.

I have been on a strike for some time and hoped to be discharged from this position, then, had they done so I would have got mad and quit, but at our election the Division ordered me back to work with no advance in salary and would not let me quit either. I also received another high and responsible office by a unanimous vote-that of sitting in the little office on west end of the Division all alone, my duty being to guard against the approach of caravans and rubber necks and see that none pass or repass except those who are qualified. It is a very easy matter to get an office that no one wants and these were all that were left after the jobs were all culled over. My election was a regular landslide and actually was a surprise to myself to know I was so popular.

We were truly sorry indeed to part with the services of our good and worthy Brother E. E. Williams. However, our C. C. elect, J. C. Spangler is a crackerjack and we are satisfied that he will allow no one but the ritual to dictate to him. We have a snug little bank account and more in sight, and the future looks quite bright for us.

On the 27th of November we had public installation and after Division closed the L. A. No. 11 and other visitors were admitted and the installation ceremonies were administered to the officers elect in a very proficient and impressive manner-Brothers Flory and Ferbeck officiating. Then followed some very appropriate remarks by different Brothers. The next in order was the best of all, as the good ladies of No. 11 L. A. led us to the banquet hall where they had an elegant spread in waiting for us, which is their usual custom. The festive board was loaded to its fullest capacity with the very best the market could produce and was served by those good Sisters in a manner pleasing to all. We would very much enjoy just such a festival about twelve times a year. But I do think without any jesting or joking, that it would be beneficial to all to have more of these socials

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than we do. It has a natural tendency to create a more friendly feeling, brings us closer together and prevents a certain amount of selfishness which is always sure to accumulate in such cases. We at one time had these meetings quite frequently, which, I assure you, were enjoyable as well as filling.

The show that St. Louis has been having for the last seven months is now a thing of the past, and there are many, no doubt, who are sorry that it ever happened—for instance, those who lost their loved ones in wrecks of different kinds. People will wonder why there were so many wrecks on the railroads of late. No one seems to know and it does seem strange when we think of all the stringent rules and every. thing up to date in the way of safety appliances, seniority and the age limit.

Brother Hot Tamales we extend to you our heartfelt sympathy in your sad bereavement. Console yourself my dear brother in the hope and belief that your loss is the loved one's gain. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away: blessed be the name of the Lord. St. Louis, Mo. DOC LIVINGSTON.

Editor Railway Conductor:

It has been so long since you have heard from Division 341, part of this is chargeable to me as I was elected journal agent for 1904, but as you will see by the list of officers elected for 1905, I hope that Brother Hoke will do better. I hope the Brothers will look out for Brother Hoke at Portland, Ore., next summer for he certainly is an ideal representative. We do not care what the Brothers do but only return him to Canadawaran Division 341, when they get all the fun they can out of him. I will close for this time and you will hear more from our Division through our new correspondent. Norwich, N. Y.

CURTIS W. DONNAN.

Editor Railway Conductor:

Palmetto Division 208, O. R. C., held its annual meeting on the 13th of November.

The Division has sixty-six active members. With the exception of about six, all the rest are employed on the two systems running in this section (viz., the A. C. L., & So. Ry.) The Brothers are now running regular, and will soon be putting in over-time, as the fertilizer season will soon begin, when both men and cars will be scarce.

Candidates are in evidence, we have one for initiation at our next regular meeting. We hold our meetings every 2nd and 4th Sunday in each month, three o'clock p. m. at Pythian Castle Hall. All Brothers welcome. T. H. S. Charleston, S. C.

Editor Railway Conductor:

It is with renewed energy and encouragement that I again take up the subject of old age. I notice with pleasure that there is much interest being manifested in the columns of THE CONDUCTOR, also communications which I have received the past two months have greatly en

couraged me to continue along the lines laid down in my former appeal to the conductors.

Do not let your interest stop with street corner talk, but take it up in your Division rooms, and discuss the best methods to combat this question.

You young conductors that can look forward to several years of service, before the question will affect you, are the ones to take hold of the matter, as it is you the managers are looking to at the present time. Remember your term of service before you reach the age of thirty-five is shorter than after.

And you, the old conductors, who have your apparently, secure position take this matter up with all the energy of your age, as it means your future welfare. Be it short or long for once you lose your position, such hardships await you, as I have seen scores of our members undergoing, within the past two years, seeking in vain for a situation to enable them to send a little money to those loved ones left behind.

They travel from place to place only to be told they are beyond the years of usefulness, 35 years, and he wonders and deplores, the lack of interest the organization which he has helped build up and support for the past twenty or twenty-five years, takes in him.

Brothers, I am writing from neither the standpoint of a young nor an old conductor, but between the two, with a clear view of the past and the future, and believe I'm safe in saying that my judgment in the question at hand meets with the approval of both the old and the young. Another question confronting our organization which should be brought forcibly before the coming convention is, if we are unable to protect and provide for the older of our members, there should be provision made to pay them their insurance, for they are under the existing conditions as badly disabled from service in their chosen profession as though disabled by the cars.

And what inducement have we to continue paying into something that unless we are disabled before we reach the age of thirty-five we can never hope to realize from it, as it would be quite out of the question to continue payments into our insurance after we had entered into some other vocation, when so many insurances are cheaper. [Brother C., you certainly have not read up on our insurance laws and compared them with others-many of our members carry our insurance who are not and have not been in railway service for many years. We don't think there is as cheap and as secure insurance on earth as ours.- ED.]

I think, Brothers, that these are all facts, and that you will agree with me in my statements.

As to how we are to solve this question is a matter for the committees to take up at once and not delay. And by all means in our power try to eliminate this question entirely from our relations with the railroads. Or at least fix such a standard that will meet with our approval and all Brothers, over that age be paid their insur. ance. Let that be the standard of our age limit, for full insurance. [A few figures will show how

absurd this idea is-a conservative estimate of our membership will show that over 60 percent are over 35 years of age, or for this purpose say 16,000 are over 35, and to carry out Brother C.'s idea would therefore require $16,000,000, allowing only $1000 to each member and many of them have $2000 and many have $3000. Reference to the October issue of THE CONDUCTOR shows a combined credit to the mortuary, reserve and expense fund of the Mutual Benefit Department amounting to $333,565.61. Brother Cornelius, if you can figure out how to pay $16,000,000 with $333,565.61 it strikes me you can get a job, the salary of which would make that of the president of the United States look like thirty cents.-ED.]

I have always been in hearty accord with our organization in the conservative way in which we have always handled questions of importance with the railroads and hope in this case we may be equally as successful. In the event of not meeting with success, we must take the other extreme and carry this matter through at whatever cost, as it will mean the life or death of the Order of Railway Conductors.

One of our great political parties nominated a man at the advanced age of eighty-one years for vice-president, who, in the event of the death of the president would be deemed competent to handle the destinies of this great nation. and pilot our ship of state to a safe harbor.

But the railroad conductor over the advanced age of thirty five is considered too old by the railroad managers to pilot a string of box cars from one terminal to another. Here is a picture, Brothers, were it not for its seriousness to us, would be a laughing matter.

This man may be chosen by the majority of the voters of the country to represent them as at least second in power, while a few of our weak-brained railroad managers say we are neither mentally nor physically able to handle their interests, when forty-six years younger than this man.

And now comes the Carnegie Steel Co., with a circular that informs their men that none will hereafter be employed over the age of thirty-five, and forty in some departments. And this crime will be condoned by the greatest hypocrite the world has ever known. I suppose it will be in line for him to erect a few more libraries to comfort those that this measure affects.

Brothers, is it any wonder that crime is on the increase in the United States? What have we to look forward to in this one-sided battle for existence, with conditions getting harder every day.

I have always frowned down anything that sounded of anarchy or disregard of the laws of our land, but I do not think it requires much intelligence in the observing man to see that the monied class of the United States are digging a pit for themselves that they will fill within a decade unless conditions change for the better very rapidly.

I have strayed somewhat from my original subject, will add a few more words, then close.