Railroads in 1907 -- Fatalities

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Bluefield Daily Telegraph
November 9, 1907

5,000 KILLED
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Interstate Commerce Commission Report Tells of Loss of Life on Railroads Last Year
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    Washington, Nov. 8.--The interstate commerce commission bulletin on accidents upon railroads of the United States during the year ended June 30 last shows the total casualties to be 81, 286 or 5,000 persons killed and 76,286 injured.  This is an increase of 10,352 casualties, or 775 more killed and 9,577 more injured than the previous year.  These figures include only accidents to passengers and employes while actually on duty on or about trains.  The bulletin says:
    "There have been heavy increases in all of the items, except accidents in car coupling and from striking against overhead obstructions.  The number of passengers killed and injured in collisions and derailments has increased to an alarming degree.  In this item the very large total reported in 1905 is now exceeded by 17 per cent.
    "The comparative smallness of the increases in casualties due to coupling and uncoupling cars, and in accidents to men on the tops of freight cars is undoubtedly due in large measure to improvement in the maintenance and care of automatic couplers and to the increased use of air brakes on freight trains.
    "The disastrous record of casualties to passengers in train accidents (410 killed) is due in large measure to ten accidents which caused the death of 291 persons."
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[Thankfully, great progress has been made in both passenger and employee safety since those sometimes romanticized days.]

Gordon Hamilton
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