INJURIES TO EMPLOYEES CAUSED BY THE CARELESSNESS OF OTHER EMPLOYEES
And, first, as in the case of passengers, those caused by collisions. From the number of collisions on the main track and in yards one would almost think that the general and fundamental customs and rules on railroads that "In case of doubt always adopt the safe course," and that "Speed must always be sacrificed to safety" were seldom observed; on the contrary, I believe it to be the exception and not the rule, else the number of accidents resulting from such failure, though many times what they should be (and as long as men are human we will have some accidents), would be so much greater in number that people would be unwilling to travel at all. I believe that in the near future the number of such cases will be so greatly reduced that the least thoughtful of us will stand aghast at the record of 1904 and 1905, and that these fundamental rules and the instructions contained in what are known as the "Flag Rules" and "Caution Card," will be so strictly observed and enforced and that blocking of trains by space, not time, intervals will become so general as to practically eliminate this class of accidents, which are caused:
By failure to watch for and observe block and other signals.
By trains following each other too closely.
By trains following at too high a rate of speed.
By failure to protect trains stopped on the main track.
By cars not being left in to clear at sidings.
By switches being left wrong.
By lack of caution in time of storm or fog; and
By general carelessness and failure to realize the terrible result which is bound to follow any lack of care, failure to comply with the rules and the uncertainty of detection and punishment if such carelessness and failure to comply with rules does not cause an accident.