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.