MASONS.

In connection with maintenance-of-way work masons are required for the construction of foundations for bridges or other permanentway structures. Only 3 cases of injuries to masons were reported, and all of these were nonfatal injuries.

PAINTERS.

Painters are required to assist in keeping in good condition the various permanent-way structures, such as fences, crossing gates, bridges, stations, tool houses, towers, switch shanties, etc. Painters are also employed in the repair and construction of cars in shops, but in New Jersey the most of the painters in the railroad service are engaged in work along the line. There were 19 injuries to painters returned under that specific occupation title during the period 1888 to 1907. Of the 19 cases, 2 were fatal and 17 were nonfatal injuries. The injuries to painters, in New Jersey, at least, are principally caused by the movement of trains and by falls. The exposure of painters to accidental injury is apparently about the same as that of carpenters.

WRECK EMPLOYEES.

In the statistics of injuries to railway employees in New Jersey during the period 1888 to 1907, there were 30 injuries reported as having occurred to men employed in the work of removing or clearing wrecks. One was a wreck master, one a derrick foreman, and one a hoisting engineer. These 3 were nonfatally injured. In addition 27 wreck removers (not otherwise specified) received nonfatal injuries. There were no fatal injuries to men employed in the clearing of wrecks, but it is quite probable that some men employed at this work were injured, fatally or nonfatally, and were returned either as laborers or as section hands.

PILE DRIVERS.

There were 2 foremen pile drivers nonfatally injured.

IRON WORKERS.

In bridge and other large construction work structural-iron workers are required in railroad service. There were 8 of these returned as having been injured during the 20-year period, and of these 6 were killed and 2 were nonfatally injured.

DRAWBRIDGE TENDERS.

During the 20-year period, 1888 to 1907, there were 13 drawbridge tenders returned under that title as having met with injuries. Of this number, 7 were killed and 6 were nonfatally injured. The

details of these accidents indicate that there are two principal causes of accidents to this class of railway employees; they are specially liable to injury from movement of trains and from the movement of the draw itself.

CROSSING GATEMEN AND FLAGMEN.

Railroad-crossing tending or guarding is an important occupation in the railroad service. Wherever the population is dense, and street traffic correspondingly so, or wherever there is intersection of one railroad with another, a crossing gateman or flagman is required to be on duty when the crossings are at grade. Some of the larger roads in New Jersey, particularly the Morris and Essex division of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western, the Pennsylvania Railroad, and the Central Railroad of New Jersey, have elevated their tracks in some of the more congested sections within a comparatively recent period, and this has eliminated to a considerable extent the necessity for employing gatemen and crossing flagmen. During the twenty years, 1888 to 1907, there were 83 crossing gatemen and flagmen returned as injured in New Jersey, and of these, 42, or 50.6 per cent, were killed and 41, or 49.4 per cent, were nonfatally injured.

The following table gives a convenient summary of the accidents to this group of railway employees, classified by causes of accidents:

CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS TO CROSSING GATEMEN AND FLAGMEN FATALLY AND NONFATALLY INJURED IN NEW JERSEY, 1888 TO 1907.

[Data compiled from the annual reports of the railroads of New Jersey to the state comptroller.]

The table shows that 40, or 95.2 per cent, of all the fatal accidents were caused by the victims being struck by trains, engines, or cars. Of the 41 nonfatal injuries, 23, or 56 per cent, were due to the same cause. Also, it is interesting to note that 2 of the nonfatal injuries resulted from the injured persons being struck or otherwise injured by runaway teams. Other details of the table are self-explanatory.

In the next table are presented the summary statistics of nonfatal injuries to crossing gatemen and flagmen, classified by nature and extent of the injuries:

NATURE AND EXTENT OF NONFATAL INJURIES TO CROSSING GATEMEN AND FLAGMEN INJURED IN ACCIDENTS IN NEW JERSEY, 1888 TO 1907.

[Data compiled from the annual reports of the railroads of New Jersey to the state comptroller.]

SUMMARY OF NONFATAL INJURIES TO CROSSING GATEMEN AND FLAGMEN, BY

For various purposes, and particularly in connection with signal apparatus, etc., electricians are employed in railway service. During the twenty years, 1888 to 1907, there were 17 electricians returned as injured, of whom 2 were fatally injured.

SWITCH TENDERS.

In connection with the maintenance of way it is often necessary to employ special men, particularly in large yards and at terminal points, to tend switches. In other words, where the movement of cars, freight and passenger, is sufficiently frequent to warrant it, the labor is differentiated in such manner that the brakemen are not required to throw switches except occasionally, but special men, sometimes termed ground switchmen, are stationed at switching

points and throw the switches by manual labor. In some cases switches are thrown by operators in towers or switch stations, and this is coming to be the usual method where there are a large number of tracks requiring more or less continuous switch-throwing operations. From a tower or switch station the operator or leverman can control a considerable number of switches with comparative ease and with considerably less danger than if the work were done from the ground. During the twenty years, 1888 to 1907, there were 81 switch tenders, so specified, who were injured while in the performance of their duties, of whom 15, or 18.5 per cent, were fatally injured, and 66, or 81.5 per cent, were nonfatally injured. The statistics, tabulated in the usual form, are presented in the following tables:

CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS TO SWITCH TENDERS FATALLY AND NONFATALLY INJURED IN NEW JERSEY, 1888 TO 1907.

[Data compiled from the annual reports of the railroads of New Jersey to the state comptroller.]

NATURE AND EXTENT OF NONFATAL INJURIES TO SWITCH TENDERS INJURED

IN ACCIDENTS IN NEW JERSEY, 1888 TO 1907.

[Data compiled from the annual reports of the railroads of New Jersey to the state comptroller.]

SUMMARY OF NONFATAL INJURIES TO SWITCH TENDERS, BY NATURE OF THE INJURY.

From these returns it appears that of the 15 fatal accidents to switch tenders, 14, or 93.3 per cent, were killed by being struck by trains, locomotives, or cars. The other fatal injury was by coupling. Of the 66 nonfatal injuries, 15, or 22.7 per cent, were due to the injured persons being struck by trains, locomotives, or cars, and 47, or 71.2 per cent, resulted from the handling of switches.

The statistics showing the classification of the accidents by nature and extent of the injuries indicate that at least 15 per cent were more or less serious and involved permanent disability. One of these, for example, was the loss of an arm, 1 the loss of a leg, and 1 the loss of a foot; 1 was a fracture of a rib, and 1 a fracture of a leg. Of crushed parts, 2 were of a finger and 2 were of a foot. The other details of the tables are self-explanatory.

SWITCH REPAIRERS, OILERS, AND CLEANERS.

The repairing, oiling, cleaning, and general care of switches, particularly at terminal points or in large yards, is an important part of the work of maintenance of way. During the period 1888 to 1907, 14 switch repairers, 3 switch oilers, and 7 switch cleaners were returned as having been injured. Of the 24 cases of injury, 6 represented fatal accidents. It may be pointed out that, as a general thing, switch repairing and oiling is done by section hands, and under the supervision of the section foreman. Where switches are numerous, however, and where it is especially important that they be kept in excellent condition because of the volume of traffic, the labor of repairing, oiling, cleaning, etc., is differentiated.

EMPLOYEES OPERATING, REPAIRING, ETC., SIGNALS. Finally, under this group of maintenance-of-way employees we have to consider the men engaged in the operation, repair, and general care of signals. This department of railway service is assuming more and more importance. The so-called block signal system is of comparatively recent development. The signal systems used on the railroads may be entirely automatic, in part automatic and in part manual, or entirely manual. The signal system of a given section of the permanent way is under the supervision of either a supervisor of signals or an engineer of signals. Different roads use differ