and the ties sound. No cause for the engine leaving the rails could be attributed.

Lake Shore and Michigan Southern.

April 6, 1886.-In the Buffalo yard, engine No. 163, having just cut loose from a train it had brought in, and on its way to the roundhouse, came into collision with engine 268 on its way to the depot to take a train out. M. Kegan, engineer of No. 163, was badly bruised and internally injured. Inquiry elicited the fact that the collision was due to the carelessness of both engineers.

August 13, 1886.- About three-quarters of a mile west of Westfield station William H. Allen, who was walking on the track in the same direction the train was going, was struck and killed. The alarms were sounded, but he did not seem to hear them until within one hundred feet, when he turned, and seeming to be confused, was struck before he could move off. The reply of the company to inquiries was that the man was a trespasser upon the tracks and was not near a crossing.

September 25, 1886.- At Dunkirk, at the Swan Street crossing, John Donovan, while attempting to cross the tracks in front of a moving engine, was struck and killed. The company replied to an inquiry that there were neither gates nor a flagman at the crossing, but that the view of the crossing was unobstructed for 183 feet.

Long Island.

April 7, 1886.-At the Graham Avenue crossing in Brooklyn, a wildcat came into collision with a horse-car crossing Graham avenue. Three passengers and a horse slightly injured. The company in reply to inquiries claimed that the fault lay entirely with the horse-car, and said there were neither gates nor flagman at the crossing, and that the tracks are of a branch rarely operated.

May 19, 1886.- Rapid transit train No. 552 struck Patrick Heaney at Waverly place and Atlantic avenue, Brooklyn, and killed him. He attempted to cross the track directly in front of the engine. In reply to inquiries, the company stated that there was no regular crossing at the point of the accident; that the street was eighty feet from curb to curb; that a fence protected the rails, and that at this point there was a three-foot opening for foot passage, and negligence on the part of the man Heaney alone was the cause of accident.

August 14, 1886.- Train No. 72 was a regular east-bound freight train which, on the morning in question, was run upon the siding and into the yard of the Grosjean factory, at Woodhaven, for the purpose of leaving loaded cars; the switch from the main track was left open and the rear of the train unprotected. While the switch was open a special bound east upon the main track ran into the siding, causing slight injuries to four and killing Fred H. Hartford, brakeman. In answer to inquiries as to what discipline had been exercised, the company replied that Doyle, the conductor of 72, was discharged.

Manhattan Elevated.

July 15, 1886.- Samuel Barius, a fireman, while lighting the headlight of his engine, was struck by a signal post, causing severe injuries.

This and a similar accident at Sixty-seventh street caused inquiries, to which the following reply was made:

"In reply to your communication of the 28th instant, relative to changing the positions of signals at Sixty-seventh street yard and at Greenwich street, near Battery place, I beg to say the subject will receive immediate attention, with the object of removing whatever causes of danger exist in the present arrangements. But, with the limited space we have on Greenwich street, the distance from curb to curb being occupied by the double-track structures of the Sixth and Ninth Avenue lines, it is difficult to work a change. However, the problem will be carefully considered and worked out, when, I trust, it will meet with the approval of the Board In conclusion, I would say the accidents were owing to the negligence of the employees who were injured, and, therefore, could have been avoided had they used ordinary care and complied with the instructions issued from time to time for their protection.

Respectfully yours,

F. K. HAIN,

General Manager.

New York Central and Hudson River.

October 5, 1885. Stephen Butler went to get on the deck of a car and near the roof, was struck by the high switch at La Salle, and knocked off to the ground. In answer to inquiry, the company said that the ladder he was climbing was on the side of the car, and that the switch stand was thirty-seven inches from the track.

October 10, 1885.- Charles Grant, a passenger, was standing on the step of a car looking at a hot box, when his head came in contact with one of the pillars at the south end of the Troy Union depot, into which the train was entering, and sustained severe injuries. Attention was called to this and the inquiry made as to the possibility of having the pillars removed further from the tracks. To this the company replied that when the depot was first constructed openings were left wide enough to permit the passage over two tracks, but the arches showing signs of failure, iron posts were inserted under the center of each arch, thus making room for the passage of passenger cars. The Board inquired whether any action was contemplated by the company looking to the removal of these posts. To this answer was made that such action would necessitate the entire reconstruction of the depot. The Board then sent its inspector to examine the depot who made the following report:

As instructed, I have made an examination of the Troy Union Railroad depot, in the city of Troy, and taken careful measurements of its portals or train entrances, in order to arrive at the space or width of clearance between the sides of passenger cars and engine cabs, and the columns of stone and iron, supporting the spring line and centers of arches.

These portals are five in number, at each end of the train house. They are twenty-four feet in width, and of proper height, and supported with brownstone columps twenty-eight by thirty inches section, and have a cushion stone of same material, against which the flat brick arches of same section abut. Above the arches are heavy brick end walls of train house, perforated with large open

ings, intended for ventilation, and in part, probably, to lessen the weight of end walls upon the arches.

These portal arches are quite flat, as shown on the sketch accompanying this report.

It appears that at the time these arches were being loaded they showed signs of liability to fail, and a cast iron column, with arched ribs on each side at top, so formed as to support the underside of the centers of the brick arches, were put in place, and they appear to answer the purpose intended, except that one arm of nine of these cast iron columns has broken off, as shown on the sketch. The brown-stone columns begin to show signs of crumbling, under action of climate, and while now of ample strength to support the imposed weight, it will be a question of time only when they will require to be replaced.

The extreme clear width of portals are twenty-four feet, and intended to be sufficient for a double track through each entrance. As now situated, the cast iron column in center of each portal reduces the total width to twenty-two feet nine inches.

New York Central and Hudson River passenger car No. 331, measures nine feet nine inches in width from out to out, thus leaving a space of nine and onefourth inches between sides of car and the adjoining stone or iron column. Several cars of same road, and a number of the New York Central sleeping cars, were measured, and found substantially of same width.

A locomotive cab of same road measured seven feet and ten inches over all, in width, and this width is nearly standard for all locomotive cabs that pass through these portals. The cabs have a clearance of twenty-one and one-quarter inches. You will notice that the greatest danger of injury to persons exist in the passenger protruding head or arms outside of car windows, or standing on platform steps and leaning outwardly, which they have no right to do while cars are in motion, but which in hurry of travel is often inadvertently done. This station is one of great importance; a number of lines here interchangé passengers. It be comes the more necessary for railway employees to be on the alert to warn the public from, perhaps, unconscious exposure to injury. with due care, is

The locomotive cabs are not so dangerous. Sufficient space, given to allow an engine man to look ahead from the outside of cab window, but not to look backward and obtain a side view of train, as is often done.

It does not appear to your inspector to "necessitate the entire reconstruction of the depot to make the change suggested," by "removing pillars far enough from the track to prevent accidents."

The end walls of train house support only half of roof panel at each end. Iron trusses support the entire interior roofing, and a similar truss at each end, resting upon buttresses, same as those now in use at interior panel points, would be sufficient, and thus leave the end of train house open, as is the construction of the Central-Hudson depot at Rochester. The material now in end walls is of sufficient value to pay for removal, and the cost would be that of two new iron trusses, with a wooden enclosure from arch of roof to lower end of truss.

The flat brick arches could be removed, and iron girders from pillar to pillar substituted, but such change would not be sufficient to entirely remove danger of accident.

The Board recommended that the suggestions of the report be carried out, when they were referred to the Troy Union Railroad

Company, who owned the depot and the tracks under it. Many endeavors have been made to get the matter before that company, but as the company has no responsible officers to deal with it, and it can only be dealt with by the directors, who so far as the Board can learn, rarely if ever meet, the matter has not been carried as yet to a conclusion, either satisfactory or unsatisfactory.

October 16, 1885.-W. A. Dakin was found dead on track just south of Broadway crossing, Kings Bridge; supposed that he was struck by passenger train No. 5, and run over. In answer to inquiries, the company stated that the crossing was protected.

October 22, 1885. Frank Stocking was injured at the new aqueduct, Albany, while on top a freight car; thought he was struck by a telegraph wire. In answer to inquiry, whether any thing had been done to remove the wire, the company replied that it had been removed. October 31, 1885.-Mary Donnelly was knocked down between. Thirty-sixth and Thirty-seventh streets, Eleventh avenue, New York city, by engine which was backing down as she attempted to cross the tracks when the engine was within five feet of her, and was slightly injured. Inquiry elicited the fact that there was not a flagman at this crossing and that flagmen were not kept at all the crossings, but that there were seven on Eleventh avenue, within a mile and a quarter.

December 25, 1885.-Charles Moulton attempted to drive across the track in front of the train at Whitesboro Street crossing at Rome. His sleigh was struck by the engine, and he was thrown out, sustaining slight injuries. Inquiry elicited the fact that the crossing is protected by gates between the hours of 6 A. M. and 7 P. M., and that this accident occurred at 7:40 P. M., therefore the gateman was not on duty. The bridge over the Erie canal somewhat interferes with the view.

January 19, 1886.- Richard Millward tried to cross the track in front of a moving engine at Hanlon's crossing at Spuyten Duyvil and was struck and killed. Inquiry elicited the fact that the crossing is protected by gates from 6:30 A. M. to 7:40 P. M., and that the man had been seen intoxicated about the various saloons of the neighborhood during the afternoon. He was killed about 8:30 P. M.

February 9, 1886.-John Griffiths, while climbing up the side ladder of a freight car, was struck by a bridge-guard and his shoulder blade broken, at Fonda. Inquiry was made as to whether these guard posts could not be removed further from the track, but the reply was that they could not be moved as they stood between tracks; however, the tracks would be spread, thus accomplishing the same result another way.

February 10, 1886.- George Butts was standing on top of tender of switching engine at the stone works' switch at Black Rock, and his head came in contact with the stone shed by which he was knocked off and two ribs broken. Inquiry was made as to whether the construction of this shed could not be so altered as to avoid these accidents. The stone company owning the shed, upon the solicitation of the railroad company, consented to remove the shed.

March 30, 1886.- Frank Severance, passenger, attempted to pass in front of a moving engine at the Rome passenger station, and was struck

by it, receiving severe injuries. Inquiry was made as to whether this accident had occurred at a highway crossing, and the reply was that it had not; the injured man was walking across the track trying to make a short cut to reach a train of the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburgh railroad on the north side of the station.

April 5, 1886.-One mile east of Skaneateles, three repairers of the Western Union Telegraph line were going east on a hand-car, and met a work train going west. Unable to extricate themselves from the hand car they were run into and thrown off the track. Charles McCurd was fatally, and J. Bailey badly, injured. Inquiry was made as to who had authority to permit the use of hand-cars, and who, in this instance, was to blame. The answer was that since the Western Union telegraph was constructed along the line of the road, it had had a small car to take their repairers over the road, with the understanding that they were to keep clear of trains. In this instance the man in charge had failed to ascertain whether a train was due or not.

May 21, 1886.-At Dykeman's station, A. F. Beardsley drove from behind the station and on to the track in front of moving train; his wagon was struck and he was thrown out sustaining a bad scalp wound. Inquiry as to whether there was a flagman and whether the view was unobstructed, elicted affirmative answers to both questions, but that Beardsley was behind the station house, which was adjoining the crossing, and starting rapidly, pulled directly on to the track before the moving train.

June 9, 1886. At the Jefferson Street crossing, Buffalo, Jennie Batkirocky, a girl nine years old, walking across the track, stepped in front of moving engine and was knocked down, two sleepers passing over her as she lay between the tracks. She was slightly injured. The answer of the company to inquiries was that there were neither gates nor a flagman at the crossing, and that the view was unobstructed for a long distance.

July 31, 1886.-At Warner's station, Robert McElroy crossed the tracks in front of a moving engine. The end of the pilot beam brushed across the small of his back. He was internally injured and died the next day. The company replied to inquiries that there was no grade crossing, and the man was a trespasser on the track.

August 1, 1886.-Joseph Peck was killed just south of the crossing at Cruger's, in attempting to cross the tracks in front of a moving engine. The company stated in reply to inquiries, that the crossing was guarded by a flagman, but that Peck was killed directly in front of the station building.

August 2, 1886. Half a mile west of Clyde station, the packing of an engine blew out, scalding the engineer, John D. Fries, and fracturing his skull. He died that morning. Inquiry as to responsibility for this accident brought the reply that the engine had had a thorough overhauling the previous October, and that the engineer had run the engine daily up to the date of the accident, making 100 miles each day. The accident being one that could not be foreseen, no one was held responsible.

September 7, 1886.-At Old Field's crossing, west of Rochester, Michael Pepper drove on to track with a span of horses; the engineer warned him by whistle and bell, but he whipped up his horses, and