Page:The truth about the railroads (IA truthaboutrailro00elli).pdf/206

Rh total of 10,185. Included in the figures for the United States were 5434 trespassers, and it is well known that in most European countries the public realize they have no right to trespass on railroad property, while in this country, except in a few states, people think the railroad right of way can be used as a highway, with the result that there are about 14 trespassers a day killed in the United States. These trespassers not only lose their own lives, but endanger most seriously the lives of employees and passengers on the trains.

Absolute obedience is not encouraged enough in American education or in the American home, and in spite of everything that railroad managers can do, it is very difficult to secure absolute obedience to reasonable rules.

Nearly $300,000,000 is needed to install suitable block signals on the American railroads, which means an annual charge for maintenance and depreciation of about $75,000,000.

The revenue of the railroads is collected in the main from the handling of property and passengers, and they cannot pay out more than Rh