Wagon belonging to the Empire Novelty Company struck at Calkins at 9:37 a.m., October 29; wagon and contents badly damaged. Flagman at crossing claims to have been sick at the time of the accident, was in his shanty sitting down. He could not speak or understand English. Driver injured. Many of these crossing accidents occur and no one on the engine knows that they happen. Whether it is because of the kind and position of the headlight now used or because the men on the engine are not keeping a proper lookout or by reason of the recent manner of construction of the large engines, making it impossible for the men in charge always to see an object on the track, I do not know, but I notice that some of the Class G-9 engines have the air cylinder and pump on top of the running board. While riding on a train the other day, I asked an old runner whether they obstructed the view. His answer was an object lesson. He took his hat and placed it in front of the window opposite which I was riding and asked me if that obstructed my view. The cylinder could, I think, be put on the tank and the pump below the running board, which is now made wide enough to hold a political meeting on. Formerly they were narrow, just wide enough for a man to walk on, the old theory of construction being, as I understand it, that there should be nothing protruding from the sides of the boiler which would prevent the man in the cab seeing the bunting beam. If it were practicable to so construct the running boards and place air cylinders, pumps, etc., so that this could now be done, the engineman would certainly have a much better chance to see, and possibly some of these accidents be avoided. And while the public insist upon our running trains at a high rate of speed and guarding the crossings with gates, flagmen, or warning bells, they, at the same time, for some inexplicable as well as unconscionable reason, attempt to hold railroads liable for all deaths and injuries, no matter how great the care and foresight the companies have exercised, or how gross the neglect of the injured party. It therefore behooves us to do everything possible to prevent such accidents, not only that we may thereby save life, but also money. If gatemen and flagmen were uniformed and given authority to arrest persons crossing the track when gates are down and a penalty provided and enforced against people attempting to cross or walk upon a railroad track when the gates are down or they are warned by a flagman, accidents at crossings would be greatly reduced. As it is now the public compels the erection of the gates and then almost universally disregards them.