Morning journal and courier., 1880-08-13
COIOr-Blindness.

Hartford. Also present were George H! Watrous, president of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad :; Dr. Carmalt, of this city; Hon. John H. Leeds, of New Haven; Dr. P. A. Jewett, of New Haven;
 Dr. P. W. Ellsworth, of Hartford ; MT. Colt, of New London; Mr. Woodruff. of Litchfeld, member of the Board of Railroad Commis- sioners and the lawyer who drafted the law in question; Superintendent Stevenson, of the Shore Line railroad; Superintendent Beach, of the Naugatuck railroad; Su- perintendent Stillson, of the Heusa- tonic railroad; Superintendent Quintard, of the Derby railroad; officers of the Connecticut Western and other rail roads, Master Mechanic Hennery of the Hart ford road, and Engineers Chatterton and Baker of the New York road, Sam Rand of the Shore Line road, Seagers of the Nauga- tuck road, Charles Pike of the Danbury road and Peleg Brown of the Housatonic road. The Board, previous to opening their hear ing, transacted some regular business. The business of the hearing was opened with the reading of the letter from Col Wright asking for the hearing in behalf of his clients. Col. Wright followed with a very able address, in 1 which he reviewed the law technically in it's legal aspects, and held that under the law the Board of Health was clothed with power to prescribe such tests as would meet the re- quirements of the case that 1t was not con- fined arbitrarily to the tests which had been imposed. The spirit of the law required evidently nothing unjust nor fanciful, but simply such measures as would effect the object designed in such law. The Board had power to designate such tests 1 as would meet the object and spirit of the law. He held that in its operation as applied by the tests, the law had done mischief and
 worked injustice. After fully presenting these views in an elaborate argument, based 1 also upon authorities, and particularly de-
 nouncing the fancy worsteds, Col. Wright I called upon President Watrous.
 President Watrous in powerful speech held that the law prescribed or demanded no | fanciful or theoretical tests. Its evident ob- | iect was to secure competent service and the l security of the public. Now whatever tests met this requirement fulfilled the spirit of the | law. The tests demanded were, he said, not ] fanciful or theoretical, but such as would ! | law. In other words practical tests were re- I quired. He held that the Board had full power under the law to prescribe the tests. l The speaker continued at some length en- forcing these views, and referred to the tests l to which his men had been subjected, hold l ing that they were fanciful and theoretical. He eloquently spoke of the long years of ser vice of men upon his lines, who after record I without a flaw, had been pronounced disqual- l fled They were men in whom he had the utmost confidence, and the worsted tests had l not impaired it an iota. He wanted fair and practical test.
 Among the other speakers was John H. I Leeds, of New Haven who for an hour ad- ! vocated the cause of the railroad men, and 1 speaking from a large store of practical knowledge, and with force and vigor, he | made also strong impression.
 1 MT. Colt, of New London, made telling, l spirited speech of quarter of an hours du- l ration holding that the Board had power to prescribe the tests, and that certain tests I which worked injustice were not contempla- 1 ted
 l Mr. Woodruff of the Railroad Commis-
 sioners, explained that as the lawyer member of that Board he drew up the law He de- | tended the law safeguard to the public, l and cited from Dr. Jeffries as to the value of | the Investigations of color-blindness. He held that the absence of data and statistics
 as to the number of accidents caused by l color blindness did not weigh against the law, 1 as this subject is comparatively new. Having ! thus promised, he held that no rigid rule
 as to tests for their application had been laid 1 down in the law, and that any tests which would meet the object of such law was all
 that was contemplated in the framing of the l law.
 Colonel Wright sandwiched in in the pro- ceedings and during the speeches many prac- tical questions. frequently keeping up run
 ming fire, bearing upon the subject and the
 claims of his clients. The petitions of the
 railroad men, huge, bulky mass, were be-
 fore the Board. They allege, as is known, that the tests are too severe for practical utility and may be advantageously modified, and pray that changes may be made in this direction. Colonel Wright in the course of
 his remarks quoted the test requiring an en- 1 gineer to tell small letters distance of twen- l absurd as to require members of the Board
 to detect fly on the roof of the Capitol | Dr. P. A. Jewett, of this city, stated the tests made by him personally in the case | of railroad employees who had been pro-
 nounced disqualified. He had found as the result that the tests were unsound and would
 not stand the light of practical sense Engineer Baker, of the New York road,
 stated his case to the Board
 The hearing, which began at about ? o'clock, lasted until about 7. Col Wright l then asked if the Board desired to adjourn
 until another day and prolong the hearing, as 1 many in the audience and no doubt members of the Board wished to return home, and the
 train for New Haven being soon to leave
 The Board stated that they were satisfied to declare the hearing adjourned, and instructed
 the counsel for the employees, Col Wright, to prepare and submit for the approval of the Board such tests as he should deem practical and sufficient, which the Board could take
 under consideration and report upon at future day.
 The Board of Health, it is proper to insert, are the final authority under the law as to
 whether the decisions of the examining phy-
 sicians shall stand. In pursuance of this
 
 cases of Engineers Baker, Close and Rand
 and gave them frst-class certificates. Parallel Road.
 The following persons have land on the
 layout of the proposed Parallel road The
 commissioners meet August 2Oth to hear ob-
 jections, if any:
 New Haven-Richard s. Fellows, Isaac T. Banks, Ellen Maloney, of Is Day street.
 West Haven-W. w. Ward, Christ church parish.
 orange-Joseph B. Thompson, Frank Pallman, Maria E. Downs, Salvina A. Futile, George Hofer, Thomas Mills, Rose Shan ley, Samuel A. Stevens, Franklin M. Robin son, Patrick Mor1issey, William Hall, George McDermott, Mary J. Bishop, James g. Bailey, Eli N. Clark.
 Oxford-John Pope, administrator.
 Milford-Harvey T. Ford, Elias Clark, William Bartlett, Richard Platt, Edmond