, 1880-08-16

TtEE oct Of Tie Connecticut Legislature
requiring all rnilroat1 employees to lc examined
for cOlur-bifndnc9s was pnssel1 Nnrrh, t8yQ. It
provides TINT tho tests shnl 10 prescribed by tho
1tonrsl Of t3cnlth: a1d my rcraon not possessing
n certt8eate showing that he has passed Il aue-
ccssf'l examination shall bo llnbtc to ilno Ut
fruni $cQ tU n. Tho 11osrtl pf FIcn1th divided
tho employees Into two classos, tho first cnss III
c1uttng engineers, firun,en, aft braltenlbn, md
tho scconis clnsssnll others. Il rsnn haldIng n
second c1nsa certificate c,,,ot work az engineer
fireman, or brakeman without pnssirE 1lrst-
c1nas examination. The test for color rbltu.incss
Is described ns follows: M lot of colorcla skens
Ut worstetl arc laitl III ttlbfo One largo ykeln
Is tnltetl up by thu cInMhcr. md tho rllrOAtl
man Ii ordered to pick ort from tho rtlo Ut
skctns nil ahndca Of thai color" 10 test tho
rist,nt power, tho lcnlfng tcst ordered wnB ono
in which tho person 10 DO exnn.!ned Is stntioncd
twenty-five feet ANny from some !otters nn6
figures ihrec.cishtlls Of an inch long, nnd In
turn ctoso cac oyo anl thon correctly nun,o
na ninny OF tho letters or figures rs tho ox-
tn,ucr tnay cn)i for: It Is these hpothpds Of
testing tlt ha causctl nit tho trouble, uni for
modification Ut which tho t1lllr0nd mon nro 1e-
titiotitng. Prof. William II. Car1nalt, tho re-
t>awnet ophthatnIst, OF Yate Cnllegc. and DIR.
WfliIum I. lsdtbn OF Hartford, wefe appointed
to n.nkc tho examinations. They alSiaed 1b9.
stato lotwccn them, Prof. Cartnnlt taking tho
ebHtHVtH ppl AVHt AtA consequently GAuiHtLa4s3s
tho employees OF tito Now York & Now Haven
Railroad. Tho very f!rst dny Prof. CaEmntt refused
tn Hrnnt fIrBt-c!ss certificates To two engineers
who n1 bees, In loc,np,oy Ut tho Company runsly
years, O,iD 0f them having run engine twenty
eight yenrs. Tho visual power of both wAs
found to bu defective. 1t wis subsequently ul-
lrget1 thAt ane OF thonl, Engineer I.n!l.rd, could
readily lsttnRust from tho Inst Lynn tlrnw-
bridge stgHals II milo away, an,l, when tested by
George II. Wntrous, tho Prcsldent Of tho 1aontl,
could seq iMttur aud further With tho nn!tul uyo
thun tho hitter gentleman With his gaHscs on.
Other cBgncurs of tho road, being fearful of'n
liku fntc, begun then to clnfnor fer practical
tests III p1aeu Of tose devised by tho Professors.
Tic rnnttGr 3inutty BECAME uf such Importance
that tho Republican Stnto Convention 1T lts lust
session pissed tho following resolutions:
I'esoiresl. That. thu Stato Ioarl Of Health nro
requested to lnnku HuEh nNcAints modification
Of ttInsr rtes Mii reHlifntfOns infer tito act Vt
hnrei. let0. eofleernlnH tnur-hlindness ln rull-
rD1I.1 erUyGs, Us Will permit all such employees
AA Are ltiw Illlsc tn distinguish tho ctnrS Alil Gg
,,uls used BY rn!rond companies In ts stnto 1T
praettcAi dstttsloes to conttnuc lt tllc!r sevcrnt
pinccs " Hnty until after tho session Of tho next
f;s ssps:d, Hill, II my legislation Is necessary
that tho next Legislature anAke such nier,,ttons
III Chip u Of thu Public Acts Of 1ss0 Ns will re-
tHlrc only tho examination Hf railroad employees
by prnct!cnl tests IN tic hnnlts Of prRcticnf men,
These resolutions Will, 1t ts thought, satisfy
the r1,f,roal men. As there wcro from 1,5Oo to
.,00O votes depending IN tho Issue neither party
could ntFord to Ignore tho request of tho men;
md ts substantial Justice scoma to be ganornlly
admitted.