St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-31
Coupling Cars Is Dangerous
to Life and Limb at
Present.
Improved Methods Suggested
for the Conduct Of Grain
Elevators.
Report Of the State Railroad
Commission ON Pertinent
Questions.

prepared by the state board of railroad
and warehouse commissioners, eonsti-
ttuting its second biennial report,
which was transmitted to Gov. Merriam
yesterday. In their communication the
commissioners state that the act Great
ing the board authorized it to investi-
gate and consider what, if any, amend
ment or revision of the railroad laws of
Minnesota the bestintereStS of the state
demanded. Attention is called to pre-
vlOus legislation Oh railroads and grain
warehouses, and the commission reneWS
its recommendations for the passage of
bills taxing gross receipts of corpora
tiOnS engaged in running cars over rail
roads, taxing railroad companies, regu-
lating the furnishing of cars and ship
ment of car load lots. weighing and
handling grain at st. Paul, Minneapolis
and Duluth, and at all points in Mime
sofa except those cities.
Concerning the subject of safety ap-
planes in connection with railroad
travel and service, the report states:
mon use for coupling freight cars, have
earned about as unenviabIe reputation
as the '''deadlY car stove" and are the
source in the aggregate, of many more
accidents, i'll which life or limb have
been sacrificed, than the stove, though
their victims fall one by one rather than
by dozens, and
DEATH IS LESS SENSATIONAL
and terrible than by the flames. The
railway employees in the United States,
who in pursuit of their perilous calling
are yearly killed OF injured, aggregated
the fearful number of 1874 in 1856, and
the slaughter increases with every adj
ditiOnaI mile of track. Nearly one-half
OF the total injuries received by train
men from all causes are from coupling
or uncoupling care. In the states of
Iowa and Minnesota alone, there were
1855 trainnen who were killed or in
Jured during the years of 1856 and 1887,
and OF these, 495, or SO per cent of all,
were from coupling or uncoupling cars.
Some cOntrivaDce for coupling which
will work automatically--sa saving the ne
cessity of lifting the link, guiding the
pin or going between the ears-Will re-
duce the number of accidents to the
minimum. '&'
Congress has never undertaken to'grap-
pie with he difficulties, but the master
car builders have. At a convention of
the master car builders held at Mime
apolis in June, 1887, having had the
matter under the discussion and DELHI
GRAFTON for long time previous thereto,
they adopted what is commonly known
as the .janney type of coupler. The
action of the car builders does not settle
the question. The manufacture for
new cars of couplers Of the type recon-
mended is more expensive than that of
the link and pin, while re-equipping
THOUSANDS OF OLD CARS
To-
considerable outlay, and in the esti-
nation of railway managers, will result
in postponing provisions for this work
till it shall be made mandatory by law
of congress oriOf the state. + #
Important changes in the grain and
ware house laws are suggested. 1t is
proposed to make all grain ware houses
in which grain is handled for compen-
sation in the cities of st. Paul, Mime
apolis and Duluth public ware houses
and subject to the control of the law.
Not a ware house in St.Paul is licensed.
The first year in Minneapolis but two
applications for license were received.
In Duluth every elevator became pub
lie ware house under the law. The sec
ond year, however, there were six pub
lie ware houses in Minneapolis. In 1888
there were no applications for license
do u puDiiC ware uOuSG III UlllS StCtGt GA
cept from the city of Duluth.
In the light of this experience we
deem it OF vital Importance that all
grain ware houses and subject to the
provisions of the law.
Another important change suggested
in the grain law is that all grain be in
spected on arrival and before delivery
to consignee. In no other way can be
secured inspection and weighing of all
grain marketed. which is the prime
OBJECT OF THE LAW.
Heretofore grain put into special bins.
out of condition, under the law was re-
quired to be inspected out under the
grade it went in, regardless of it's
changed condition. 1t is proposed now
that such grain taken in, out Of condi-
ton. in such bins. shall be Inspected
upon its merits when it goes out. This
is for the purpose OF saving grain, damp
or otherwise out Of condition. for the
shown that 1T was necessary to
protect the crops of farm
ers shipping directly from the field.
No specific charges for storage are
provided, for the reason that they
should be subject to such changes as
will make them just and equitable at
different times and under changed COIL
ditions. In presenting an act propos-
ing the regulation of warehouSing and
handling of grain at places other than
st. Paul, Minneapolis and Duluth, this
is submitted in response to general
demand form all parts of the state.
The volume of grain handled in such
houses is large. 1t is deposited there
often to remain many months. Much
of it is the property of persons not
accustomed
TO GUARD THEMSELVES
. fir ON imposition Or dishonest practices.
We have endeavored so to limit this
law as to prevent fraud and oppression
as far as possible in grain trade, with
out embarrassing its free movement in
the usual course of business. 1t in
cludes provision that no person shall
handle grain for compensation, for
another, without a license; that such
license shall be reyocable upon the
complaint Of any county attorney upon
satisfactory proof of violation of the
law.
Such grain houses shall keep set of
books. in which shall be kept the
weight, grade and dockage of all grain
received. They shall give receipts
therefor. which shall state the quantity
and grade of such grain.
No warehouse receipt shall be issued
except upon the actual delivery of
grain into the grain house; no ware
houseman shall insert into such re-
ceipt any language limiting his liability
as imposed by law: all owners of ware
houses shall furnish the commission, on
oath, statement of the condition and
MANAGEMENT of business, when so re-