New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-14
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
TO SAVE THE LIVES OF TRAlNMEN.
Tx MISSIONER COFFIN PLEADS FOR Iho'r
IMPERILLED BY THE HANDBEAKE
AND COUPLING-PIN.
TO tho Editor Of Tho Tribune'

AND COUPLING-PlN'
TO tho Editor OF Tho Tribune -,
Sir: IN editorial in The Tribune OF Fepr"''' - -
uniform counlcr, ON freight cars shows that 80" are
Interested in matter to which the writer n'' ~"
great deal Of thought and TO which he Is no" s''7
entire time Having been for five years one Vi 'o
Gailroad Commissioners Of Iowa. he had become ucoP'
Interested in the terrible slaughter Oh Tram "., 49,
had directed himself to careful anu eA"'"
vestcation OF the causes that led TO thc o'ii" i
lice Of lie and limb OF these faithful serN""'a Va
public II is now ascertaincd beyond all posso'c ''
troversy that not les, than twenty seven c'su"u "
life mr. limb occur I'm the United states daily o" W."
causes alone which are clearly prevcnaDie-'hc 'o"
inucd use Of the old common INK anu pm w
coupling carr, and the hand-braKc iN'"' I
famIlic, a day must either have the scIN''' "
undertaken or the surgeon because oil inc 'o"'.'"1
li,c Of those old time al planes t"a' 9"'''" 49, 80
have b,cn relocated TO the place where sleep '''' "
,tumcnts Of torture that dl-sr'ce" o"' "'
DAYS Of the Inqu>ition. . .,
Far some month, the writer had been abonhg VIII
the last Congress 10 get II to recognize ''o IT,
these railroad men to greater safety III the'r '' ~
work pcrilous above all others, III thc wet -
had been prepared on the basis OF the IOWA i"'
enacted last wntcr-and had been through tc o'"'"
-, the committees and reported back " 'n'
uo,se its MASSAGE unanimously recommended ou',
while not one member in twenty could DC lo' opPO
to the bill yet because Of the mNeraDic n'O
and the reckless waste Of time IL 'ouu 'o' W ~
M and passed The report of the Interstate O'l,
merce Commission shows that not less TIA" io'o'O
If these vounc able bodied men have to sacrhce en0'
LIE mr. Imb yearly to the penurOusncsS OF the O"Her'
Of railroads , Tho
rn,n Whose skirts is the blood Of these men Inc
other day terrible collision occurred III tile t"' Va
n ~ the road, in your city. several lives were los'
and the whole land is up in arms anu M" '''''
ar. held by tie coroner responsible re' I'cro "0
twenty seven Of these brave, faithful young men
,ut down every day " the roand year anu '""
from the two CAUSES which every honest PIa'''"'
r., ilroad man knows and Will admit are cicd''' P'
ycntable and what coroner hoIds tis 'o'"p'"''' ~
,pJu,blcl
rh, writer defes any railroad manager Or owner
D., c.,,, the following propositions: There are auto
matte af, and practical coupIers that would mako
Il ID safe 10 couple freight cars ~ pAasGnsGfi
,Ars, continuous power btdHes arc d, I, ,' Nh
applicable - freight "A 10 I'd'aciSci va, conn,
cent OF the accident, TO GrEcne" c nr cent
nom coupling passenger ,af2 ~ ron IF fr,ish
tncrr IS more need ot having men on top ~ 80"
lr7,u, to handle hand brakes to control ua.ns
than there i TO have them OH top v % tbc cnrinee
n hi, cab Just easily and ~ readily a pa',tl4T
car trains. VINO them let mo rcpcst-l' copvh'IOc lo
Th,rc i, not any more doubt about the practical
DO, .ibiluy using sale automatic coupler ana pV"c
.laKcs on freight trains than ther l. Vi ""t
of safe heating on PASSENGER cars anu 81 , =, i
particle Of doubt about eithci' IL i ci'!.a a..
,unldity and StubiOrnucss OF maHagcr> or the Cup\
and RIGHTEOUSNESS, of boards O directors VINO VII nov
make the appropriations l''''H", ~ N''""
thr manager, 10 adopt these safety appIian cS !.
managers viii not act. the board oi aI',u,N M'Ii
Unt Then clearly it Is the duty OF the legislative
roycr to act and to act at once. .,,
rhr vrtrr IL aware that he has stated starting
u-,n,-itnu- lie feels that he hts u llsht Il" 40
20 lie ha> given these matter year OF ihFe7,lsa
ton. The railroad men Of this Nat.oh HOY ." =,
hc i, speaking from knowledge. N"ne VIII dare 10
'nmr h,frr,. The public and attempt to iriut' thc
propositions made. Then, too NJ i sIVlninI u, y"
half Of the hundred, II thousands OF tram men IN
u.5 H. -u 'Wn WV l.. |. COFFIN
Fort Dodge Iowa. March H. lr'l.