The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-15
LEGISLATION AGAINST ACCIDENTS
An Interesting Letter by Col. 81. g.
Haines on the Subject.
From The Nelo York Evening Pos

| An Interesting Letter by Col 81. 8.
| Haines on the Subject.
From the Nelc York Evening Post.
SIR-The editorial on the subject Of rail-
way accidents in your issue of the 29.h inst.
referring to proposed compulsory legisla-
ton for securing the general adoption OF
so-called automatic car couplers, con-
tains Information which cannot be disre-
garded in a serious discussion looking to
practical results. You quote the Tribune
as saying, There is no good reason to be-
lieve that the railroads will soon provide
an adequate remedy of their own volition."
This statement is open to correction.
The inefficiency of the link and pin coup
Ter has long been SO obvious as to be famil-
lar object for the display OF that ingenuity
| which has given the American inventor
world wide fame But however ingenious
many Of tie devices might have been that
were to displace the Objectionable coupler,
| they could neither operate with that coLp-
| Ter nor with each other in a satisfactory
way. The fact that interchangeable action
was essential to success became 50 evident
that the link and pin continued in use for
| freight service. In passenger service il was
| sufficient that cars on any one road should
| be fitted with the came coupler This per-
mltred the use, first OF the Miller hook COUP
Ter aud atterwnrd of another type of hook
| coupler, which, under the name of the jan
| ney coupler, is now in general use on all
| passenger trains in this country.
The Janney coupler had one feature which
was soon recognized as meritorious. that is
! known as the vertical HOOK and the in
Vulnerable army of inventors seized upon
| this idea as the basis for host of patented
| devices varying in other respects and still
| incapable Of interchangeable action.
| Another valuable inventon had by this
time been generally introduced into passen-
| ger train service, the air-brake which has
made the name of Westinghouse famous.
| This style of brake could only be available
with cars close coupled together, and the
vertical hook type Of coupler is we'll suited
| for this purpose.
After much expenditure of mo ley in i9o-
| lated experiments, the railroad companies
of this country, through their technical
| representatives in the Master Car-Builders'
Association, adopted what is known as the
| master car builders contour linen and
required this liue to be conformed TO in the
construction of all vertical hook couplers
| presented to the railroad companies for
trial. This was great point gained, for
all couplers conforming to this contour line
would couple together. regardless of their
| differences in other respects
The work Of experiment then proceeded
under this restriction until, out Of the many
stood out as the most promising. At this
point the American Railway Association
took the matter up through its committee
on safety appliances.
This ASSOCIATION of railway companies
represented by their managing officers, had
already, as the general time convention,
secured the general adoption of standard
time, Of a uniform system OF lamp and hand
signals for trainmen, and of uniform code
OF train rules The character of its OTgaui-
cation and of its relation to the railroad
corporations rendered it wen lifted to secure
the general adoption also OF a system OF
freight car couplers At the semi annual
meeting of the association in October, 1890,
the standing committee on safety OPP
planes presented resolution, which was
adopted, committing the association to the
use of the vertical hook type of coupler
with the contour line recommended by the
Master Car Builders Association. sssss
Since this action was taken the efforts of
the railroads have been concentrated in the
direction indicated, over 200, 900 cars have
been equipped accordingly, and most of the
cars under construction and contract will
also be so equipped. 10 this extent the
statement attributed to the Tribune is in-
correct, for the railroad companies have
provided IAN adequate remedy Of their own
violation" which is being generally applied
in all new construction.
The application of this remedy to cars
now in service presents more serious diff
fcultles. There are in round numbers ], 00O,-
900 cars to be so equipped representing an
expenditure OF 25.00o,00 for this single
purpose.
The small margin now existing between
the rate per ton mile and the cost OF per.
| fcrmlng the service, on most roads, will not
provide for the expenditure from income
account, and if it must be provided from
| nQnifnl rAras, sF,s.,o
until there Is market for their stocks and
| bonds.
In the meantime those companies more
| fortunately situated are replacing the links
and pins byGthe master carr uilders' coup
| lers as rapidly as the cars are brought into
shop for repairs. When the change has
proceeded so far with their own cars as to
make the disuse of links and pins practicable
with them, they may be rolled upon to res
quire the same Of their connections without
the aid compulsory legislation.
Indeed, In our opinion, such legislation
will be rather hindrance than help. Re-
Gently the sales agent OF car coupler said
that he found great difficulty in securing its
Introduction because Of the apprehension
among railroad managers that either
| through state or congressional legislation
some other type Of coupler might be made
| compulsory.
The interest of railroad experts and man
ager5 in this subject ia sufficiently intense to
assure to Others equally interested that the
so-ealied automatic freight car coupler
will be brought into general use as rapidly
as it is practicable without the aid of com,
| pulsory legislation. Very truly yours,
| II. s. HAINEs,
| President American Railway Association.
NeD York, Jan. 3d.
| Ewes Daughters.