Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-20
Various Plans for Saving Life on
Street Railways.
THE COMMISSIONERS INQUIRIES.
The Experience Of the Authorities
Of Other Cities.
THE DESIGNS SUBMITTED

| The number of people reported as killed
or seriously injured by traction cars has
Drawn attention to the necessity for some
| effective life and limb saving device at.
| tached to the cars. Such a device must
combine durability with simplicity, be au-
tomato in its operation and always re-
| liable. These are requirements hard &c
meet, and yet inventive genius has not
in the opinion of the railroad men, master
\ ed the problem.
| whenever the newspapers chronicle an
accident it is the signal for the powers
that be- to bestir themselves and talk
about tenders. 1t cannot be said that they
have been dilatory, for Capt Fiebeger has
been sent to the different cities for the
purpose of studying the fender problem
and find some device that would answer
all requirements. But he failed to find such
device, and now the Commissioners are
doing nothing. They are waiting for some
one to devise a fender that will be accept
able to the several railroad companies.
Long ago they decided that it would be
impracticable for them to adopt a fender
and compel the railroad companies to at
tach it to the cars Such an action on their
part would, 1t is claimed, be inadvisable,
for after the fender became legal all &C
cidents caused thereby would be directly
chargeable to the Commissioners, and they
would be liable to law suits. So they de-
cided to look into the subject, and if per-
chance a fender was discovered that would
do the work they would approve it and
recommend that the railroad companies
adopt it. There was no disposition ever
manifested by the representatives OF the
railroad companies before the Commission
ers when discussing this matter of tenders
to refuse to comply with any suggestion
made by the Commissioners regarding fem
ders, provided they were reliable. AS one
of the representatives of a railroad said
1T is to our interest to have a perfect fen
der Law suits on account of injuries are
not conducive to big dividends. and the
railroad companies are really anxious to
find some device that will answer all re-
quirements."
Examining Fender Designs.
The Commissioners have examined any
number of tenders, and have witnessed
several practical tests, but none of them
came up to requirements. Every now and
then an inventor makes his appearance at
the District building. armed with a model
of fender which he declares in positive
terms to be the solution of the whole
problem Some of these devices are so in
chinist to operate them, while others are
so simple in appearance that a child could
operate it," Working models, however do
not prove the efficacy of the device, and
the Commissioners always recommend that
the fender be placed upon a car and prac-
teal test made This is usually discourage
ing to the poor inventor, and especially
diSpiriting to cranks.
The great trouble in getting a suitable
fender has hpa hat of hap fr
low enough TO the pavement. AS it is at
present, the tenders come within few
inches of the road bed, and yet people man.
age to get under them. If they are made
perfectly rigid and a hand or a foot is
caught under them the tension is so great
that the member will be mashed.
Several local inventors have tried their
hand at designing street car tenders. The
most practical of these was invented by
clerk in the coast survey but he is not sat
isfied with 1t, and has had ii withdrawn
for the purpose of making several i'm
provementS.
1t may be interesting to know how other
cities have dealt with the subject of street
car tenders. The engineer department re-
Gently wrote to- a number of the large cities
for information on this subject. The cir
cular letter sent out contained three ques-'
lions upon which the Commissioners wish
ed to be advised.
What kind of fender, or other apparatus.
is used by your electric or cable cars TO
protect persons accidentally struck or
knocked down upon the track?
Are the same satisfactory to the citi-
Gems?
HAS the subject been investigated by the
city authorities, and the results"'
Used In Other Cities.
The city engineer of Springfield, Mass,
writes that the fender used in that city
consists of two-inch plank placed in front
of the forward truck, six inches I'm width, and
is placed with bottom edge four inches
above ground. 1t is known as the Bemis
life guard. and made by a man by that
name in that city. He says he has never
heard any comment from the citizens re-
garding it, and states the matter has never
been investigated by the authorities.
The city engineer of Bridgeport, Conn,
writes that no steps have as yet been taken
by the authorities to investigate the sub
ject of street car tenders, for the reason
that the city has neither electric nor cable
cars.
Hartford, Conn, sends a similar answer
In Trenton. y. j.. the old tenders used
were boards about eight inches wide COM
ing TO point in front and about five inches
from the rail. The new tenders being now
put in use are about twelve inches WIDE
straight in front. about eight inches from
the rail, and does not act as guard to
protect life or limb. They are not salts
factory to the citizens, and the subject has
never been investigated.
Newport. r. L., writes that its cars are
not protected by tenders, and the subject
has never been investigated.
The only protection to the cars in Fort
Wayne. Ind, is piece of oak timber seven
inches wide and one and three-fourthS in
ches thick, fastened onto the trucks of the
cars at both ends and sides. 1t is bound
with iron and the citizens have never COM
planned about its efficacy. There have
been only two persons struck in eighteen
months. No investigation of the subject
has ever been made.
The city engineer of Minneapolis writes
that the regular COW catcher fender SINH
lar In shape to the one employed on steam
engines is satisfactory, and the authorities
have never Investigated the subject.
Wilmington. Del. reports but few acct
fender, and states that the authorities have
never investigated the subject.
This is how New York city replies to the
interrosatores, through its chief engineer:
AS the railroad companies are directly
responsible for accidents, this subject has
never been subject to or controlled by any
Cf1cial of the city government or by laws
or ordinances. Each line either Of cable
or electric uses its own devices / have no
detail knowledge of the same. The COM
panies are the only ones who could furnish
same"
The street cars of ST. Louis are under the
supervisor of city lighting. and he replies
I" the queries of the Commissioners as fol- |
lows:
The electric and cable roads of this CITY
are not required Dy law to use any fender
to protect persons knocked down on the
track. However, they all use a fender
made of wood and iron placed under the
angi.. Of nh