The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1893-02-22
THE CAR COUPLER BILL.
The Railroad Companies Given Plenty
OF Time for Change of Equipment,
Which Will be n Blessing


Of Time for Change of Equipment,
Which Will be n Blessing
TO Freight Trainmen
in Particular.
The railroad car coupler bill, which was
passed by the senate last week. and which i,
Of so much importance to railroad compa-
nies, and freight trainmen. will soon be act
ed upon in the honse. and is likely TO be-
come a law, reads as follows
That from and after the first day OF jan
uary, 1893, IL shall be unlawful for any com.
mon carrier engaged in interstate com
inerce by railroad to use on its line any
locomotive engine in moving Interstate
traffic not equipped with power driving
wheel brake and appliances for operating
the train brake sy stem. or to run any train
In such traffic after said date that has not a
snfiicient number of cars in IL, 60 equipped
with power or train brakes that the engi-
heer on the locomotive drawing such train
can control its speed. without requiring
brakeman to use the common hand brake
for that purpose,
Section 2-That on and after the first day
OF January. 1898, II shall be unlawful for
any such common carrier TO haul or permit
TO be hauled or used on iis line any car used
in moving inter State traffic not equipped
with couplers coupling automatically by
impact, and which can be uncoupled with
out the necessity OF men going between the
ends of the cars.
Section 3.--That when any person, firm,
company Or corporation engaged in inter
State commerce by railroads shall equip
sufficient number Of It's cars so as TO comply
with the provisions of section Of this act,
II may lawfully refuse 10 receive from con-
Meeting lines OF road or shippers any cars
not sufficiently equipped, IN accordance
with the first section OF this act, with such
no
readily interchange with the breaks in use
on its own cars as required by: his act
Section 4-lhat from and alter the first
day OF July, 1895, until otherwise ordered by
the Interstate Commerce commission, II
shall be unlawful for any railroad company
TO use any car in interstate commerce that
Is not provided with secure grab-irons or
hand holds on the ends and sides Of each
car for greater security to men in coupling
and uncoupling cars.
Section 5.-That within 80 days from the
| passage OF this act the American Railway
Association is authorized hereby 10 desig-
nate TO the Inter State Commerce Commis-
sion the standard height of draw bars for
freight cars, measured perpendicular from
the level OF the tops Of the rails to the cen
| ter OF the draw bars for each OF the several
| gauges OF rail roads in use in the Uuited
| States, and shall fix a maximum variation
| from such standard height TO be allowed be-
tween the draw bars Of empty and loaded
cars. Upon their determination being GER
titled to the Inter State Commerce Commits
sion, said commission shall at once give no
! tice of the standard fixed upon TO all com
! mon carriers, owners or lessees engaged in
! interstate commerce in the United States,
! by such means as the commission may
deem proper; but should said association
fail to determine a standard, IS above pro-
vided il shall be the duty of the Inter State
! Commerce Commission TO do so before july
| ], 1891, and Immediately 10 give notice
| thereof, as aforesaid. and after July |, 1895,
no cars, either loaded or unloaded, shall be
| used in interstate traffic which do not
comply with the standard above provided
| for.
Section G-That any such common carrier
using any locomotive engine, running any
train or hauling or permitting to be hauled
or used on its line any car in violation OF
any of the provisions of this act shall be
liable TO pc. atty of 500 for each and every
such violation to be recovered in a suit or
suits to be brought by the United States
District Attorney in The District Court Of
the United Statess having jurisdiction in the
locality where such violations shall have
been committed and il shall be the duty of
| such District Attorney TO bring such suits
upon duly verified information being lodged
| with him Of such violation having occurred,
and II shall also be the duty of the Inter.
State Com .nerce Commission TO lodge with
the proper District Attorneys information
Of any such violations as may come to its
knowledge; provided that nothing in the
act contained shall apply 10 four wheeled
cars or to locomotives use in handling
such trains.
Section THAT the Interstate Commerce
Commission may from time to time, upon
full hearing and for good cause, extend the
period within which any common carrier
shall comply with the provisions OF this
act.
Section s-1hat any employe Of any such
common carrier who may be injured by
any locomotive, car or train in use contrary
to the provisions of this act. shall not be
deemed thereby to have assumed the risk
thereby Occasioned, although continuing in
the employment OF such carrier after the
unlawful use Of such locomotive car or
train had been brought to his knowledge.
BIG FIRE AT WEST NEWTON, PA