The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-24
SAVIOR OF FINGERS.
Great Expense Caused by the
Car-Coupler Law.
THE PORT ANGELES RAILROAD.
OeliA Indaeenent 60 kan - Everett
New Resds IN Prespeet-Nsw
Time Of Fremont Cars.

The passage of the uniform car-coupier
bill by congress and its approval by Presi-
dent Harrison will involve something OF .
revolution IN the construction of railroad
equipment. The Law provides that from
January 1. 1893, railways passing through
more than one state or handling inter-
state traffic must use engines equipped
with power driving-wheel brakes and cars
with couplers coupling automatically by
impact and which can be uncoupled with
ont the necessity Of men going between
the ends Of the cars. Provision is also
made for the compulsory use Of cars with
"grabirons' or '.handholds. and for the
refusal Of cars Of connecting lines ii not
properly equipped.
Mr.. Harrison has been aEitating the
need Of such measure for many years,
a. preventive Of accidents to trainmen,
having recommended it in speeches in
congress and in his messages, and ex-
pressed great pleasure at its final passage.
When he signed it, he gave the pen with
which he made it law. to Secretary
Moseley, Of the interstate commerce COM
mission, who has taken deep interest in
its success, and remarked upon it:
This law 10 not what wished. but It 10 step
IN the direction OF needed reform. 1t does not
70 far enough, and 10 not sufficient in details.
Yet IL will iuaugurntc an important reform,
which will finally result properly. II will
establish the general use OF an automatic coup
ling, compelling all interstate roads to adopt II,
end will ensrgize genius 90 that more perfect
coupling will finally be brought into use. The
provisions OF the law arc reasonable, not oner-
Gus upon the roads, and at the sane time it is
mi TrjAn IA IN
coupling in the time specifcd have been agi-
Eating bill of this character for many years,
long before my name was used In connection
with the presidency. I have recommended IL
In scores OF speeches, in my inaugural address
and in all tho messages have sent to congress.
can assure you it 10 a great pleasure to me.
even ~ this late day in my administration. to
zee the idea become law.
The one main object aimed at by invent
ors Of coupiers is to produce type which
will minimize the danger of accidents
while coupling. Thei. united exertions
have resulted, on conservative estimate.
in an actual increase Of these accidents by
at least 5000 annually. The ultimate
type OF car coupler is being worked out at
loss in the dead and wounded to exceed
the total number Of casualties during the
civil war. No accurate statistics can be
kept OF the total number of accidents
caused by coupling cars. but, taking the
little with the great. they approximate
$4,000 year. OF this vast number two
thirds are caused by pure carelessness on
the part of the employees. and the other
third is due to the lack of uniformity in
the coupIers themselves. The accidents
charged TO carelessness are also due in
large measure to this lack of uniformity.
1t is the universal opinion among
railway men that If the oldest of
the old-style link and pin couplers
were In universal use there would
be decrease of at least three-fifths in the
total number of accidents. From 45, 600 to
80, 0O0 men year are killed or MANNED on
the altar of improvement in the least ad-
vanced branch of railroad equipment.
The United States patent Office has
granted letters patent to nearly 5000 in
ventors Of car couplers.
There are but two distinct types of car
couplers for freight cars. The first is the
link and pin type. Its main advantage is
the following out of the sides of the draw
heads. allowing the hand to be inserted
without injury when the cars are coming
together. Another kind used largely has
a broad draw head, with three places in
stead Of one for the link and pin. In this
style the drawhead is open on both sides,
allowing cars to be coupled while stand
ing ~ well as when in motion. The prin-
cipie Of the link and pin coupler was old
when Moses led the children of Israel to-
ward the promised land, but a search
among the records of the patent office at
Washington City will show the issuance
of over 1900 patents based on this prin-
cple.
The other type Of coupler Is called indis-
criminately the Janney. the automatic or
the vertical hook coupler. Over 500 patents
have been issued on this type, all Of them
based ON the expired patent issued orr
ginally to f. ii. Janney in 1873. The
extended lips in the curves of the draw
heads interlock automatically when the
cars come together. The lips are released
by lever no, shown in the cut.
Judge Payson, general counsel of the
Western Railroad Association, is a mine
of information regarding railroad equip
ment. Said he:
Aside from the careiessness OF employees, there
10 no source of accidents fruitful as the coup.
ling OF LINK snd pin 20 q vertical hook counter
or the coupling OF two vertical hook counters
made on different plans. Railroads furnish
their men with tools to couple cars without
accident. but the men universally discard them
A coupler of the Jannev type costs about So per
car There are about f20o. 900 freight cars in the
United States II one-Qua,ter OF tho cars now
have automatic coupiers il viii cost $4,000 ooo
or more 10 1T up the ba'snce,
There has never been acouplcr, and doubt
II there ever wall be. which is or will be uni.
vcrsally acknowledged as the best by railroad
men. ! Also doubt very much II any viii ever
toe invented the basic principle oil which is su.
pertof To The present type of automatic coupler
With this IN mind IL Is s curious fac, that from
ak te ten patents week s!e still issued on the
Old link and pin principle. Engineers contend
that they eau pull i lar heavier train counlsd
with links and pins Their argument, is tbs,
by backing up the cars until Tie drawhesa.
touch they eau start the FIRST car easily Ths
momentum OF this car Will assist in moving tina
second. and SO on 10 the ana of the train