The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1893-12-14

iimlnary statistical report for 1873 WIN
! form part OF the appendix to this report
SAFETY APPLIANCE LEGISLATION.
The law requiring the application OF an
/ tCTnRtic couplers and other appliances 10
! freight trains, which WIS approved on
| March last, IS TO be appended to the re-
| port, together with comparative state
ment OF equipment with and without au-
tomato cOuplcrs and train brakes ana
OF accidents 20 passengers and to the va
rious classes Of employees, for four years
preceding June 80, 1892. The law does not
restrict the use OF couplers to any par
ticular type. and it ls not, therefore, open
| to the objection that II will especially ben
eft particular patentee The aim OF the
law Is that the men shah not be required
70 80 between the cars for the purpose
OF coupling or uncoupliug, and no road
can. after the date prescribed use cars
Of It's own or those OF other ports which
do not conform to the laws provislons.
Mitch credit Is given in the report to the
skill and intelligence of railway employees.
UNIFORM CLASSIFICATION.
Since the commissioners last report sub
stantially no progress has been made by
the carriers In the work OF uniform class
ihcatlon. The commission reviews what
Is said on this subject in It's former re-
ports The results of what has been at
tempted by the carriers in this matter
nave cow lCeA Iie cVlilllllkSluIl Llllt UNI
formity win not come from the volun-
taly efforts of railroad officials, and that
1t Is necessary 20 urge them on by legis-
lation. It Is believed that sufficient time
has been allowed the carriers to fornu-
late suitable plan. The report recom-
meuds that tho carriers be required to
adopt uniform classification within
year, and in case Of failure that the com
mission or some other public authority be
directed to enter upon the work.
MILEAGE ON PRIVATE CARS
This article shows that private freight
cars came into use in a small way to meet
the deficiency in freight car equipment of
carriers for special kinds Of traffic, like
oil. dressed meat, furniture and live stock. |
That the number OF private cars rapidly |
increased, and finally passed beyond the
point OF being equipped by shippers them |
selves they began to be furnished by cor |
porations for profit After awhile demand |
for compensation for the use of such cars |
was made upon railroad companies. This |
was aceeded to, the ordinery rate of three |
quarters Of a cent mile being paid ex-
cept upon refrigerator cars. which earned |
a cent mile. Large shippers owning prl- /
vate cars also forced their use upon the |
railroad companies. Tho result is that phi
vute cars have come TO be substituted In !
large measure for the cars of carriers
The payment OF private car mileage now
amounts 10 over &001N00O In a single year
The railroads look upon the practice as
q burden alike upon carriers and com
mcrcc Replies TO a circular sent out by
the commission unite ia condemunE the
private car practice a5 great abuse
Tho subject is submitted for the c0usid-
Grafton of congress.
other papers IN the report refer to the
National convention of railroad commits
siouers and to communicated railroad
and telegraph lines.
The commission recommends additional