The morning times., 1895-07-21
Cable Car Employees Health In
jured by COmpany's Rules.
FASTING FOR NINE HOURS
Reputab BILE Physicians Declare That 1t
Makes the Gripmen and Conductors
Cases Consumptives- Railway Of
ficials' spite Against Men.

When you ask a gripman or conductor on
the Washington and Georgetown Railroad
nowadays if he has plenty of time to eat
his dinner he either smiles, or says, "Oh,
YES; and also to 60 a fishing The fact is
the employees never were i'll earnest when
they signed several papers To the effect
that they We're awfuIly happy with nine
hours work and SIX minutes 70 do tae din
uer act in.
Circumstances, underground witnesses,
open witnesses and other evidences have
already shown that the employees have 100
per cent the best OF the controversy.
Their attention was attracted closely
yesterday by an editorial in The Times,
which raised the new issue in the case
that the men would naturally be the suffer
ers in health by their long hours, unreheyed
by rest or proper time TO eat their food.
This opinion was indOTsed very generally
by the medical fraternity, many Of whom
permitted their names TO be used. while
others declined to talk for publication.
RUNNING THEIR HEALTH.
There was not one oftaem. however, who
disputed the proposition that such a practice
would sooner or later impair the constitu-
tipns of the men, which, il Will be OBJ
served. is their only capital in the battle
of life.
Several of the employees directed The
Times to Dr.. I. Torrey at No 70S, Eleventh
strtst southeast. DIR. Torrey is quite popu-
lar with the men as physician, and he
having acted in a certain capacity for the
Washington aud Georgetown Railroad Com
pany is in position to be sure OF his facts.
He said that The Times in its rounds would
not find a reputable physician who would
not give Judgment in favor OF the men.
The plain fact III the case" he said.
sis that while it is not frequent result
vet the tendency of these long working
hours and little time-not for mealS-but
to eat something in the wing-iS tow ard
consumption A condition that will suggest
itself even TO the most Obtuse is that the
men will eat too much when they have
been kept waiting nine hours for regular
meal That strains the stomach; 1t Is over
charged; it fails to perform its functions and
then comes the pain, the indigestion, the
sick headaches.
BOLTING THEIR FOOD.
''The men are obliged to ask for lay
off for a day, and so it goes, the health
being undermined all the time You are
just a few minutes late to see one of the
patients in cable car man
What is the matter agUn?' l asked
Ion, l don't know, he said. 1
| don't eat my meals regularly. Some
times try and eat on the car, but 1 have
to get it down so quick that l don't
know that I have eaten anything
Now, I gave him something for a
| temporary relief, but he viii be deathly
! sick again before tonight. You can say
! Gor ne that these men will be bound to
go down, just as Joseph Smollard did"
who was he?'
''Well, he was strong, vigorous young
man from the country. He ruined his
| constitution at this work, and he was
obliged to quit it. l know they say you
can get used to it. That is true, but it
is at a fearful cost. 1 would say gen.
orally, from long experience with the men
and their troubles, that this style of life
| is ruinous, and that the men Will succumD
to il sooner or later.
SPITE OF THE OFFICERS.
Dr.. Torrey gave an instance of the
spiteful nature OF the Officers toward the
men whom they don't like and want to
get rid Of. They suspected that con
duCtor was knocking down pretty
heavily and they put q spotter on his
track, The spotter followed him for
twenty-seven successive trips and reported
in the Condu ctors favor, but the man was
discharged all the same.
Dr. Louis Mackall, of Georgetown, whom
several of the employees referred to, was
seen at the other end of the line. DE-
Mackau did not care to discuss the ques
ton at length, but said that in his opin
ion men who lived, as the cable car meI
are reported to live, with nine-hour waits
for regular meals, would inevitably SUI
fer physically.
Two other Georgetown physicians who
had a clientage among the men said thai
they did not care to be quoted, but thai
the proposition that the work the men d(
would entail an impairment OF the con
stitution, did not admit of question.
Dr.. F. A. Gardner said that there was 6
difference between the ordinary laborins
man, the field iaborer, and the cable ca
men, 1t was seldom that the common