The record-union., 1896-05-11

methods of lighting and heating, ana
doing away with oil lamps wherever II
is possible to do so, and will continue
it's efforts to introduce the most rell-
able and best adapted methods of light
ing and heating. Circumstances nave
changed materially since the original
postal car was constructed; speed Is
much greater, the engine in front OF the
postal is much heavier, and the train III
the rear of the postal car has been IN
creased in weight. These clrcum-
stances, when accidents occur, produce
the results which is described by the
General Superintendent in saying: Ac-
cidents seem to occur more frequently
than when the department limited lts
supervision of the construction almost
wholly to the interior OF the car, 10 TIE
character and extent of its FURNITURE,
arrangement of cases and racks, and
gave little or no attention to the quail
ties of the framework. While II can
not be stated that these accidents are
caused by cheaply constructed cars or
a depreciation in their condition, IL is
the duty of the Postoffice Department
to insist that the construction Shoulo pe
improved in keeping with the change
of circumstances, which anywhere re-
quires a much heavier and more eXpens-
lively built car to protect the lives OF the
postal clerks and the property placed
between the larger engine and the
heavier train.''
"It strikes me there should be no
question as to the advisabillty or super
seding oil lamps with compressed gas
or electricity" said Fourth Assistant
Postmaster Maxwell land if l had my
way in the matter there would be no
delay about making the change. FROM
all that 1 have been able to learn IN
directly, for this topic does not come to
my bailiwick, compressed gas seems
to meet all the requirements of the case
for passenger coaches and railway pos
tai cars. An objection urged agains,
electricity is that storage batteries
must be used, and this will entail an
enormous expense, and besides may not
give entire satisfaction. Some people
have argued that each car coulo De
lighted by means of electricity gener-
ated from the wheels, but when the car
stopped the light would go out 1t ap-
pears to me, therefore, that good ar
ticle of compressed gas just about mis-
the BILL
while 1 am not prepared to say just
what system should be adopted for
lighting the cars said General Super
| intendent White of the railway mall
service, .'yet 1 must confess leaning
to compressed gas or electricity. There
| is no question about some of the roads
| being we'll equipped in the matter OF
| lighting and heating, particularly on
the trunk lines, but it must be confessed
| that only a minority of the three thou
sand and odd cars used in the postal
service are thus equipped. On the New
York Central, a number of Southern
roads, particularly the Chesapeake and
Ohio, the New York, New Haven and
Hartford, Boston and Albany, Union
and South Pacifics use compressed gas.
| The compressed gas gives most excel
lent satisfaction, and in my judgment
| the oil lamps should be dispensed with
| wherever it is possible. This has been
set forth in all the reports that have
been made by me to the department,
for as the railway mail service is extra
hazardous, it is incumbent upon its
management to see as far as possible
that those employed in it are accorded
corresponding protection against acci-
dental death or injury to body or limb.
| The department appreciates its respon-
past four or five years, has labored
Zealously to secure greater freedom
from the direful results of accidents.
Careful consideration has been given
car construction; plans and specifica-
tions for the building Of cars under the
control Of the department have been
| formulated, and it has required rail-
way companies to furnish railway Post
offices with such modern safety appli-
ances as have been meritorious. In
crease in the number of accidents in the
railway mail service is not chargeable,
therefore, to defective or cheaply con-
structed cars, and as the equipment,
management, road beds, rails, and all
other essentials to the successful opera
tion of the train service have been
greatly improved during the past ten
years, the greater frequency of acci-
dents must be accounted for in order
ways"
Increased business received by the
companies demand for more rapid tram
sit made by the business public, express
companies and the patrons of the Post
office Department has resulted in in
| creased train service and quicker
schedules, both of which tend to add to
the hazard inseparable from railroad
| operations. With more frequent train
service and quicker schedules opportu-
mites for collision, misplaced switches,
| involving derailment of trains and
broken rails are as a matter of course
| much greater. An analysis shows that
the ratio of clerks killed and injured to
the number of accidents reported was
lower for the fiscal year 1895 than for
either of the next four preceding years.
This is the strongest evidence possible
that the determined stand taken by the
Postoffice Department in favor of more
| substantial and better equipped cars
has been productive of excellent results.
More clerks would have been killed and
disabled had cars of inferior construc-
ton been used in the trains to which
these accidents occurred. Cars which
have been built recently in accordance
with the plans furnished by the Post
office Department have in a large ma
jority of cases passed through accidents
without being crushed or broken up
sufficiently to place the lives and limbs
of the clerks in so imminent Jeopardy as
formerly. Many of the cars built dur
ing the past two years are provided
with the vestibule feature, which in
sures greater immunity from injuries
in accidents, and gives additional Sc
curity to the mail as well as facilitating
the work of the clerks by overcoming
the irregular and oscillating motion pc
culiar to cars coupled in the old way
This security has been increased by re-
quiring the companies to place in the
cars the best methods of heating and
lighting, among which may be men,