The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-12-02
Leads all Oh0r North Carolina [a08 BU News d ru79{0n
RAILROADS ASK FOR TIME
Their Counsel Heatedly Replied to by
the 1rainmen's Representative, Who
Asks for Safety Appliances.

iiSil Couhsel deatedIy Replied to by
the Irainmen's Representative, Who |
Asks for Safety Appliances.
Washington, ID. c., Dec. 1.-The In
ter-State Commerce Commission to-day
opened the hearing of the railroads
winch nave petitioned for an extension
of the time in which :hcy may complv
with the law of 1893, recurring them
to equip their cars and engines with
automatic car couplers, hand rails and
air brakes. The representatives or at
torneys of several hundred railroads
and also of leading labor organizations
were present. John X. COwen, one of
the receivers of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad, presented the general subject
to the commission. Previous to his
general presentation, Chairman Morr-
son, of the commission, called for the
oral argument of the roads which were
completely equipped under the law, but
which had petitioned the commission for
an extension of the time as applied to
the cars of other roads, which had not
complied. Samuel Hoar, representing
the Boston and Albanmy railroad, made
brief argument on this point, to show
theutter paralysis of traic which must
follow if roads which had complied with
| bhC 4uh were peIIeu 10 cease n1ui-
| ing unequipped cars.
He further said that it would cost
| from $40,000,000 to $4,000. 900 for the
railroads to comply with the law. This
money must be earned. If the commits
sion declined an extension the roads
would be absolutely unable to equip
their cars out Of their own resources
and would have to make it out of wages.
! l. II MnrrigSpV I'M Jo
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, the
Railroad Conductors Association, the
! Locomotive Engineers, the Brotherhood
of Locomotive Firemen and the Ass0-
/ citation of Railroad Telegraphers, fol-
/ lowed Mr.. Cowan with forcible pre-
! Sentation OF the attitude of the railroad
| employees toward the solicited extern
sion.
! During the past five years 1000 rail-
road men had been killed annually and
between 10000 and $4,000 injured. OF
THESE casualties sixty per cent were
directly attributable to the two evils
| this law was designed to correct.
He replied rather heatedly to the in
| timation of wage reduction thrown out
by Mr.. Cowan.
Il speak in no defiant spirit" said he;
but | want TO say that when the ques-
| ton of reduction in wages is pre-
| sented to us, we viii meet it. If the
! alternative of reducing wages or the
manning and ueath of its members were
| presented to the organization which
represent. l do not hesitate to say that
they would prefer to go out and equip
the roads themselves"
A SPICY sPAT.
The hearing to-day closed with a some
what sensational exchange between Mr..
! Cowen and Mr.. Morrissey. MIR. Cowen,
! in closing, Indignantly, repudiated the
idea that Mr.. GomperS or Mr.. Morrissey
III any way represented the employees of
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. He
warned the Commission against the hui
manitarian view urged by the labor lead
ers. He used no yelled irony in his re-
| ferences TO Mr.. Morr.ssey'S assumption
! of authority. The latter jumped to his
! feet when Mr.. Cowen sat down. He re-
! fused TO be diScredited and he denied
that he had assumed authority not vest
ed IN him. Eighty five per cent of the
| employees of the Baltimore and Ohio, he
1 said, were members of the Brotherhood
| of Railway Tralnmen and at the Toronto
| convention last year he had unanimously
! been empowered to state the position of
4 its members to the Interstate Commerce
! Commission. Every division of the Bal
/ timore and Ohio had been represented
at that convention. Upon that authori-
ty, he said he denied Mr.. Cowen's state
ment.
Il said the question of a years ex-
tension had never been presented to the
! employees of the Baltimore and Ohio"
| interrupted Mr.. Cowen, 'and l repeat
| it."
"The Toronto convention" retorted
Mr.. Morrissey, 'yoted against vny ex-
tension" He then explained further that
he had appealed to the convention not
to tie his hands but to leave him free
to use his judgment and that that discre-
ton had been accorded him. Soon af-
terward the hearing was adjourned until
tomorrow.