The record-union., 1897-12-02
Petitions for Extension Of Time to
Comply With the Law
Come Up for Hearing Before the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
Representatives of the Roads
Claim That They Are Not at
Present Financially Able to
Comply With the Law, While
Railway Employees Insist Upon
the Coup1ers Being Immediately
Put Into Use.

the Coup1ers Being Immediately
Put Into Use.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-The Inter
state Commerce Commission to-day
opened the hearing of the railroads
which have petitioned for an extension
Of the time in which they may comply
with the law of 1893 requiring them to
equip their cars and engines with auto
matte car couplers, hand rails and
brakes. The representatives or at
torneys of several hundred railroads,
and also the leading labor organiza-
tions, were present.
John CoWen, one of the receivers of
the Baltimore and Ohio, presented the
general subject to the commission.
Previous to his general presentation,
Chairman Morrison of the commission,
called for the oral argument of the
roads which We're completely equipped
under the law, but which had petit
toned the commission Cor an extern
sion of time as applied to the case of
other roads which had not complied.
Samuel Hoar, representing the Bos-
ton and Albany, made a brief argument
on this point, to show the utter advan-
tages of traffic which must follow if
the roads which had complied with the
law were compelled to cease hauling
unquipped cars.
Mr.. CoWen presented the whole ques-
ton, representing in this issue not the
Baltimore and Ohio, but the Lake Shore
road. The Lake Shore, he said, was
a prosperous road, and had been able
to comply fully with the law, but it
was here, uniting with other roads, in
asking for an extension. The business
of the railroads of the country was
largely a unit, and those roads which
had equipped their cars could not haul
unequipped cars without technically vi
olating the law.
Mr. Cowen said he was Chairman of
committee at this hearing, which rep
resented about 100000 of the 993, 600
freight cars engaged in interstate com
merce. Of the freight cars of the
country, 49, per cent. were equipped
with car couplers. and 36la per cent.
had the additional air brake attach
ments
He offered as the principal reason why
the roads should not fully comply with
the law the industrial depression Which
followed the passage of the Act in 1893,
which, he said, had rendered them
financially unable to make the outlay
required by law. He contended that
the law was defective, and Congress
recognized this by giving the commits
sion power to suspend its operation.
The single question presented to the
commission, he argued, was the meth
Cd and extent of extension, because, un-
less an extension was granted, inter-
state commerce must cease. He urged
that the extension be for five years,
with provision for an equipment of one
fifth of the cars each year, thus work
ing up to full and complete compliance
He further said that it would cost
from $40,000,000 to $50,00O,O0O 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.
The cost, he said, must come out of
the employees. if the roads were to be
driven beyond their financial ability.
The percentage of equipped cars for
the control of trains ranged, according
present,
from 20 to 60 per cent.
P. H Morrssey, representing the
Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, the
Railroad Conductors Association, the
Locomotive Engineers, Locomotive
Firenen and the Association of Rail-
road Telegraphers, followed Mr. Cowen
with a forcible presenta ton of the at
titude of the railroad employees toward
the solicited extension.
During the past five years 1000 rail-
road men have been killed annually.
and between 10000 and 25.OOO injured.
OF those casualties GO per cent. were
directly attributed to the new evils this
law was designed to correct The
slaughter would continue as long as
the present conditions remained He
thought something should be done with
the roads which had utterly disregarded
the law. He replied rather heatedly
to the intimation of wage reduction
thrown out by Mr.. Cowen.
Il speak in no defiant spirit said
he, but I want to say that when the
question of a reduction of wages is pre-
sented to us we will meet it, If the
alternative of reducing wages or the
manning and death of it's members
We're presented to the organizations
which / represent. I do not hesitate to
say that they would prefer to go out
and equip the roads themselves
Mr.. Loomis of the New York Central
whose road has complied fully, asked
for the extension on the ground that
the commission could not contemplate
such an interruption Of traffic as must
follow the inability of his and other
roads to haul unequipped cars
The several roads which had fully
complied, those which had rs and 100
per cent of their cars equipped and
those with between 20 and 75 per cent.
were called. and the representatives of
each gave an estimate of the time in
which the work of complying with the
law could be completed.
After a brief recess, Julius Rosen-
dale of Philadelphia. on behalf of him
self and many eminent divines whom
he said he represented, and among
whom he mentioned Cardinal Gibbons,
entered a protest against granting any
extension of time.
Samuel Gompers, President of the
Americal Federation of Labor. joined
Mr.. Morrissey's protest against any
undue extension Of the time for COM
pliance with the law.
Mr.. Clarke, representing the Chicago