The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-12-02
WANT FIVE YEARS.
B. & o. Representatives Say 1t viii Re-
qulre That Time to Equip Cars With
Safety Appliances.

Washington, D. c., Dec. 1.-The hear
Ing before the interstate commerce COM
mission on the petition Of the railroads of
the country, for an extension of time in
which to equip their freight cars with au-
tomato couplers and air brakes, brought
together to-day the Leading railroad at
torneys of the country and number Of
prominent railroad officials.
John X. Cowen representing the B. &
y. H. H., asked for an extension of time
because the road would probably purchase
5000 new freight cars during the coming
year, all Of which will be properly equip.
ped, and that during the same period prob
ably 2,000 Of the cars now In use by the
railroad will go out of use.
But these reasons for asking an extern
sion of time, Mr.. Cowen added, are trivial
as compared with the desire to avoid such
general suspension Of business as must
follow the strict enforcement Of the law
Immediately after Janunry. The roads
that have complied with the law would
suffer as much rs those that have not, and
the business of the country would suffer
severe setback. Congress, he said, had
never contemplated when it passed the
law such a black shadow of depression as
has spread over the county from 1893 to
the present year. In tbs general depress-
ions the railroads have suffered greatly,
and he knew. to his sorrow, that the pay
ment of one mill ton per mile Of the
freight traffic Of the Baltimore aud Ohio
Railroad during the past year would not
only have made that road solvent but
would have given dividend to the stock.
holders
The committee wich he represented had
agreed that within five years the law could
be compiled with without causing any
hardship or business disturbance, and the
committee had also agreed that In making
such an extension the condition might be
made that of the cars remaining unequip.
ped, ~ per cent. OF them should he equip
ped each year.
In reply tn questions ty Comm issiopers
Morrison and Prouty. Mr.. Cowen said the
cost Of equipping freight car with auto
matte conplers varied from $2O for O new
car to $40 for an old car Fifty per cent.
Of the cars oh the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad are already supplied with the
couplers, and not more than one train
day Is run over the road in which there
arc not enough cars supplied with mir
brakes to control the train
Assuming that the cost of supplying
each car with the safety coupler Is $a0,"
Commissioner Prouty said, ''wOll Id 1t not
be impossible for tho Baltimore ana Ohio
Railroad to expend 10000 or $780, 900
necessary to equip all lis cars within the
next yeur?"
~ ~" siI, ~ Woulu HoU, repleu MT.
COwen. "There is only one way, in my
opinion, tho railroads can comply imme-
diately with the law. Tho only thing in
connection with the railroad business that
has not come down during the last few
years is he cost of labor. Rates have been
depressed, but labor has continued ut the
original figures II tho law Is enforced it
will be neces ary to cut wages, and the ),
employees Of the roads will be the chief
u,,{a k,
roaas do not want.
20 far Us the Baltimore and Ohio Pail.
road is concerned, Mr.. Cowen said, it
could not attempt to equip all i i cIrs
Wi'hn wo years. Aside from the phyal-
cal mpo,sibility Of performing tho work
with the sh'p facilities the rnai posses ,r,
the cars could not be spared from tho
III iDess nl the road. With tu ,incss that
q mands an. addition of rielt thousand
NOR cars, it would be impos ,iblc TO wit j.
dra even temporarily seventeen thousand
cars from the business OF the roal
1T would no ma ter what We might
say regarding this proposition" said Mr.
Cowen. "Ae simply would not dn'iL,
and the commission know We wouli no.
do it'
+. Fl. Morri,ey represen ed the brAkomen
and switchmen, the locomotive cnyinee >,
the conductors, fremen and ailroud lec,
graphers
In addressing the Commission Mr. Nor
risoy -nld the men he represe lted oppose
the ext nsion because they do not want tho
killing and manning of men to con Inue
rs il has in the past. Two thousand men
killed anu 26, U00 crippled through tLe lack
of safety appliances on tho cars, he said is
the record of the past five years. The rail
road enpl yes want this stopped. Ho did
not wish to be understood as speaking in
tones of defiance, but with regard to the
suggestion OF Cowen that the
wages of The men would have to be cut If |
/, he law were to be enforced, hs wished to
say that the unions of railroad men would |
deal with that question when 1t arises.
II u contribution from the employees of
the road were necessary in order to secure
the proper equipment of cars, he felt sure
they would be willing to contribute their
part They had paid out S2,D00,000 in the
la five years on account of claims grow
ing out of the death and injury of their
This sum, he said, would
equip all the cars Of such road as the
Loui.yile and Nashville, and would be-
sides save great many lives.
Mr.. Morrisey conceded, however, that
the immediate enforcement of the law
would result in much business trouble to
he roads, but he thought the extension of
time in which the roads can comply with
II should not exceed zone year. That was
tho time, he said, tho railroad employees
n : a INIT