The herald., 1897-12-03
Find No Favor in Railroad
Circles
,LL SORTS OF EXCUSES MADE
FOR NOT COMPLYING WITH THE
ORDER
The Government Decides to Qualify
as a Bidder for the Kansas
Pacific Road-Notes
Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-The hear
ing given by the interstate commerce
commission to the representatives of the
railroads which have petitioned for an
extension of time in which to comply
with the new coupler law passed In lSsS'
was resumed today.
VIM. Brown, general solicitor OF the
Chicago & Alton railroad, replied at
some length to the protest made by Mr.
Gompers yesterday against any eXten-
sion to roads which had made no effort
to comply with the law. He spoke. he
said, for the stockholders of the rail-
roads, who were as much entitled to re-
ceive their dividends as the laborers
who were working for the companies.
On behalf of 800 of the employees of his
road Mr.. Brown presented to the COM
mission a petition for a reasonable eX-
tension. 1t was a practical and physi-
cal impossibility. he said, to comply With
the law. To grant reasonable extern
sion would bring every road, especially
trunk lines, into active sympathy with
the law, so to refuse would be to punish
those who had complied.
Representatives of other delinquent
roads rendered their excuses to the COM
mission, and in each instance estimated
the time required for the full equipment
of their individual lines. All united
however, in the request of Mr.. Cowen
for a general five-year extension. Lack
of funds, reduced earnings, want of shop
facilities and the difficulty of determln-
ing the safest and most economical ap-
pliance were the main reasons advanced
for delinquency.
Ex-Congressman Payson of Illinois,
representing the Southern Pacific rail-
road, in the course of his remarks, sug-
gested that the commission make the
following rough draft of an order of
extension:
1.-THE period within which every COM
mon carrier running cars used in inter-
state traffic shall comply with the pro-
visions of the act of congress entitled,
etc, is hereby extended to January l.
1903; but provided that any such COM
mon carriers in default as to equipment
with couplers or with train brakes as
required in said act. in whole or in part,
January l. 1898, shall, during each cal
endar year thereafter, make good at
least 20 per cent of such default in
equipment or in default of such partial
performance, the provisions of said act
shall be applicable to all cars of such
common carriers not properly equipped
under said act. New cars shall be prop
erly equipped before use"
Questions asked by the commissioners
developed the fact that 10 per cent of the
freight cars now in service were not
worth equipment. These would be re-
tired during the period of extension.
The hearing was adjourned at p. m.
until tomorrow.
KANSAS PACIFIC SALE
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-The govern
ment has decided to qualify as bidder
at the sale of the Kansas Pacific on Dec.
10th next, in case of the failure of the re-
organization committee to guarantee the
government what is regarded as fair
figure for it's interest. Whether the
president and attorney-generalw will ex-
pect the full amount of the governments
claim of approximately $4,000, 900 is not
known. 1t is learned that some days
ago the reorganization committee sub
mtted a proposition, which was posi-
lively declined. What the proposition
was has not been made public. With
this exception, no communication bear
ing upon the subject has been made by
either party, nor does the government
know what the purposes or plans of the
raoroaniZa tiOn committee are with ref
erence to the sale. If no other offer which
would be regarded as reasonable is re-
oeived prior to next Tuesday or Wednes-
day, the government will qualify as a
bidder by depositing with the court a