The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-03
And Will BE Forced to Lay Out About
$3S,OOO,OOO More Before the
Equipment Is Complete.
MORE ARGUMENTS FOR DELAY
APPEALS IN BEHALF OF STOCKHOLM.
ERs AND EMPLOYEES.
Smith, of the l.. & N, Afraid
the People VIII Demand Conas-
cation OF All Railroads.
special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-The hearing be-
fore the Interstate-commerce Commission
on the petition to extend the time for
e9uipping railroad cars with safety ap-
pliances brings to the surface some inter
esting facts and figures. There are in
round numbers, on all the railroads in the
United States 100000 freight cars, 10000
passenger cars and $4,000 locomotives
Down to date S4,00O,0OO has been expended
by the railroads in putting in safety coup
lers, $2OoOO,0OO in putting in air brakes
$6,0OO,OO in equipping locomotives with
mechanism required In the use of air
brakes and $3,0OO0O0 in passenger car equip
ment, making total of $43, 100000 Mr.. Nc
Connell, superintendent of the mechanical
department of the Union Pacific, estimates
that $5S,OOO,0OO will be required to complete
the railroad equipment with the safety an
pliances the law calls for. About 700 900
freight cars have been equipped with the
safety couplers and about 100000 with air
brakes, leaving 100000 to be yet supplied
with couplers and 100000 with air brakes.
When the equipment is completed the
operating expenses of the railroads will be
decreased considerably, and there will be
an enormous saving in the lives and limbs
cars and tracks.
When the commission resumed its hearing
to-day William Brown, general solicitor of
the Chicago & Alton Railroad, replied at
some length to the protest made by Mr..
Gompers yesterday against any extension
TO roads which had made no effort to com
ply with the law. He spoke, he said for
the stockholders of the railroads, who were
much entitled fn baf
as the laborers working for the companies
were to their daily wages. On behalf of
three hundred of the employees of his road
Mr.. Brown also presented to the commits
sion a petition for q reasonable extension.
1t was a practical and physical impossible
ity, he said, to comply with the law. To
grant a reasonable extension would bring
every road, especially trunk lines into
active sympathy with the law; to refuse
Would be to punish those who had COM
piled.
Representatives of other delinquent roads
rendered their excuses to the commission,
and in each instance estimated the time re-
quired for the full equipment Of their in
dividual 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 determining the safest and
most economical appliance were the main
reasons advanced for deinquencies
Ex-Congressman Payson, of Illinois, rep
resenting the Southern Pacific road in the
course of his remarks suggested that the
commission make the following rough draft
of an order of extension: THE period
within which every common carrier own
ing cars used in Interstate traffic shall
comply with the provisions of the act of
Congress entitled etc, is hereby extended
TO Jan. i, 1903; but provided that any such
common carriers in default as to equipment
swith couplers or with train brakes as re-
quired in said act, in whole or in part, Jan.
l. 1895 shall during each calendar 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 carrier not properly
equipped under said act. New cars shall
be properly equipped before use"
AT the afternoon session President Smith
of the Louisville * Nashville. in the course
road, expressed the opinion that the time
was coming when the people of this coun-
try would demand the confscation and gov
ernment ownership of railroads In connec-
tion with his argument President Smith
presented a petition in favor of an extern
sion signed by 2,34t employees of the Louis
vile x Nashville. lie also presented
Yoluminous petitions signed by shippers in
all parts OF the South.
While President Thomas, of the Nash
vile. Chattanooga &c st. Louis road, was