Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-01
Railroad Attorneys Before the Inter-
state Commerce vv1u vv1u..sslon'
AUTOMATIC COUPLERS FOR CARS
Efforts to Save Life and Limb of
Employees.
OSITION OF THE MEN

which have petitioned for an extension of
the time in which they may comply with
the law of 1888 requiring them to equip
their cars and engines with automatic car
couplers, hand rails and air brakes.
A committee representing railway en-
ployes of the United States arrived here
last evening to attend the hearing this
morning. The committee consists of P. NJ.
Arthur of the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers; F. p Sargent, chief of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen; P. H.
Morrissey, chief of the Brotherhood of
Railway Trainmen; E. E. Clark, chief of
the Order of Railway Conductors, and w.
V. Powell, chief of the Order of Teleg-
raphers. These representatives of railway
employees will object to any unnecessary
delay on the part of the railway companies.
The representatives or attorneys of sew
eral hundred railroads and also of leading
labor organizations were present, and the
chamber in which the commission sat was
crowded to the doors. Intense interest was
manifested.
John K. Cowen, one Of the receivers of
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad presented
the general subject to the commissi IN.
Prior TO his general presentation Chairman
Morrison 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 COM
piled.
Samuel Foar representing the Boston
and Albany railroad, made a brief argu-
ment on this point to show the utter
paralysis of traffic which must follow if
roads which had complied with the law
were compelled to cease hauling uneuuppcd
cars.
Mr.. Governs Argument.
Mr. CDwep presented at soma Ieuutb bo
whole question. representing in this issue
not the Baltimore and Ohio but the Lake
Shore road. The Lake Shore, he said, was
one of the most prosperous roads in the
country, and it had been able to comply
fully with the law but it was here uniting
with the other roads in asking for an OK
tension.
The business Of the railroads of the coun-
try was largely a unit. and those roads
hich had equipped their cars could not
haul unequipped cars without technically
violating the law. Mr.. Cowen said that h"
was chairman of committee at this hear
ing which represented about 6D.OOO of the
~3.GO freight cars engaged in interstate
commerce. The question of the passenger
cars. be said, could be dismissed. as they
We're practically all equipped. OF the
freight cars of the country Az per cent
were now equipped with car coup!ers and
361a per cent had the additional airbrake
attachment. He argued that this was suffi-
clent evidence that the roads had made
an honest effort to comply with the law
He offered as the principal reason why the
reads had not complied fully the industrial
depression which followed the passage of
the act Of 1893. which. he said. had rem
dered them financially unable to make the
outlay required by the law.
Five Years. Extension Urged.
He contended that the law as passed was
defective and that Congress recognized this
10 ,v,ois
suspend its operation. For instance, he
said it would be the height Of folly to put
sloc on cars which could have but a brief
existence. The single question presented
to the commission, he argued, was the
method and extent of the extension. be-
cause, unless an extension was granted
Interstate commerce must cease. While,
perhaps, here and there a railroad had
shown no disposition to comply with the
law as a whole. they had made a fair at
tempt to do so. He urged that the extern
sion be for five years, with provision for
an equipment of one-fifth of the cars each
year. thus working up to full and comple,e
compliance. If there was then default.
cars not equipped. he said, could be with
drawn from interstate commerce without
ei dangering the transportation facilities If
the country. He further said that it wouli
cost from $4O.OOO 900 to s5nODOOOO for the
railroads to comply with the law This
money must be earned. If the commits
slCn declined an extension the roads would
be absolutely unable to equip their cars
out OF their own resources. The cost he
s&id. must come out of the wages of the
en- ployes if the roads were to be driven
teyond their financial ability.
Mr.. Cowen in reply to Commissioner
frouty said that the cost OF couplers for
new cars was from s1S to $40, and for old
cars probably double that amount The
percentage of equipped cars for the control
of trains ranged, according to estimates
frCr,
Fer cent.
Mr. Cowen replied in the negative when
Mr.. Prouty asked him If the Baltimore
and Ohio road could not spend SS4OOlO
next year for the complete equipment of
the 1900 unequpped cars of the road.
Opposed to Five Years Extension.
P. H. Morrissey. representing the Broth
erhood Of Railroad Trainmen, the Railroad
Conductors Association, the Locomotive
Engineers, the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Firemen and the Association of Railroad
Telegraphers. followed Mr. Cowen with a
fcrcble presentation Of the attitude of the
railroad employees toward the solicited ex-
tension. He agreed with Mr.. Cowen that
in large measure this was great conf
nercial question. This law. the main fea-
lures of which were to become operative
on the first day of the new year, he said,
represented the heart and conscience of the
American people as represented by their
CHOSEN servants IN congress The aSSOcia-
tions for which he appeared were unit
in protesting against any such unreasona-
bic extension as had been proposed. Five
years. he said, would render the purpose
of the law nugatory.
Killed While Coupling Cars.
The past five years, he said had been
especially hazardous to railroad employees
owing TO the lack of uniformity in car
equipment This condition should cease as
soon possible. During the past five
years 1900 railroad men had been killed
annually. and between 10000 and 25OOO
injured. OF these casualties 60 per cent
were directly attributable to the two evils
this law was designed to correct. The
slaughter would continue as long as the
present conditions remained. The law i'm
posed obligations on citizens and corpora
tiens alike, and he did not believe because
certain railroads were delinquent that those
which had complied or had made an effort
to 90 SO should be punished. But ne did
think something should be done with roads
which, being able at least to comply par
TALLY. had utterly disregarded the law He
replied rather heateoly to the intimation
Of wage reduction thrown out by Mr.
Cowen.
II speak in no defiant spirit" said he.