Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-13
CAR BRAKES AND CoUPLERs.
Railways Wanting More Time to BE
Given n Hearing.

Given n Hearing.
The Chicago and Alton railroad and other
roads, having filed petition with the inter-
state commerce commission asking for eX-
tension of time within which their cars,
under the act of March 2, 1S93 are required
to he equipped with automatic couplers and
power. OR train brakes. the time fixed by
the act being January 1, 1898, the commits
sion has made an order fixing the hearing
of such petitions for Wednesday, December
l, at 10 o'clock am. at the Office of the
commission, when 1t will hear such petit
tons as are filed OR before November
Is. and at which time all persons interested
for or who oppose an extension of time
will be heard. Any person may, at the
hearing, or at any time prior thereto, file
with the commission any affidavit, state
nient or argument bearing upon the Ques-
ton.
The commission also requires that any
road asking for extension shall publish a
notice of the fact and also post such no.
tice IL its several stations.
The commission has also ordered that any
railroad filing application for extension
shall also make. on or before November 20,
statement under oath of the number of
freight cars owned, and the number of
freight cars which will be equipped with
automatic couplers. and the number which
viii be equipped with power or train brakes
by the LIST day of December; the number
with automatic couplers, and the number
which have been equipped with power or
train brakes each calendar year since the
act went into effect, March 2, 1893.
The commission evidently requires this
information to be furnished for the purpose
Of knowing what effort the carriers have
made to comply with the provisions of this
law, and when. In the same view the rail-
roads are required to state whether any
new cars have been purchased or construct
ed by them since the act went into effect
which were not equipped with the auto
matte coupler and the power brake.
The object of all this seems to be to as
certain whether the railroads nave endeav-
ored in good faith to comply with the pro-
visions Of this act. The commission may
fuse to extend 1t as to another, and II it
should appear. upon Investigation, that
some particular railroad had gone on with
out any serious intention or design Of
eQuipping Its cars within the time limited
by the act, the same reason would not exist
Tor extending the time to that railroad
which would in the case of. a railroad that
had done all 1t could to comply with the
law. = nsar
Section of the act relieves the employe
Of responsibility by continuing in the SER
vice OF any company which has not equip
ped its cars as the law requires. But il
the commission shall extend the time of
any particular carrier, 1t will deprive the
employees of the right which would accrue
under the act in case Of accident OCCASION
| 100 OF extension granted by the commits
sion shall expire. If not extended the Law
takes effect on January 1, 1893. The pen
atty for failure to comply with the law Is
500 for each violation.
rms feature Of the law. however, Is not
so much to be feared by the railroads as
the damage suits which may arise In case
the time Ia not extended.