Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-12-02

z. Cowen Presents the Side of
the Railroads to the Interstate
Commerce Commission-Declares
That the Millions Required for the
Work Must Be Earued-Roads
That Are Equipped Join Others in
Asking an acknowledgements
atives of Railroad Organizations
Protest Against the Extension.
Washington. December 1.-The Inter-
state Commerce Commission to-day
opened the hearing of the railroads
which have petitioned for an extension
of time in which they may comply with
the law of 1898 requiring them TO
equip their cars and engines with au-
tomato car couplers, hand rails and
airbrakes. The representatives or at
torneys of several hundred railroads.
and also of leading labor organiza-
tons, were present, and the chamber in
which the commission sat was crowded
to the doors. Intense interest was man
ifested.
John X. Cowen, one of the receivers
of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, pre-
scented the general subject to the COM
mission. Previous TO his general pre-
sentation, Chairman Morrison, of the
Commission, called for the oral argu-
ment of the roads which were COM
pletely equipped under the law, but
which had petitioned the commission
for an extension of time as applied to
the cars of other roads which had not
complied. Samuel Hoar, representing
the Boston & Albany Railroad, made a
brief argument 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 unequipped cars Mr.. Cowen
presented at some length the whole
question, representing, in this issue, not
the B. & o., but the Lake Shore road.
The Lake Shore, he said was one of
the most prosperous roads in the coun-
try and it had been able to comply
fully with the law, but it was here
uniting with the other roads in asking
for an extension. The business OF the
railroads of the country was largely a
unit, and those roads which had equip
ped their cars could not haul unequip-
ped cars without technically violating
the law. Mr. Cowen said he was chair
man of committee at this hearing
which represented about 100000 of the
$4,000 freight cars engaged in inter-
state commerce. The question of the
passenger cars, he said, could be dis
missed, as they were practically all
equipped. OF the freight cars of the
country Az per cent. were now equip
ped with car couplers, and 36h per
cent. had the additional airbrake at.
tachment He argued that this was suf-
ficient evidence that the roads had made
an honest effort to comply with the
law. He offered as the principal reason
why the roads had not complied fully
the industrial depression which fol-
lowed the passage of the act. in 1893.
which, he said, had rendered them
financially unable to make the outlay
required by the law.
He contended that the law as passed
was defective and that Congress recog-
nized this by giving the commission
the power to suspend its operation.
The single question presented to the
commission, he argued, was the
method and extent of the extension.
because, unless an extension was
granted, Interstate commerce must
cease.
He urged that the extension be for
five years, with provision for an equip
ment of one-fifth Of the cars each year,
thus working up to full and complete
compliance. If there was then default,
cars not equipped, he said, could be
withdrawn from Interstate commerce
without endangering the transporta-
ton facilities of the country. He fur
ther said that it would cost from
Sf0,000,000 to $50 900 900 for the rail-
roads to comply with the law This
money must be earned. II the COM
mission declined an extension the
roads would be absolutely unable To
equip their cars out of their own re-
sources. The cost, he said, must come
Out VI tuS Wd6Cs VI Luc cnpiOytS
the roads were to be driven beyond
their financial ability.
The percentage OF equipped cars for
the control Of trains ranged, accord
ing to estimates given by experts, from
20 to 40 per cent.
P. Fl. Morrissey, representing the
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen,
the Railroad Conductors Association,
the Locomotive Engineers. the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
and the Association Of Railroad Tele-
graphers, followed Mr.. Cowen, with
presentation of the attitude Of the rail-
road employees toward the solicited ex-
tension. He agreed with Mr.. Cowen
that in large measure this was q
great commercial question. This law,
the main feature Of which was to be-
come 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 associations
for which he appeared were unit in
protesting against any such unreason-
able extension as had been projected.
Five years, be said, would render the
- A-2