Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1897-10-07
TRAIN EQUIPMENT
Railroads Ask the Interstate Commerce
Commission for Further Time.
THE UNION PACIFIC SALE.
Attorney General McKenna Makes an Ex-
PLANTATION What Was Done at the Cab
met MeetIng-RepeFt OF Commits
sary General Sullivan.

tension of the time in which the rail
roads of the country engaged in inter
state commerce must equip their trains
with train brake systems and auto
matte car couplers. The act compel
ling the railroads to equip their trains
was passed in the closing hours of the
Harrison administration after pro
tracted and bitter contest. The act
was approved March 2, 1898, and gave
the railroads about five years, or until
January l, 1898, to comply with the
law. The same act provided that the
railroads should equip their cars with
hand rails and drawbars before July l,
1895. The whole purpose of this legis-
lation was to insure greater safety for
passengers and to give greater security
to brakemen and other railroad en-
ployes in coupling and uncoup-
ling cars, During the Ave years
previous to the passage of the
act the statistics showed that each
year one employee in every 433 had been
killed and one in every 81 injured. Be-
fore the time for equipping the cars
with hand rails and drawbars had eX-
pired many of the railroads petitioned
the commission for ar extension.
This the commission was empowered
to grant and after an examination ex-
tended the time when the operation of
that portion of the act relating to
hand rails and drawbars should go
into effect from July /, 1895, to Febru-
airy /, 1895. The commission is now
beginning to receive petitions asking
for an extension OF the time in which
the other sections of the act, providing
automatic couplers and train brakes
shall 60 into effect, and before January
they must decide this important
question. The railroads ask from one
to ten years longer than the law pro-
vides.
The Union Pacific Sale.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 6.-Attorney GEN
eral McKenna had another extended
conference yesterday with eX-Gov.
Hoadly in regard to the pending Union
Pacific foreclosure sale. With refer
ence to the statement cabled from Lon
don to the effect that an English syn
dictate had forwarded a bid for the
Union Pacific property in competition
with that of the reorganization COM
mittee, the attorney general said that,
no bid had yet been received,
it was fact that the government had
received inquiries from foreign sources
and he had no doubt that the capital
lists of this country and Europe would
see to it that the property Is not sold
at price much below its value. The
he added, would be sold
under foreclosure proceedings to the
highest bidder, and the only connec-
ton the government has with the or
ganization committee is that the latter
guaranteed that if the government
would join in the foreclosure proceed
ings the committee would guarantee
that bid of at least S45, 100000 would
be received for the governments
equities.
The Cabinet Meeting.
WASHINGTON, Oct 8. AT the cabinet
yesterday some time was de-
voted to suggestions as to policies to
be advocated in the annual reports of
the several cabinet officers. Among
them was suggestion made by Secre-
tary Long relative to the advisability
of recommending the establishment of
a government cartridge and powder
factory. Powder and cartridges for
the use of the navy at present are sup
piled the government by private firms.
In the navy department estimates this
year the appropriation for powder and
cartridges is to be increased. This,
Secretary Long explains, is due to a
change in the character of the powder,
and the fact that the regular appro.
priation heretofore made is considered
too small. The Spanish-Cuban situa.
ton was considered in desultory way
in connection with a cablegram read
from Minister Woodford announcing
the formation of the new Sagasta cab
met The discussion was largely in
the nature of comment and an ex-
change of views as to the effect of the
change Of government in Spain on the
Cuban situation.
The COmmissary Generals Report.
WASHINGTON, Oct 6.-Commissary
General Sullivan has made his annual
report to the secretary of war. The
expenditures during the year amount
ed to 81, 1865, 9Og, of which 81, 972, 7O2 was
for the subsistence of the army and
the balance for the settlement of
claims and other purposes. There was
expended for the relief of food suffer
ers on the Mississippi and the Red
river of the north s71, 10. Gen. Sulli-
van reports favorably upon the emer-
gency ration, test of which was made
during the year, but he says the prae-
tical efficiency of the ration must be
made where men are situated in a
more critical environment than a prac-
tiee march. On this test march the men
were given full rations for two days,
and then for ten days subsisted on the
half-allowanee emergency ration. They
marched an average of 81 miles per
day and retained their muscular pow
er and activity during the time.
Missouri Christian Churches.
TRENTON, Mo-, Oct 6.-The 31st an