, 1897-12-02
APPLIANCES.
THE ARGUMENTS BEFORE THE
INTERSTATE COMMERCE.
COMMISSION.
Railroads Wish the Time Extended
Several years. While the Labor I'm
ions are Resisting the Extension
Gompers Makes an Argument and
Also Morrissey.

petitioned for an extension of the time
in which they MY comply with the
law of 1893, requiring them to equip
their cars and engines with automatic
car couplers, hanl rails and power
brakes. The repre- ,entatives or attor-
neys Of several hundred railroads and
also Of leading labos organizations were
present. John X. Gwen, one of the re.
~ceivers of the Baltimore and Ohio, pre-
sented the general subject to the COM
mission.
Previous to his general presentation,
Chairman Morrison of the commission,
called for the oral arguments of the
case OF the roads which were complete
ly equipped under the law, but which
had petitioned the commission for an
extension Of time as applied to the case
of other roads which had not complied.
Samuel Huar. representing the Boston
and Albany. made a trief argument on
this point. to show the utter paralysis
of traffic which must follow if the roads
which had complied with the law were
compelled to cease hauling unequipped
cars.
Mr.. Governs argument presented the
whole question. representing in this
issue not the Burlington and Ohio, but
the Lake Shore road. The Lake Shore
he said was a prosperous road and had
been able to comply fully with the law,
but it was here uniting with other roads
in asking for an extension. The bust,
ness OF the railroads Of the country was
largely a unit and those ronds which
had equipped their cars could not haul
unequipped cars without technically
violating the law. Mr.. Cowen said he
was chairman Of a committee at this
hearing which represented about Co.,
900 of the 993. 900 freight cars engaged
in interstate commerce. OF the freight
cars of the country 441R per cent had
the additional air brake Attachment.
He offered as the principal reason why
the roads should o fully comply, the
industrial depression which followed
the passage of the act of 1893, which,
he said. had rendered them financially
unable to make the financial outlay.
He urged an extension for FIVE years.
with provision for equipment of one
fifth Of the cars each year., thus work.
ing up the full and complete compli-
anrp In furfbn. cniJ fh,t - uyo,1l
cost from $40. DOC. 900 to $4,000. 900 for
the railroads to comply with the law.
This money must be earned. II the
commission 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 u OF
the employees. if the roads were to be
driven beyond their financial ability.
p. Fl. Morrisey. representing the Rail
road Trainmen, the Railroad Conduc-
tors. the Locomotive Engineers, the
Locomotive Firemen and the Railroad
Photographers, followed Mr.. Cowen
with a forcible presentation Of the atti,
tude Of the railroad employees toward
the solicited extension. He agreed
with Mr.. Cowen that in a large meas
ure this was a great commercial ques,
ton. This law, the nam features of
which were to become operative on the
first day of the new year, he said,
rnnrasnntn1 Tho honrf orl n~-,;o-1. a
the American people, IS represented
by their chosen servants in Congress.
The associations for which he D
ed were a unit in protesting against
any such unreasonable extension as
had been proposed. Five years, Ne
said, would render the purpose of he
law n%ugatory.
During the past five years 1000 rail.
road men have been killed annually
and between 20. 0 and 25, 900 injured.
OF those casualties 60 per cent. were
directly attributed to the evils this law
has designed to correct. The slaughter
would be continued as long as the pres
ent conditions remained. He thought
something should be done with roads
which. being able at least to comply
partially. had utterly disregarded the
law
He called attention to the great f.
nancial LOSSES the benihcal associa>
lions of the railroad had sustained. In
death and disability claims 81, 900, 900
had been paid out during the past Ave
years. enough to completely equip q
road like the Louisville 4 Nashville,
When pressed by Chairman Morrison.
Mr.. Morrissey replied the the maxi
mum extension must not exceed a
year.
American Federation of Labor, Joined
in Mr.. Morrissey's protest against n
undue extension of the time for COM
pliance with the law. The lives n
limbs Of railroad employees which we're
in peril. he said. cried a. loud n
appealed as strongly to the commits
sion as the dividends Of the railroads.