Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-01

losses the beneficial companies of the rail-
road associations had sustained. In death
and disability claims of $2OOO, 600 had been
paid out during the past five years.
eEougn to completely equip d road like the
Louisville and Nashville. He did not think
1t consistent in roads that had made no
EFFORT 10 comply with the law TO come be-
lore the commission at this late day and
plead that its enforcement would paralyZe
interstate commerce.
ne Impressed on the commission the fact
that whatever concessions were made to
the railroads would be made at a sacrifice
Still the railroad men We're willing to con-
cede something. When pressed by Chair
man Morrison, Mr.. Morrissey replied that
the railroad employees agreed that the max
lmum extension must not exceed a year
In discussing the proposition of the rail-
roads made by Mr.. Cowen, Mr.. Morrissey
asked if the commission in granting an ex-
tension had the power 10 impose conditions
II am sorry to say replied Chairman
Morrison, that there are some things the
commission doesn't know, and that is one
of them"
Mr.. Morrissey challenged the statements
made as to the cost of equipping cars with
couplers and brakes. He gave $14 as the
cost and was of opinion that 20 per cent
of the cars equipped with the driving
brakes would control trains except in
mountain regions.
Ex-senator Butler of South Carolina. on
behalf of the Mobile and Ohio railroad as
a member of the Senate at the time of the
passage of the act, confirmed Mr.. Governs
statement that the law was tentative.
Congress had been unable to anticipate the
future, and therefore had conferred the
power to grant extensions upon the COM
mission.
Other Railway Attorneys.
Mr.. Loomis of the New York Central,
whose road has complied fully, asked for
the extension on the ground that the COM
mission could not contemplate such an in
tcrruption of traffic as must follow the in
ability of his and other terminal roads to
haul unequipped cars.
G. a. Rhodes, representing the mechanical
department of the c.. B. and O., urged as
an additional reason for an extension that
haste would put premium on the equip
ment of cacs with Intellectual safety appI-
anceS.
Ex-Representative Harrison of Alabama
made the point that the yello~ " fever in the
south had been a severe strain on southern
roads. The several roads which had fully
complied, these which had between 75 and
lW per cent Of their cars equipped and those
with between 80 and 10 per cent, We're
called and the representative of each gave
an estimate Of the time in which the work
OF complying with the law could be conf
pieted.
a recess was then taken.
Position Of the Railway Men.
Star reporter talked to Mr.. f. E. Clark
chief OF the Order of Railway Conductors
at the Raleigh today. Mr.. Clark was not
prepared to make any extensive statement
in regard to the committees attitude on the
question of an extension Of time, as the
position of the companies was not fully
known. 1t had been suggested that some
of the roads would ask the commission to
extend the time for equipment with safety
appliances for five years, and, should this
proposition lie made it viii be combated
by the representatives of employees. They
Will not, however, object to what they re-
gard as reasonable extensions, in view of
the business depress- on, which has pre-
vented d number of companies from hav-
ing funds for improvements. But in cases
IN which railway companies have paid div
idcnds regularly and have pleaded poverty
IN regard to providing safety appliances,
they will not be regarded by the committee
as having any excuse for not having equip
ped their roads.