Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-21
President Cowen Before the Indus
trial Commission.
FAVORS POOLING AGREEMENTS
Difficult to Maintain Published
Rates Always.
STUYVESANT FISH HEARD

Mr.. John K. Cowen. president of the B.
and o. railroad, was before the industrial
commission today and testified at length
on the subject of transportation generally,
and in regard to his road in particular.
He said he had been railroad man for
twenty-seven years and at the head of the
E. ard o. for three and three-quarters
years His company has % 900 employees,
Which number does not include workmen
IN other lines controlled by the B. and o.
Mr.. Cowen did not think laws restricting
the rrLning of trains on Sundays were of
eny service to any one. He thought there
was desire to curtail transportation on
Sunday, but he did not think 1t would
be done generally. He thought through
traffic should be allowed to go through on
Sundays
The Relief Department..
Speaking of ''fellow-servants' Jaws the
witness explained The operation of the re-
lief department of the railroad He said
that all employees coming on the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company must agree
that they will enter the relief department.
In case of accident death the employe
or his heirs have to choose between taking
the relief offered by the association or take
the risk of d suit. If they sue for damages
they lose any chance of getting the relief
from the association. This deters them
from suing for damages. The law of June,
1898, he thought, did not offset this ar
rangement, as il is the result of a specific
contract, and even then the employe has
a right to sue If he desires. He said
that when the relief association was form
ed no one was forced into il, but of 20 600
employees at that time 1900 voluntarily
went into 1t They also have a savings in
sutuuon in connection with the relief asSo-
citation which encourages the employees to
save, and they are guaranteed / per cent,
and now they actually earn J12 per cent on
their earnings. When this association was
formed he thought there was no savings
bank on the line of the Baltimore and Ohio
between Baltimore and Chicago, with the
possible exception of Columbus Ohio
The witness said nearly all the cars of
his road thai are tit for automatic couplers
ana air brakes have been provided. He
said that he thought these improvements
nave saved accidents, but he was not yet
prepared to say whether there Is not a new
set of dangers that will arise with these
| inventions. For instance, the air brakes
make it necessary for the employe to get
under the cars, and that is a danger
for them.
The New Arbitration Law
Mr.. Cowan did not think the arbitration
law of 1898 would amount to anything.
When asked what its effect would be- he
replied:
If you want my frank opinion" he said,
'it VIII have none
He was opposed to ticket brokerage, and
said the action Of the roads themselves had
| iessened ii greatly Of late years.
Pass Giving Abused
He said his road gives passes TO tndi-
Viduals, and he thought the system is
abused. He said he did not think the inter-
state commerce act prohibits the giving of
passes II they are not used for purposes of
discrimination. He instanced case in
| which a judge haG claimed that hauling
men free of charge is not interstate COM
| IL ha
members of Congress is quite general He
SAID railroads would like to get rid of the
J free passes.
He said the Interstate commerce commits
sion had done much work in settling many
disputes out of court. and though the list
OF decisions made is small. the work of
| the commission is important. He thought
| IL was great mistake when the inter-
/ state commerce act prohibited pooling He
thought the power of the Interstate COM
MERGE commission would be just as great If
| there is no legislation for it.
Complying with Published Rates.
Mr.. Cowen spoke at some length on the
| difficulty OF complying with the published
| freight rate, especially In the export trade
| A steamer he said. will carry the same
| article at varying rates, as at times it is
| found necessary to complete a cargo, and
| that affects the rate at which the steamers
| are willing to do business. This results in
| varying railroad rates. The railroads are
| keeping great deal closer to their pub
| lshed rates now than they did a year ago
| This was the result of a letter unlerst and
| ing among railroad men.
He said that strange as ii seemed tine
| steel and iron ore men actually favor hav-
| Il the railroads Increase their rates Tor
| the tr'nsporta lion Of their commodities
| Steel and iron had advanced and Inateria!
| Is costing the railroads more than formerly
| There was every reason why they should
| increase their rate % or 80 cents ton
| which, he said, was very small increase
| ny do you not Increase The rate?" he
was asked.
| Strange Spectacle.
we are trying to- he replied, land per-
| haps by November l we will succeed in