Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-07
RAILROADS ASK MORE TINE
Want Another Year to Equip Cars with
Safety Appliances,
employees PRESENT THEIR VIEWS
Interstate Commerce Commission
VIII Probably Grant nm Extension
of Six Months ms n Final Com ..
cessiOn to Roads.

| 'ho Iiule dllONeu Jne rallTOauS 10 equip tnelr
lines with safety appliances. Two years ago
the commission granted an extension until
January 1, 1900. The further extension
| asked for at the present time is one year.
Representatives Of various labor organiza-
tions were also present to offer their side of
the case.
John X. Cowen, president of the Baltimore
Ohio, representing as chairman eighty
eight other roads, having $4,000 miles of
line, made the opening argument He said
that June 1, 1899, 211,26 freight cars out of
226SOOO engaged in interstate commerce
were not equipped with safety appliances
Since that time the number had been re-
duced to between 100000 and 175, 900. The
argument of the railroads asking for an
extension he said, was based upon the show
Ing made by the roads since the last applica
ton. The showing demonstrated that the
railroads had done as well as could be eX-
pected and would ask no further extension.
Wayne MacVeagh, representing the Penn
sylvania and afIilating lines, Joined in ask
ing for the extension. They had equipped
14sOOO out of 100000.
Ninety Per Cent Equipped.
President Knapp of the commission said
for the benefit of those present that of the
per cent were fully equipped. He said
there was some misapprehension as to the
meaning of the law. which provided that
not all the roads should equip their cars,
burt that after a certain date no unequipped
cars should participate in interstate COM
merce. Fully equipped roads could not,
therefore, haul unequipped cars after the
expiration of the limit
AT this iunpturn President Knann
nounced that the president had sent word
that he would be glad to receive the repre-
sentatives of the railroads and labor or
ganizatons at the White House at / o'clock.
The invitation was accepted
The committee recessed until o'clock.
After the recess Mr. McVeagh again ad-
dressed the committee, dwelling upon the
enormous progress already made by the rail-
roads, which he said had spent $780, 900, 600
to comply with the law. If the extension
was not granted, he said, the withdrawal of
175,O00 cars from interstate commerce would
inflict serious injury upon the business in
terests of the company.
Mr.. Ely of the motive lower department
OF the Pennsylvania railroad gave it as his
Wow that it would be entirely impracticable
for one road to equip all the foreign cars
on its line.
President Knapp at this point stated that
a travelling inspector of the committee, which
had been examining the equipments of the
roads for some time, had found an almost
ideal state of affairs as to hand holds and
the uniform height of drawbars, but he
found surprising state Of affairs far as
some OF the alleged automatic couplers were
concerned. 1t was discredible, he said. The
appliances for operating the couplers, espe-
nio nhap
out Of order in 20 per cent of the couplers
The couplers could lot be worked except
by going between the cars and were more
dangerous than the old locks and pins.
Mr.. Ramsey Of the Wabash protested
against the statement that 25 per cent cf
the couplers were out of order. He thought
l or 2 per cent would cover the couplers out
of order.
The secretary of the commission said that
four lodges of railroad conductors, eight of
locomotive engineers and one of firemen
bad petitioned in favor of extension, and
that eleven lodges of railway trainmen, ten
of railway conductors. ten of fremen and
three of engineers had petitioned against
extension.
Clark Talks for Employees.
E. E. Clark president Of the Order of
Railway Conductors, said he had no desire
to embarrass the commission or the rail
roads. The employees wanted to be reason
able. The inherent defect in the law, he.
said, was that its enforcement would pun
ish the innocent as well as the guilty. In
IS, he said, 1858 railroad employees were
killed and 81 ,761 had been injured. OF these
over 600 had been killed and over 5000
wounded in coupling cars. If the law had
been obeyed and had accomplished its object
not one of these men would have been killed
or injured AS regards the cost, of which
the railroads had complained, he said 1t was
hard TO strike a balance between dollars
and cents and lost lives and injuries. Rail-
road organizations during the last two years
had paid out over $1000,000 in death and
sick benefits. AS men crippled in the SER
vice were debarred from further employment
by railroads, these organizations wanted just
as few men crippled as possible. Speaking
OF the number OF couplers in bad order, to
which attention had been called, he declared
that until the law became actually operative
it would be impossible to compel the roads
to keep their couplers in good order. He
called attention to the fact that many roads
which were now completely equipped were
before the commission two years ago con-
tending that it would be absolutely mpOs-
sible for their roads to equip their cars in
less than five years. He said that the few
private car lines, owners of refrigerator
cars, etc, showed disposition to equip their
cars. He thought sooner or later all roads
would be obliged to equip the foreign cars
on their lines. While unwilling to take the
position that the law should be made oper-
atve December 81, he said the railroad en-
ployes asked that their interests be con-
sidered. Two years ago the railroads asked
five years. They got two; now they wanted
one. Upon behalf OF the employees he asked
that the time should not be extended more
than few months, four to six months, and
that the commission make 1t plain, once for
all. that If an extension Is granted that 1t
is the last.
II. E. Wilson, on behalf OF the locomotive
engineers OF the Pottsville Pa.) lodge, asked
that the extension be granted, but that the
be given to understand that no
further postponements are to be hoped for,
1t seems that as a result of the hearing
the commission viii grant further extern
sion of six months within which to comply
with the safety appliance act.
improvements at sioux city.
SIOUX CITY, Ia, Dec. Especial Tele-
gram)-It Is learned on assurance OF Pres
ident Hughitt that the Northwestern system
will spend round million dollars here In
Improvements, including a union passenger /
station and enlarged terminals, as well as |
the extensions from Movile Ia, and TO
$. d. Tonight General Manager
Scott CT the Chicago, st. Paul, Minneapolis |
g Omaha General SuDerintendent Stuart !