The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-02
"DouBLE HEADERS,
Hon. John d. Pitts Depounccs Their
One ra ton.

Operation.
Hillsboro, Texas, November S0.-Hon.
John D. Pitts was asked for his opinion
as to whether the running of double
header trains could be prohibited by law,
and in reply, said:
They can not per Sc. But II from
the length OF such trains, or the weakness
of the cars or couplings, or the insult
fciency of the men employed, or the ap-
used to control trains, such trains
are dangerous to life or destructive to
property, such methods of operating trains
can oe prohibited.
'The double header train Is more
serious affair than one would suppose at
first thought, and with the equipment OF
the ordinary train they are SO dangerous
to life that they ought not to be used
A single engine carries from fifteen TO
twenty cars, while a double header is
train with two engines and Atty or mose
cars of freight. AS two separate trans
they would require a conductor and a
force of hrakemen' for each, while II they
were combined as a double header, oae
conductor and his brakemen would be laid
off. while the other conductor and his
force would be required to do the double
work of both forces without extra CON-
pensation. This saves the company just
81 per hundred miles on expenses and con-
stitutes the sole reason for the lntroduc-
ton of double-header trains.
"Along with the desire to get double
labor out of half train crew, the dam
gerous risks involved by 1t ought not 10
be underestimate. Authentic statistics
show that in the last six years more than
10 0n0 people have been killed and more
than 900 have been injured by railway
trains, resulting in greater fataiity and
entailing more misery than many Of the
hloodiest wars and revolutions OF ancient
or modern times.
without reference to damage to prop
erty. the dictates of humanity protest
against any increase of dangers In railway
service that would add to the present an
palling list Of injuries and deaths
"Double- header trains bristle with new
dangers and can not fail 70 add large
per cent of new victims to the railway
casualties Of the day The drawbacks that
are strong enough to Withstand the impact
of fifteen or twenty cars are crushed oy
that OF fifty into a death trap for brake
men. The links and pins That are made 10
sustain the draft of single train snap
beneath that Of a double weight ana IN
crease the dangers Of car coupling MN
bred fold
ION down grades, with air brakes o.
several rear cars OF double header. m
momentum OF the train could he control eo
until coupling breaks then away th'
train goes down the grade, with the un
controlled momentum ami slack OF MT
loaded cars that must crush or deral Nv
engines on the next up grade. II IN
train should descend the'grade safe'Y an'
start up the next, there is point Wher
iis momentum ceases and its inertia OF
t.he upgrade pull Is sufficient to SNAP TN
links and pins like straw and open
variable laws of death for tranm0n
ION the engines the men In IRON, ma
see the washout or other dancer am say
I themselves. but on the second engine N
men can not see ahead and. hllns-fnise i ?
n we're, must ride to certain deatn. "a
+ /, this the danger of two en.ines
bridges made for enc. or treslas .oVe
flooded lands and one can see mat U
cruel economy that endansers nah1a
life. ,.h
at is heartless answer to say WIZ
ehrug: What II a few moe men a.
killed. the company paws for mem pa
cause n1oney can not brlng 1ov 10 VI
home that has Grape on the door.