The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1900-10-05

means fine of 500 for any railroad to
use cars in interstate commerce which
require hand-coupling 500 for each
and every otfense.
AS the law is national in its scope it
applies to all rolling stock operated be-
tween the different States. 1t would
be possible for a road to operate the
old-fashiOned ears within the borders
of State having no automatic car
coupler law. 1t is said that it is now
a question of but short time when
every State in the Union will have such
n law, and then the original crude way
Of coupling ears will disappear forever.
However, it is said that despite the
fact that it would be possible to Oper-
ate cars not equippd with the new de-
vice in some States the railroads will
nevertheless improve all of their ears
with appliances at once, as it would be
more trouble than it would oe worth
to eudeavor to keep cars within the
limits of a single State. The roads
entering Chicago own in the neighbOr-
hood of 100000 freight ears and it is
asserted by railroad authorities that
over % per cent Of these cars are al
ready equipped with the new coupling
contrivances as required by law. These
roads own almost 5000 passenger cars.
but Of course all or nearly all of the
passenger coaches in the country have
for years been fitted with appliances
for coupling which do not endanger life
or limb. From the platforms of the
cars the man coupling them is enabled
20 accomplish the operation by levers
without exposing himself to accident.
Many of the roads have not car
which is not supplied with automatic
coupling attachments. Others have
from few hundred up to couple of
thousand ears not vel fitted with the
safety devices. In recently published
statistics the Baltimore and. Ohio road
was said to have 2.G62 which had not
vet been supplied. This was greater
number of ears without the modern
appliance than was charged to any 9th
er road entering Chicago. The Balt-
more and Ohio officials Indignantly
deny the allegation and assert that all
their freight ears now have the auto
matte cOuplers. Although some au-
thOrities make the modest estimate of
30 per cent of ears as the number legal
| ly equipped. there are others who say
that scarcely more than one car in 100
can be found which is not supplied
with the up-to-date brake.
The law was enacted by Congress in
March. 1893. and was to have gone into
effect on Jan. l. 1898. Reasons given
by the railroads that equipment Of all
the cars IN the United States within
the time allotted was impossible result
ed in an extension of time to Jan
1900. subsequently the time was eN-
tended to Aug. /. The extension of
time was granted ON condition that the
roads Immediately begin to equip their
ears In June, 1898. four MONKS after
the enactment of the law there were
1,O4T.5I1 freight cars Exported as
owned of which 2a9,2 80. Ct - per cent.
were equipped. In december. 1897.
the percentage of cars equipped was
- ON Dec. /. 1888. the percentage
had increased to - The statistics for
last July are that there are l.25O. sos
freight ears Owned in the United
States; that lib .299. or 81 per cent.
are equipped with automatic cOuplers.
ExpeuseI Enormous.
1t Is estimated that the railroads
have expended il the neighborhOOd of
$5O,OOO,O0O in equpping their cars with
! the automatic car couplers and with
air brakes. whichare also required by
the same law. Tie eQuipping OF es ch