The Topeka state journal., 1900-03-31
Santa Fe Engineer Tells About
Dangers of the Practice.
HOSPITAL RECORDS
Are Said to Show More Acei-
dents With Fewer Trains.
o. r. C. Chief Appears as Wit
ness For the Employees.

The hearing on the question OF abol-
ishing the practice Of running double
headers has. occupied the attention Of
the Texas railroad commission during
the past three days. The matter may
be taken under advisement today.
General Manager Nudge of the Santa
F'e has been in attendance at the hear
ing He VIII not return TO Topeka be-
fore the middle of next week
One of the principal witnesses at the
hearing was Mr. G. l. Wilson. of Gle
burne, an engineer of the Gulf. Colo
radO & Santa F'e. In his testimony
Engineer Wilson said that a particular
element of danger is the pulling out Of
the draft appliances, which fail on the
track and deran cars; another that in
''hog-back'' country, where there are
grades, the slack 1engtheus out and
draws up suddenly. throwing men in
the caboose over stoves. etc, injuring
them severely; that it results in col
nsiOns and trains breaking in two and
enc part running into another. He
said that the hospital records show
that a fewer number Of trains run on
the santa F'e the greater number OF
accidents; that the liability to train
men IS greatest in summer time from
trains parting, because the conductor
and rear brakeman are usually on top
OF the train. while in winter time thew
are IN the eaboose, except when trains
are to be brought under control He
said the rule is that the first engine
is to apply the brakes on the train
but tnat if the air valve refused to
work the second engine could apply the
air. He knew Of a 6fOubfe-header
breaking in two twenty-seven times
going sixty miles. There is a difficulty
| in giving signals in handling q long
train, which results in increased dan
gers to the trainmen.
Mr.. Lee. attorney Of the Santa F-a
examined the witness, who testified that
IN trains breaking in two the air sets
the brake itself if the break occurs be-
tween cars having airbrakes; that an
/ engineer can feel the air come on in
such cases. He owned that on two
/ sIngle-header trains ten men are ex-
/ posed to danger. while seven are en-
pl0yed in the opera ton of a. double
I header. He said that it is almost i'm
possible for an engineer on the first en-
! gIne to see the signal Of trainmen at
/ times on account Of the smoke and
steam escaping from the second engine
/ IN reference TO the train that broke
twenty seven times in sixty miles wit
ness said it had been stated to him
| thar this train broke in more places
| than one; that it was not the same
| break that continually gave trouble
/ HIS train was following the one in
/ question.
Mr. z. E Clark. Of Cedar Rapids.
( Ia, grand chief conductor of the Order
! Of Railway Conductors, he having held
( that position for ten years. with juris-
/ dictiOn over all conductors in North
! America. was another witness intro
\ duced He had been rai1rOading before
/ that fifteen OF sixteen years. Had trav-
/ eIed extensively and seen the operation
/ Of double-headers and had given the
matter much consideration Regarded
! the operation OF dOuble-headers dOubIy
/ hazardous to employees. keeps them in
/ service an unusual number Of hours.
making them unfit for service and also
results in delays. Said that there were
( $4,000 members in the association in
/ North America
Mr.. Lee asked witness questions tend
/ ing to show that the Order of Railway
/ Conductors had an insurance feature
/ and that as dOuble-heading reduces the
| number OF conductors it would neces-
sarily hurt the insurance feature and
/ that as Mr.. Clark represented this in
/ surance organization. it would follow
/ that he would anUagonize the use of
double headers. as they reduce the
number Of policy holders in the insur-
ance feature and cripple It. It was ac-
/ knowIedged that double-heading throws
a great many men out of employment.