Evening star., 1901-05-18
SAFETY OF VESTIBUlE CARS
CHAIRMAN OF - MASSACHUSETTS,
RAILROAD COMMISSION TEsTIrIEs.
Result of Investigation of the Subject
Told to the Industrial Com
mission.

The Industrial commission met at the
Bliss building today and heard the testf-
mony of several witnesses.
The first witness was Mr.. ]. F. jackson,
chairman of the Massachusetts state rail-
road commission.
The commission has supervision of all
steam and street railroads of the state.
The questions of allowing grade crossings
and requiring safety appliances are under
their control. In these and some other
matters their powers are absolute while in
questions of rates. etc, their powers are
merely advisory. though their recommended
tions had nearly always been adopted by
the road. This commission had been in ex-
istence since 1869.
Safety of VestibuIe Cars.
One question lately referred to the COM
mission related to the safety OF Nestibue
cars. The legislature had asked the COM
mission to investigate the question whether
such vestibuied cars could be used with
safety to the public. The street railway
companies claimed that 1t could not be
done as on narrow and crowded streets it
would be dangerous. because motormen
would have their view interfered with and
could not hear as easily
The commission had made an investiga-
tioii Niiitli thtcltitt All over lnlS GoOl-
try and in Canada, and they had concluded
that NeStibuled cars could be operated with
safety, and within a certain time the street
railroads of Boston must be equipped with
such HestibuleS. The commission Will ap-
prove vestibule most of glass and with
windows that can readily be lowered so
that the view of the motorrnan will be OBJ
strncted as little as possible. They will
also introduce such cars on the most diff
ficult routes at first. that they will be
tested before they are put on the entire
system.
The control of the railroads by the com
mission. Mr.. jackson said is SO favora bly,
viewed by the people that the tendency is
to further extend its powers Some of those
VINO had opposed it at first have since ap-
proved It, because of the probable effect ii
has in steadying the stock values and maxi
ing the property more secure. The com
mission has power to effectualIy prevent
stock watering, which in itself gives great
protection to investors.
Coal in Alabama.
Mr.. Z. o. Hopkins, president of the Sloss-
Sheffield Iron Company of Birmingham,
Ala, was the second witness to appear be-
fore the industrial commission Mr.. Hop
kins said the development of the coal in
dustry had been great in Alabama, and he
thought it would steady the business con-
ditions of Birmingham and the state in
any time when the steel and iron Industries
are depressed
The coal miners now get 55 cents a ton
but that did not help the colored miners
very much, because, as their pay has been
increased from 81 to 30 cents a ton, they
simply work less time instead of saving
money. The majority Of the colored people
at present prices for mining coal will work
only four days a week. The supply of ore
coal ana limestone is practically inexhausti-
bic within a radius of twenty-five miles
around Birmingham
he did not know +lo
States steel corporations have attemnted
10 get southern iron and steel mills or not
He thought if they did so and applied the
methods used by Mr.. Carnegie in his in
dustry 1t would be benefit He did NOT
think the United States Steel Companv
could drive others out of the business un-
less they should turn out their profucts
cheaper than anybody else could