Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-02-22
Fire Mt Georgetown University.
VESTIBULES FOR CARS.
report of Commissioners on HOus
Bill 1881,

|
Bill 1881.
The District Commissioners have returned
to the House District committee House bill
1881, to protect street railway employees
with report thereon. The bill proposes
TO require the railways to run vestibule car:
between November l and April l. and thai
nine hours of labor, to be performed within
eleven consecutive hours, shall be consid-
cred days labor In the operation of street
railways. Penalties, of course, are provid-
ed for violations of it's provisions
The question Of vestibules for street cars
was investigated by the Commissioners
thoroughly little more than a year ago
ana they ascertained that vestibules are re-
CURED by state law or municipal ordinance
IN many northern cities, although in sew
eral the law or ordinance is not enforced.
Massachusetts has a state law requiring
that VestibuleS shall be provided during the
months from December to March, inclusive
upon all street cars built after January l,
1898. except in the cities of over $4,000 in
habitants, 1t being the theory of the law
that cities of over that number of popua-
ton would have such congested streets that
vestibules might cause accidents.
1T was ascertained," say the Commits
sioners, from the weather bureau that in
the ten years between January l, 1890, and
December 81, 1900, there We're only 1I6 da ys
when the thermometer indicated a lower
temperature than twenty degrees above
zero, and on but forty-nine days In these
ten years was it colder than ten degrees be-
low zero. All Of these days We're in the
months of January February and March
This shows that the climate of Washingto on
Is not what could be called severe, and
while vestibules might be used to advant-
age, the same necessity does not exist for
their use as in many northern cities.
1T was found upon examination that
many of the street barns and sheds in
the District were designed to accommodate
cars OF the exact size now used upon the
roads, and to require vestibules to be placed
upon the cars would probably reduce the
storage capacity of the sheds quite materi-
ally.
THE Commissioners would, therefore,
recommend that sections / and of the bill
be changed SO as to require cars purchased
or built by the street railway companies at
ter a certain date to be so constructed that
half vestibules could be placed upon them
during the months Of December, January,
February and March. 1t is not believed
necessary to require full vestibules, as it IS
considered that in the climate of Washing
ton the form of vestibule which covers the
front of the platform and leaves the sides
open is sufficient for the purpose, and is
much less liable to cause accidents than a
full vestibule which reaches the body of
the car, and this form Is less of an incon-
venience to the public, as there are no doors
to be opened and closed.
The Commissioners believe that reason
able hours for the employees on the street
cars Of the District of Columbia are re-
quired not only by considerations of hu-
mainly, but also for the public safety, in
asmuch as men who are overworked may
become unfit to properly perform their
duties. But in the limited time within
which this question has been presented to
them the Commissioners have been unable
to furnish to your committee solution OF
the problem which they deem entirely just
to the roads and employees.
1.-The Commissioners believe 1t to be their
11t 70 SIIh f,,rt hQr
delay. confident that your committee will
give full opportunity to all parties interest
ed to be heard with regard to the merits of
the questions involved"