Evening star., 1901-02-12
Bin Requiring Their Use Advocated
Before Commissioners.
STREET RAILWAY EMPLOYEES PRESENT
Arguments in Favor Of the Meas
,ure Made at Hearing Today.
EA RLY ACTION PROMISED

Ashearing was- srsnte Cd today by the Dis
trict Commissioners, uppn House bill 1881.
to protect employees 1 street railway COM
pandes in the~Bistrict, at which a number
OF the employees of the syndicate, or Wash
ington Traction lines, were present Mr..
Frank Morrisen-efe the American Fedora
ton of Labor, and Mr.. Milford Spohn,
prominent in local labor Circles, were also
present. as WeFeSNrs. Nero Tanner. pHesi-
dent OF the American Federation Of Wo-
mems Clubs: Mrs Hannah Sperry. It's vice
president, and Mss.sCaroline E. Kent Of the
same organization. Not voice was raised
in opposition to the bin, and the ConInis-
sionerssprouiseas early action uponsrH SO
far as they are concerned.
The BIZ, as herettfore explained Tn The
STAR. proposed to make it unlawful to run
street car in the District between the LIST
of November and the list of April unless
those operating the railway first provide
the ear with proper inclosure sufficient to
protect the railway employees from expo
surea TO the inclemencies of the weather,
such Enclosure, of course, to be SO con-
structed as not to obstruct the vision Of the
person operating the car.
It also provides that nine hours of labor,
to be performed within eleven consecutive
hours, shall constitute days labor In the
operation of all street cars in the District,
and penalties are provided for the punish
heht OF tnose Iound guilty or violating the
provisions of the bill.
In Other Cities.
Mr.. G. E. Moray, secretary Of the Rail-
way Employees Union, first addressed the
Commissioners, inviting their attention to
the fact that a number Of the states require
through their statutes such protection of
street railway employees as the bill In ques-
ton seeks to provide, and that many OF
the cities OF the same latitude or north OF
washington require such protection by mu-
nfcfpal ordinances. Baltimore is one of
these cities, said Mr.. Moray, and he re-
ferred to the presence Of vestibules on some
of the cars Of the Washington Traction
Company, remarking that the fact that
this company has maintained them for
about two years, places that corporation
on record as believing in them.
Ihese Vestibules, said Mr.. Moray. not
only AFFORD protection to the motormen
against the weather, but they also in no
as without them 1t Is simply impossible for
motormen to see their way in a heavy
snow storm or in a binding rainfall. II
there Is any doubt of this he suggested that
the railway managers make a personal in
vestigation and they will be convinced OF
the accuracy Of his statement. But this,
he explained. Is but one of the features or
the proposed bill, and he then acquainted
the Commissioners with the long hours
many of the employees of the Washington
Traction Company are compelled to labor
in order to make days pay. Better SER
vice and safer service can only be pro-
vided the public, he asserted, by reducing
the hours of labor of these men, and such
accidents as that of the other day, due to
the inability of the motorman to remain
wide awake, will not happen IL the hours
Of labor are made to conform to the re-
quirements of the bill.
What the Men Endure.
In this connection, Mr. Moray cited q
number of instances where the employees
of the company operating the cars are
required to spend as much as eighteen or
twenty hours in making up days work Of
nine or ten hours One case he cited was
where the men reported as early as 4:30
o'clock In. and yet did not get a chance
to go to work before 1 O'Clock pm, and
then were compelled to continue at work
until long after midnight. Many Of these
men, probably a third of the company's
entire force, he stated, get but three or four
hours sleep in every twenty-four for seven
days at stretch, when they have a day
off, for which they are not paid, and then
begin another seven days stretch Of the
same hours. No man, he declared SO
worked, can stand the strain long, nor can
he be alert and watchful against accidents
Therefore, not only do the men suffer, he
insisted, but the travelling public, for to these
drowsy, half broken-down men can safely
be attributed, In his opinion, the majority
Of the accidents which occur. The Capital
Traction Company men, 1t was pointed out
to the Commissioners by Mr.. Moray, enjoy
shorter hours, are better paid. and have
more time given them in which to eat their
meals.
He stated that none of the employees of
the Capital Traction Company was pres
ent at the hearing, and In answer to in
quiries of the Commissioners, Mr.. Moray
stated that the men on the Washington
Traction Company's lines are given but
ten or twelve minutes for meals, and that
IL they lose time on their trips the time
1@p S, Add tod Fror hot an1
meals. Often men go. he said, from ten
to twelve hours without a chance to eat
Again referring to the hours of labor he
declared that in some instances men spend
sixteen hours in an effort to earn $157
Four cities of the country. including De-
troit, said Mr.. Moray, prohibit more than
nine hours as days work for street rail-
way employees. and five cities prohibit more
than ten hours Here, the capital of the
nation, where there is the best equipped
street railways In the world In a city
which Is the most beautiful and first in
so many grand and uplifting things, he
thought the men who labor on the street
railway lines should not be less protected
and should not be required or allowed to
work longer hours than elsewhere.
Motorman's Statement.
Mr.. John Dimarzo, a motorman employed
by the Washington Traction COMPANY
spoke of the hardships through long hours
and non-protection from inclement weather
they endure as did Mr.. ]. E. Maceron. a.
conductor employed by the company Mr.
Frank Morrison, representing the Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor, made an earnest
appeal for favorable report on the bill
by the Commissioners, and Mr.. Milford
Spohn said he felt satisfied that they will
not fail to make such a report. Mrs. Nero
Tanner stated that she and her compan-
ions had come to say few words in sup
port of the measure but as there had not
been one spoken against it she merely said
that the organization she represents heart
lily favors the bill
: "The intelligence OF our street railway
employees" remarked Commissioner Mac
farland at the close Of the hearing, has
been amply demonstrated by the arguments
presented to us today, and we have listen
ed to them with much pleasure and inter-
est The courtesy OF these employees we see
every day. and l.. am sure there are no
better to be found The Commissioners
will give the matter very careful attention
and take early action thereon"
Chance for Enlisted Men.
A general order issued by. the War De-
nartment proyides for CARRYING into effect