Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-06
GIVEN MORE TIME
Applications of Various Rail-
ways Allowed.
EXTENSION GRANTED
INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMIS-
SION ON SAFETY APPLIANCES.
Final Decision Deferred Until October
15-Objections of Railroad
Employees.

The Interstate commerce commission to-
day granted to certain railroads extensions
Of the time In which to provide safety ap-
planes to cars from September I, the time
fixed by the law. to October Is next. Be
fore October 10 the commission will rule
as to the application for further extensions
desired by the roads.
This extension was granted in order that
the commission might have sufficient time
in which to look into the claims of the
several roads asking an extension and be-
cause two of its members were not present
at the hearings held today and yesterday.
There were present at these hearings
Commissioners Martin A Knapp. chair
man. Joseph w. F'ifer and James D. Yeo-
mans. Commissioners Judson c. Clements
and C. A. Prouty were prevented from at
tending the sessions yesterday and today
because of illness in their families. Be
tween the present time and October Is the
commission will receive information from
it's agents in the field concerning the facts
involved in the contentious of certain rail-
roads as to their inability to provide safety
appliances for their cars. and also will
receive from the representatives OF the
railroad brotherhoods such representations
as to the facts in the case as they may
wish to make.
Chairman Knapp's Statement.
Commissioner Knapp today in summing
up the evidence that had been placed be-
fore the commission in the last two days
stated that the contention Of inability to
comply with the law requiring the roads
to be equipped with safety appliances
seemed to be summed up under four heads.
ThA Denver and Rio Grande wanted an ex
tension of time. claiming that the air.
brake with which they were required to
eCMfn
ed eloyes on their narrowgauge roads than
another brake which they had substituted
in its place The Boston and Maine de-
sired an extension with reference to cars
and locomotives of its passenger equip
ment
The Atchison. Topeka and Santa Fee had
made an application in relation to the lOca-
ton Of grab irons on its locomotives. The
Pennsylvania and allied lines. the Erie and
allied roads. including the Norfolk and
Western. desired an extension in regard to
the requirement for the equipment of 50
per cent of It's cars.
Mr.. Morrissey Explains.
Mr.. p. H. Morrissey. grand master of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Trainmen,
made an extended statement to the at
titude Of railroad employees toward these
specific questions relating to extensions.
He could not give additional information
as to the claim of the Denver and Rio
Grande that it had better break than the
air break for use on it's narrow gauge road.
He did not care to approve the applica-
tons of any OF the roads for an extension
claiming that as only per cent of the
roads had come before the commission ask
ing for an extension. while % per cent of
them had apparently complied with it. was
evidence that all of them could have COM
piled II they had seen fit to do so.
Reviewing the Course of Railroads.
soy ba of bo
roads in their attitude toward legislation
for the equipment of the cars with safety
appliances. and said it had been very I'M
satisfactory. The first law ON this subject
had been passed ten years ago. after a
campaign waEed for nine years previous to
that time, and yet the roads have not COM
piled with the law. He wished to take a
broad view of the question and at the
same time to do nothing that add to an
noying delay.
Commissioner Knapp announced the de-
cision of the commission after very full
exchange of views among representatives
of both the railroad companies and the
brotherhoOds of railroad employees.
The commission began the hearing yes
terday.
]. T. Chamberlain of Boston. master car
builder of the Boston and Maine, testified
that his company has 500 cars still I'M
equipped and would want seven months to
equip them Edgar J. Rich, counsel for the
Boston and Maine. said that the public
would suffer not the employees, unless the
extension Is granted.
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe rail-
road asked that the requirement of grab
irons on front or sides of road engines be
dispensed with else that the time for
such equipment be extended.
The Representatives Present
The following roads were represented by
counsel or by one or more officers: The
Boston and Maine. Atchson, Norfolk and
Western. Long Island, Pennsylvania, Eric.
New York. SusQuehanna and Western. Chi
cago and Erie, New Jersey and New York,
p. c. c. and st. Louis and the lessee o:
the Hartwell Railway Company.
The railway employees were represented
by p n. Morrissey, grand master Brother
hood of Locomotive Trainmen: John
Hanahan. grand master. Brotherhood o.
Locomotive Firemen Frank T. Hawley
grand master. Switchmen's Union of North
America. Buffalo, n. Y. A. B. Garretson
assistant grand chief Order of Railway
Conductors. Cedar Rapids.