The Washington times., 1905-02-26
COMMIT Tee Il
VEST|BU ILL
Favorable Report Made to
the House.
WOULD PREVENT ACCIDENTS
Still Possibility the Local Measures
May Be Acted Upon Before
Adjournment.

IT IS thought that many street car ac-
cidents occurring in cold weather are
caused by motormen becoming be-
numbed by cold, and therefore unable
to see clearly or to operate the mocha
nism of the car promptly.
1t is believed that the construction
Of a glass vestibule for their protection
will ohviate many accidents. and at the
same time operate greatly TO the health
and comfort of the men engaged in this
occupation.
This is the conclusion reached in the
special report submitted to the House
yesterday by Representative Pou on his
bill to require the street railway com
panies of the District to vestibule. all
their ears by November 80 1895, for the
purpose of better protecting motormen
from severe weather The favorable re-
port was authorized by the House Com
mittee on the District of Columbia ten
days ago on Mr.. Pou's motion.
Report of Committee.
The report, after making the recon-
mendation that the bill do pass" says:
THE purpose Of the proposed legisa-
tion is to require that al street cars
operated IN the District of Columbia
shall be provided with suitable vesti-
bule for the protection of the motormen
from November l to the 31st of March
in each year, and giving the railway
companies until the both day OF Novem-
Der, 1905 in which to vestibule such cars
as are not now suitably arranged for
the protection of the motormen from in
element weather.
.s1he Commissioners of The District
of Columbia have at various times re-
ported fayorably on bills of similar
character. ana your committee has also
received numerous communications from
citizens associations and individuals in
the District of Columbia indorsing this
proposition.
The necessity for the protection OF
the Inctornen in this manner has been
made very apparent during the severe
weather which Washington has expert
enced during the present winter. The
: conductors, by reason OF being more or
less inside of the car in the collection
OF fares; are shielded 10 large extent,
but The raotorrr1en during the winter
months suffer seriously by having 10
protection from the snow and icy winds
.-The Capital Traction Company some
time ago assured your committee that
their ears were now being provided witE
yestibu!es as rapidly as possible, ana
that by next fail the protection or thelT
rs2otorznen IN this respect would be an
s,csornDIished fact This company in the
mast has always carried out to the letter
8 premises made te this committee for the
Improvement OF the service.
..aeweve-. the cars on other lines OF
street railways are not all vestibuled
ana there IS no assurance that they VIII
hr. in the near future. On the Metropoi-
itan line. running from Lincoln Park to
Georgetown, none of the cars having
traiiers are provided with this protec-
ton for the motormen, and your COM
raiftee believes that the cars on this and
ali other lines should be so equipped.
Hope Not Abandoned.
The members of the House District
Committee have by 10 means given up
an hone of the passage of the .'vestibule
biII,' and yesterday afternoon the opin-
ion was expressed that the Speaker
would before the end of the session,
give the committee a chance to secure
the action of the House on the six Dis
trlct pills now on the House calendar.
An,ang these six is the vestibule meas
are.
It was said ia the District Committee
room yesterday afternoon that tomor-
row, which under ordinary circum-
stances would be a regular District
day, VIII be given over paftiaiS " tue
consideration of local legislation. It
had been thought by the committee that
the press of public national business
would crowd out all the District bills.
INQUIRY at the Office of the Speaker
ELECTED the Information, however, that
tomorrow will be devoted TO considera-
ton of the sundry civil appropriation
bill II is now thought the debate on
this bill viii make 1t impossible for the
House to consider local bills. Members
Of tie District Committee nevertheless
contend that their measures may come
up late In the afternoon. or be given
some consideration at later date,
In either case. urgent speeches viii be
made for the passage of the Pou bill,
and its friends expressed themselves as
confident it will receive a majority OF
the votes OF the House.