The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-13
RAILROAD NEWS.
Interstate Commerce Commits
sion Investigate Block System.
One Of Three Inquiries Under
Congressional Authority.
PLANS BEING MADE.
Grain Elevators and Coal and
Oil MOnOpOlies Next.
Gossip and Matters of Interest
in Railroad Circles.
PLANS BEING MADE.

Plans are being made by the inter
state commerce commission for the in
vestigation which it viii make by di-
rection Of congress into the block sys-
TEN and appliance on railroads This
will be one of three Investigations to
be carried on by the commission by
congressional authority during the
summer and fall, extending perhaps
INTO the winter The other two in
vestigations relate to the grain ele-
Vvator business and to railroad monopo-
mes and determinations in coal and
The grain elevator investigation will
De undertaken under the LaFOllette
resolution, and will relate to elevator
charges and the conduct and manage
ment Of elevators. The coal and oil
investigation has not been completed.
Inc inquiry was Of the widest possible
scope, and directed the commission to
inquire into all monopolies and dis
examinations in the matter of coal and
oil.
So much of that investigation has
been undertaken involving hearings in
New York. Philadelphia. Baltimore.
Washington, has related to only one
phase Of the subject-bituminou coal
determinations and monop0lies in the
east. This has eentered around the
Virginia. and Pennsylvania TO tidewa-
ter oil was touched upon Incidentally
in the investigation.
The testimony thus far taken about
conditions involved in the soft coal in
duSJry IS now being ana lyzed by the
interstate commerce commission with
the view to preparing d report for con
SlderauOn by congress. the president
and the department of justice. The
whole report on all the work done I'M
resolution viii not be made at once.
but in installments, and the first of
these installments will relate almost
exclusively to the soft coal Industry ia
the eastern field 1t is the intention Of
the commission TO go as far as the Pa
cifie coast In its oil and coal investiga-
tons. The anthracite coal industry
viii be the subject of another phase Of
the investigation.
The block signal investigation reso-
luton, under which a separate investi-
cation VIII be made, authorizes the
commission to make an investigation
of block signal systems as we'll as
appliances for the automatic control
OF railway trains. The object of the
resolution is to gain experience and in /
formation both f0r-the use Of congress |
and Of progressive railway men The
block signal system is in use in many
places and is fairly we'll known, but II
is claimed that there are a number Of
automatic signal devices which ere
more nearly perfect as preventives Of
accidents than the block system. 1t is
tf-rus ut by many rleTbers # con-
gress, among them Representative
Mann of the hose committee on in
terstate and foreign commerce. that
these automatic devices ought to be
given an opportunity for fair trial UNI
der the supervision of government Of
ficials. who will report to congress IN
biased By the wishes of the owners of
the appliances who want them in
stalled, or by the wishes of railway Of
hcials who object to the expense of
their Installation.
The need of additional safeguards to
prevent accidents on railways may we'll
be admitted when one considers the
enormous loss of life and injury to per-
sons, and especially to railway en-
plOyes. which the railroads of the
country cause every year Rallroading
has proved to be nearly as hazardous
in times of peace as a soldiers life in
time Of war Although congress has
provided for airbrakes, automatic
couplers and various other safety APP
planes. the installation Of which has
been proceeding during the last few
years, the percentage of railroad en-
ployes injured te those employed has
been steadily Increasing.
The employers liability act. recently
passed. may have some tendency to-
ward compelling the railroads to be
more careful in the selection of EN-
ployes Whether congress will re-
ouire the use of one particular kind Of
signal or device. or whether it will lay
down certain rules permitting a dis
elimination in the kind and character
of the signal or device to be used, is
question yet to be decided.
Members generally have not desired to
confer any special benefit upon the own
er of a patented device. but many OF
rfo7r 70
be in universal use on the railroads.
other members would draw a dstinc-
fion between roads in populous districts,
running a large number of trains each
day. and roads that have few trains,
few stations and run through sparsely
settled communities. In order to obtain
information to enable congress to legis-
late inteIIigentlv upon the subject If