Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-01-11
HOUR
LAW PASSES
SENATE
'LAF0LLETTE WINS AFTER
HARD FOUGHT BATTLE
Measure Regulates Length Of
Time Men May Be Kept At
Work Operating Trains in
Interstate Commerce,

Washington Jan. l0.-By a vote of
20 to / the senate today passed bill
/ providing that railway employees en-
gagged in handling trains shall not
1 work more than sixteen consecutive
/ hours, which period Is TO De followed
/ by ten hours off duty. The one mega
tive vote was cast by Senator Pettus.
This result was reached after an en-
/ tire day spent in considering the sub
iect. The parliamentary situation was
confused during the entire time
caused by the forty pending amend
mcnts and the three substitutes for
the bill, all OF which had 10 be dis
posed Of
| The bill which was finally passed
was a substitute offered today by SEN
ator La Toilette and not in print. IL
was amended in several respects by
the senate.
The bill provides that under certain
contingencies and in case of accident
the time fixed may be exceeded. The
enforcement of the law is placed IN
the hands of the interstate commerce
commission and the federal courts
the penalty provided being a line OF
not less than 500 nor more THAI
$1,000. The act is to apply to trains
doing an interstate or foreiSn COM
merce business
The original and the substitute for
II reported by the committee We're first
taken uD for amendment. Many
amendments were accepted ana many
rejected, and then Senator Brandegee
offered an entire substitute. which
was rejected.
Senator La Toilette then presented
his substitute which on roll call was
adopted. 26 to 30. 1t was then IN
order to offer amendments TO this sub
stitute and many We're presented. Roll
call followed roll call as the amend
ments came forward. But three Of
them were adopted, one by Mr.. Nc
Cumber. making an exception of the
time limit in the case of trains delayed
because of the unexpected delays IN
making train connections; another by
senator Mallory modifying the PEN
ally. ard tie third by Senator Ciallin-
ger. substituting the words ron duty I
for the words "for rest in the proVi-
sion regarding the rest period.
Among the amendments rejected
was one by Senator Bacon excepting
from the operation of the laws rail-
roads wholly within state. This was
defeated upon ron call. the vote be-
ing 16 to 36. Senator Ia Toilette
fahed i'm his endeavor to add new
section to his substitute fixing the liza /
bility OF the reads intcase of accident /
Afte1"1h@ III. had reached the stage /
of receiving a final vote Senator knox
discovered that it should be improved |
by striking out the words carrying in I
terstate freight or passengers in its 1
application to trains affected. and I
insert engaged in hauling interstate /
trains"
The Knox amendment was tabled /
The final vote was then taken on the /
bill the full text of which follows:
"Be It enacted, etc, that il shall be [
unlawful for any common carrier by /
railroad in any territory of the United /
States or the District of Columbia. or /
any Of its officers or agents or any I
common carrier engaged i'm interstate /
or foreign commerce by railroad, or /
any Of it's officers or agents. TO re- I
quire or permit any employe engaged /
in or connected with the movement 4
of anv train carrying interstate or for !
eign freight or passengers, TO remain !
on duty more than sixteen consecutive |
hours. except when by casualty oc-
curing after such employe has started 4
on his trip. or by unknown casualty, (
occurring when he started on his trip.
and except when by accident or uneX-
pccted delay of trains scheduled to
make connection with the train on
which such employe is serving, he is
prevented from reaching his terminals +
or to require or permit any such em-
plove who has been on duty sixteen
consecutive hours to go on duty with
out having at least ten hours on
duty: or to require or permit any
such enlploye who has been on duty
sixteen hours in the aggregate i'm any
twenty-four hours period To continue
on duty or to go on duty without haV-
ing had at least eight honrs off duty
within such twenty-fOur hour period.
Section THAT any such COM
mon carrier or any OF its officers or
agents violating any of the provisions
OF this act is hereby declared guilty or 4
a misdemeanor and upon conviction
thereof shall be punished by a fine
of not less than 500 nor more than
81 600. and il shall also be the duty of
the Interstate commerce commission
to fully Investigate all cases Of the vio-
Iations of this act and to lodge with
the proper district attorneys informa-
tion of such violations as may come to
its knowledge.
section 3.--That to enable the
to execute and enforce the
provisions of this act. IL snail nave /
the power 10 employ such inspectors
on other persons as may be necessary
To enforce the provisions OF this act
the commission and its agent or en-
ployes thercunto duly authorized
by order Of said commission SHAH
have the mower TO administer oaths,
interrogate witnesses. take testimony
and require the production Of books
aud papers The commission may also
order depositions taken before any
officer In any state or territory oi ihe
United States OF the District Of Co
mmbia. qualified by law 20 take the
same.
"The provisions Of this act shall not
apply TO relief on wreck irnina.'