The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-05-21
ON WINTER CARS ALL VESTIBULES MUST BE CLOSE
Bat None Will be Required on So Called
 Open Cars Used in Summer Traffic.
Connecticut Trolleymen Win Partial Vic. tory in Matter of Their Petition to Railroad Commissioners - Twenty Cars of Partially Enclosed Type in Bridgeport, Snpt. Chapman Says.

I ASS~PoAss SaRa ~haPAAAah Say 1 Every company operating a street
 railway in Connecticut must fully en- close the platform of all so called closed cars used for the transportation | of passengers. The work must be con- pleted by Nov. 1. This is the order issued by the Railroad Commissioners,
 a copy of the finding being received by ! Anthony Wolfe, business agent of the
 local trolleymen's union, to-day. The commissioners deny the petition
 of the trolleymen to have the fronts of open cars vestibuled.
 The decision is the result of a peti-
 tion filed with the commissioners, April g. by the trolley men, through their representative, Joseph Dunn. of Hart ford. Hearing was granted April 20,
 and continued until May 5, when the
 trolley men and representatives of the
 several street railway companies were
 fully heard. The Bridgeport men are
 well satisfied with their partial vic tory and will press their further de-
 mands at later date.
 The finding of the commission fol- lows:
 " Previously this board had issued various orders under the provisions of the foregoing statute, applicable, how ever, to certain companies, times and cars.
 "The whole question of vestibuling cars was ably and exhaustively pre- sented by the petitioners and the street railway companies. Many wit neSsses connected with the operation and supervision of street railways (both in Connecticut and other states) and many representing the travelling public, were heard
 "We therefore take occasion to state the position which this board takes at this time on the whole question of yes tibuling cars and to modify or revoke our numerous previous orders relating to veStibuling cars and to substitute therefor an order on veStibuling which is applicable to all street railways op- erating cars in this state and to cover their operations at all seasons of the year.
 previously issued and by the acts of the street railway companies in pro viding their equipment there are now in use in >tllisf state $50 closed cars tibules but 1855 of said cars are pro- vided with what is known as the semi or bulkhead vestibule only.
 1.-The two chief uses of the vestibule are the protection of the operators of the cars from cold and from storms. The operators themselves, make a third claim, namely:-protection from dust, cinders and other objects in the open air.
 'We find that the open car is pro- vided as additional equipment by the companies to meet the de- mands of it's patrons and should be used only in warm season of the year and on pleasant days in that season. We think that the travelling public de- mands that ears operated at such times should be in reality as open as it is possible to make them. We be- lieve the motorman operating the car can protect himself or be protected by the various simple devices now in use (such as glasses, storm coats, &c..l | from the occasional short storms that occur in the summer months-that in | severe or prolonged storms in said sea sons closed cars should be substituted | for the open cars.
 Much testimony was heard tend l ing to show the danger incident to op- erating cars in storms and the need | of the operator having an unobstruct- l ed view.
 "The testimony of witnesses and our | inquiries fail to show any state where | by statute or orders of railroad com 1 missioners open cars used in the sum- | mer months are required to be ves- | tibuled.
 Therefore we deem it necessary in | the interest of the public and of the | concerned, and do order and | direct each and every company Oper- | ating a street railway within the linn it's of the State of Connecticut to full " enclose the platform of all Eo- | called closed cars to be used in the | transportation of passengers. with com | plete VeStlbuleS- And that all cars used | by said street railway companies for | the transportation of passengers be- tween the first day of November (be- | ginning in the year 19O9) and the thir- tieth day of April, inclusive, of each | year, be thus fully vestibuled except | ing from the provisions of this order | cars used in an emergency or on such | warm clear days in April and Novem- | Der as are suitable for the use of open | cars.
 Copies of this order are to be mail ed to the representatives of the street | railway men of this state, and to the Bristol & 'Plainville Tramway Com pany, Connecticut Railway & Lighting Company, The Connecticut Company, Danbury & Bethel Street Railway | Company, Pennington Street Railway Company, Groton & Stonington Street | Company, Hartford & Spring field Street Railway Company, New London & East Lyme Street Railway Company, Providence & Dan olson Railway Company South Man chester Light, Power & Tramway Com pany and the West Shore Railway 
 ANDREW F. GATES,
 WM. O. SEYMOUR,
 O. R. TYLER,
 Railroad Commissioners
 Supt. Chapman of the Connecticut Company said this morning that there are in use in Bridgeport 20 cars of the enclosed type which are af- eected by the order of the commits sioners- He thought that some of these cars wOuld hardly for