Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-15
THE GOVERNMENT AT WORK.
XII--Interstate Commerce Commission.
By FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

sanized. whose duty it is to inves-
tigate the various systems of block
signaling and the various inventions for
automatically stopping trains. This board
has come to the conclusion that only one
type OF automatic train control is feasible.
This is the closed circuit electrical con-
troll. Under such system the signaling
apparatus must stop the train when it is
out of order. as well as when. danger
threatens. If an open circuit apparatus
were used. it might get out Of order and
the signals would continue to display the
signs Of safety. Thus If bad boy were
to cut signal wire on the open circuit
the semaphore would continue to signal
safety beyond. But where that arm is held
in position by the electric current. the
minute the wire was cut or interfered
with, the current would be broken and the
semaphore arm would warn the train crew
against its own tmperfection as well as
against danger ahead.
Another invention being tried under the
auspices Of the block signal board is one
Tor the automatic stopping of trains
This consists of a lever projecting up
from one of the rails. This comes in
contact with a lever that operates the
throttle on the engine. When IL is neces-
sary that train be stopped, all that is
required is for the block operator to set
the track lever in position. and the steam
VIII be cut off automatically. The COM
mission also has charge of the enforce
ment of the law which requires all loco
motives to be provided with ash pans
These ash pans are intended to prevent
the scattering Of cinders along the right
OF way and resultant fires. 1t also at
tends to the enforcement of the law
which requires that railroad employees
work no more than a stated number of
hours in each twenty-four. In many
cases 1t was the fault Of the employee
rather than the railroad company that
long hours were observed by the men
The opportunity to make extra pay sent
many trainman over the road when
almost dead for sleep. The present law
prevents that. and insures the travelling
public greater safety.
One of the duties Of the interstate COM
merce commission is to supervise the ac-
counts of all
Supervises Accounts railroads. Real
~ po;1,~,. ling that unless
uniform sys-
tenn Of accounting were established there
could be no efficient supervision of the
operation of the railroads, Congress
clothed the interstate commerce commits,
sion with authority to require the insti-
tHtion Of a uniform system of accounting.
Every common carrier in the country is
required to furnish the commission with
annual reports disclosing certain infor-
nation as to its operation.
The railroads and other common car
riers are required to file with the COM
mission notice of every change Of rate at
least thirty days before that rate goes
into effect. This information is at all
times accessible to the public. and it is
declared that the provision for the post
ing of railroad rates has resulted in great
benefit, both to the carriers and the ship
Hv>@
accounts Of suspended claims, awaiting
adjustment by the railroad. amounted to
100000 year in the past, they now
amount to less than 10000. In co-opera
ton with the railroad commissions Of the
various states, the interstate commerce
commission has succeeded in inducing the
railroads to establish uniform demurrage
rules. Under these rules it is unlikely
that there will be another car shortage
such as occurred few years ago. The
prompt return of empty cars will be
equivalent to the addition of 1OO.0OO cars
to the rolling stock of the country.
Although the duties of the interstate
commerce commission are many and
varied, it is prob
Increase in Duties able that the next
p-ok.L,. year OF two will
see them greatly
increased. One amendment being urged
by the commission looks to the physical
valuation of the railroads. There has
been much difficulty in the enforcement
of the reasonable rate provision of the
interstate commerce law, because there
has been no way to arrive at judicial
valuation of the railroads physical prop
erty. In the Spokane case" the engi-
neers Of the railroads testified that it
would cost a certain amount to reproduce
these roads. Two years later they were
testifying again upon the same question
and this time their figures upon the cost
of reproduction were % per cent more