The Washington herald., 1910-06-26
RAILROAD BILLS
SHOW WIDE RANGE
One Hundred and Twenty
two Are Now Pending.
SOME ALMOST RIDICULOUS
One Glass Restricts Power to Mako
and Collect Rates-AnOther Die
tates Methods of OperatiOn-A
Third Prescribes Duties the Conn
pRnies Already Performs.

OF the $1,000 bills that Congress has
been asked to enact into law at the
present session, 122 affect railroads ex-
clusively.
Omitting the administration BILL"
this long list Of proposed measures COW
ers a wide range, restricting the power
10 make and collect rates, debating
methods of operation. and in many In
stances simply requiring railroads 10 do
the precise things they now do OF their
own free viii. An example Of this is
found in the bills OF Senator Burkett. Of
Nebraska. and Cummins, of Iowa, and
Representative Godfrey. OF Missouri. re-
curing the railroads TO carry $50 pounds
of baggage free for an adult passenger.
Most railroads have done this for years.
A still more notable example OF com
pelling by law the doing OF some thing
that is already fully provided for is the
bill OF Representative Mann, OF Illinois,
giving the Interstate Commerce Com
mission power TO formulate regulations
for the transportation OF explosives. One
of the most noteworthy achievements of
the railroads recently has been the bril-
liant success of the bureau of explosives,
ago, in reducing the danger of handling
the 5000 cars containing explosives that
are In transit every day somewhere in
the United States.
Boiler Inspection at Pet Theme.
Boiler inspection seems to be the pet
subject among the lawmakers this
year, no fewer than seven bills on that
topic having been introduced IN the two
houses AS all railroads employ large
and expensive engineering stats which
keep locomotive boilers under continuous
and thorough inspection as part OF the
routine essential 10 the operation OF the
roads, about the only substantial gain
10 be effected by the enactment OF one OF
these bills viii be the creation Of several
hundred nice government Offices. The
President will have the appointment Of
a boiler inspector-general and two as
sistants
The Interstate Commerce Commission
can appoint the 800 local inspectors
without the Intervention of the civil ser
vice. incidentally. the Inspectors by ex
ercising their right to withdraw loeomo-
tives from service at any time for tests
and inspection would have it IN their
power seriously to cripple the opera
ton OF the railroads.
Enjoying equal popularity With TIE pplA-
er inspection idea is the attempt to re-
store the free pass TO its former vogue.
Seven bills have been introduced TO give
certain privileged classes the right TO
ride free. These range all the way from
Confederate veterans TO publishers.
Favorable TO Colleges.
Senator Penrose has introduced a bill
giving certain colleges $4,000 to use in
determining the hammer blow. centrf-
fugal lift and tangential throw OF
counter balances. AS various colleges.
railroad companies and mechanical en-
gineers have already gone into this sub
ject pretty fully without waiting for
government aid. the value OF this scheme.
except 10 the colleges that get the money,
is not apparent.
Still another proposed measure is one
providing for full crews" Four bills
have been introduced on this subject,
and four more limiting the hours that a
railroad man is 20 be permitted TO labor.
One of these bills, introduced by Repre-
sentative Murphy, Of Missouri, imposes
a penalty Of 800 for permitting any en-
plOye 10 work more than eight hours
without taking rest Of sixteen hours.
Other proposed laws require sleeping
cars 10 be equipped with Safes provide
roads. the preparation of uniform freight
classification by the Interstate Com
merce Commission. the physical valua-
ton of the railroads by the commission,
prohibit the transportation OF the pro-
ducts OF convict labor, and establish
commission 10 investigate labor dis
putes.
May Order Block signals.
One OF several bills on the subject OF
block signals. empowers the Interstate
Commerce Commission 10 order any rail-
road TO install them on one-fourth of its
lines by July l. 1872 Another introduced
by Representative Martin, of South
Dakota. specifies dimensions of locOmo-
tives cars and distance Of structures
from track
Another class of bills deals with freight
claims One by Representative Roden-
berg, OF Illinois. Incorporates the freight
claims clearing house. which will create
several offices with salaries of $500 a
year. The incumbents Of less desirable
but more numerous places are 20 ad-
Just freight claims by shippers promptly.
Another bill by Representative Madison.
OF Kansas, Is meant TO compel railroads
to pay "just" claims within ninety days.
II they fail 10 do so the claimant may
add his attorneys fee 10 HIS claim. Inc
bill provides no test by which a Just
claim can be identified.
Compensation for Damages.
A bin by Representative SABBATH. of
Illinois, provides for Federal cOmpensa-
ton for deaths and injuries on railroads,
all claims to be paid within thirty days.
Funds are to be raised by levying tax
of $40 on each car and locomotive. In
1908. there were 2.S02,055 cars and loco
motives on the railroads Of the United
States. so that this tax would amount to
the sum $4,000. 900.
Various bills IN House and Senate pro-
vide that rates may not be raised be-
fore October l, 1910. and automatically
postpone any increase in rates against
which protest is lodged. A bill by Rep
resentatve STEVENSON, of Minnesota, pro-
vides for the appointment Of a receiver
70 operate a railroad during strikes. One
by Representative Hardy. OF Texas. COM
pels railroads to transfer freight TO
wharves on rivers and lakes, while
another by Representative Graham. OF
Pennsylvania, would compel railroads TO
furnish stakes and cross wires for cars
OF lumber. Several others make IL un-
lawful TO charge more for a short haul
than for long haul. Still others re-
strict the issue Of securities. prohibit dis
closures regarding shipments. &c
The transportation OF misbranded in
secticides. provision for monthly acct
Y dent reports under oath. and prohibit
ton OF the hauling Of cars not equipped
with safety appliances after July !. 1911.
have passed both Houses, been signed
by the President. and are now laws.
Tree Surgery Common.
Tree surgery has become quite a COM
mercial art. Several firms advertise Of