The Detroit times., 1910-10-22
THE GOVERNMENT AT Work
INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIM


has come TO the conclusion that only
one type OF automatic train control ID
feasible. This IL the closed circuic
electrical control Under such q sys-
TEN the signaling apparatus must stop
the train when II Is out OF order. a.
well as when danger threatens. IL an
open circuit apparatus were used, IL
might get out OF order and the stx-
nails would continue to display the
signs OF safety. Thus. II bad boy
were TO cut signal wire on the open
circuit the semiphore would continue
10 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 semiphorc
arm would warn the train crew
against It's own imperfection as well
as against danger ahead.
Another invention being tried under
the auspices Of the block signal board
Is one for the automatic stopping or
trains. This consists OF a lever pro-
iecting ur from one OF the rails. This
comes In contact with lever that
operates the throttle on the engine.
When II Is necessary that a train be
stopped. all that Is necessary Is for
the block operator TO set the track
lever In position, and the steam will
be cut OF automatically. The commits
sion also has charge OF the enforce
ment Of the law which requires all
locomotives to be provided with ash
pans. These ash-pans are intended to
prevent the scattering OF cindefs along
the right-of-way and resultant fires.
II also attends to the enforcement OF
the law which requires that railroad
employees work no more than stated
number OF hours In each "a. 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 pres
ent law prevents that. and insures the
travelling public greater safety.
One of the duties OF the interstate
commerce commission Is to supervise
the accounts OF all railroads. Realix-
ing that unless q uniform system OF
accounting was established, there
could be no efficient supervision or
the operation OF the railroads, congress
clothed the interstate commerce com
mission with authority to require the
institution OF q uniform system OF &C
counting. Every common carrier In
the country Is required to furnish the
commission with annual reports as
closing certain Information as to its
operation.
The railroads and other common
carriers are required TO hle with the
commission notice Of every change or
rate ut least 80 days before that rate
GOES into effect. This information u
at all times accessible to the public,
end II Is declared that the provision
for the posting Of railroad rates has
resulted In great benefit both to the
carriers and the shippers. One nrm
estimates that where its accounts or
suspended claims. awaiting adjustment
by the railroads. amounted to 100000
a year In the past, they now amount to
Jess than $4,000. In cooperation With
the railroad commissions OF the vari-
Gus states, the interstate commerce
commission has succeeded In Inducing
the railroads to establish uniform de-
murrage rules. Under these rules II
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 100000 cars to the rolling
stock OF the country.
Although the duties of the interstate
commerce commission are many and
varied, IL Ii probable that the next
year or two Will see them greatly In
creased. One amendment being urged
BY the commission looks to the physi
cal valuation OF the railroads. There
has been much difYiculty in the en-
forcement OF the reasonable rate" pro-
vision of the interstate commerce law,
because there has been no way to ar
rive at judicial valuation Of the rail.
roads physical properly In the "Spo-
kane case" the engineers OF the rail-
road testified that II would cost q Ger.
tain amount to reproduce these roads.
Two years later they were testifyfng
again upon the same question and this
time their figures upon the cost OF pro-
duction were rs per cent more than
those offered In their former testi-
mony. In a recent state rate contro.
versy the railroads testified that it
would cost 100000 mile to repro
duce their property. Only few months
before they had sworn to the tax col
lector that these properties could be
reproduced for $4,000 q mile.
In time the commission probably
will be given jurisdiction over the
question Of capitalization. The con-
stitution Of the United States provides
that no person shall be deprived OF
his property without due process or
law. and the courts have held that he
has under this constitutional right to
fair return on his investment So
long as the law allows men to pur-
chase railroad stocks that have water
in them, Just so long. the commission
holds, will the public be compelled TO
nay transportation rates which yield
a fair return on the water. as well as
on the intrinsic value of the stock. lf
these two amendments to the laws OF
common carriers are passed by con-
eress the commission believes the
great problems of American rate
making will have been solved.
Monday-Civil Service Commission