The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-04-12
TRAVELLING PUBLIC
 ENTITLED TO MORE
 GUARDS ON TRAINS
Representative of Trainmen Makes Able Plea Before Rail- road Committee of LegisIa- ture
lFrom Our Special CoresA

Hartford, April 12-The Railroad committee of the Legislature gave a hearing yesterday to the bill intro- duced at the request of the Brother provides for an additional brakeman on all passenger. and freight trains containing ten or more cars.
 Tn support of the bill appeared B. A. Winn of New. London, yard master of the Central Vermont railroad at that place; Representative Murphy of Danbury and Representative Albert Philips of Stamford The two repre- s@ntatiyes told the committed that it is their belief that the safety of the travelling public demands an additional trainman, as the crews, as at present constituted, are inadequate to look af- ter the comfort of the travelling pub lie.
 John L. Rowe of Bridgeport, chair man of the Grievance committee of the B. R. T. of the New Haven road gaveJthe committee some concrete eVi- dence of the justice and necessity of allowing the additional men. NIT. Rowe said among other things; "The rpposi- ton will probab bly, say to you that the lines in Connecticut employ the same number e. trainmen as other lines but this does not truly explain the cOndi- tions in Connecticut.
 Here he said ''we' have what is practically one large switching dis trict and as you gentlemen probably know switching may perhaps be term ed extra-hazardous employment Trains are cut up here and kicked off to sidinSs at intervals of about 3( miles. These conditions do not ex- ist on trunk lines. On the latter some times the same trains run along dis tances in excess of 100 miles and the only change is the possible substitu- ton of new locomotive. The trains | themselves remain intact; the men are not required to leave their posts and do switching and flag duty MT. Rowe contended that the terri ble toll in death and injury which railway employees pay annually should be reduced to the minimum He be- lieves that the additional men if al lowed would, to 8 considerable extent bring about this desired condition. and he regarded the proposed addition tC the train crew as essential as any modern appliances that might be sug- committee of the Legislature repre- senting the people of the State, and the employees of the big steam road system should act together for the purpose of conserving the safety ot the travelling public and the lives of the railroad employees. He said that the opposition would probably claim
 
 equip and maintain a block system and by reason of that much of the need for large train crews is obviat- ed. He said that block systems are necessary appurtenances to modern railroading but even these do not guarantee the safety of the travelling public. Everything depends upon the man and despite the modern appli- ances the riding public must still de- pend upon the efficiency of the train force for it's safety. He said the broth erhood of Railroad Trainmen has spent over $21, 0,O0e in the last quar- ter of century in caring for the widows and orphans of trainmen who had been killed or permanently maim- ed in discharge of their duty. Not only have the men been compelled to make this sacrifice of life and limb but they have been compelled to pay for it, he said. He called attention to the fact that railroading is not as at tractive today to young men as it was years ago. especially when busi- ness in other lines is good. Of course, if times are dull then there is always number of men anxious to find en- ployment; but If times be brisk, you don't find many able bodied young men running around looking for an every A hours.
 In closing MT. Rowe paid fine compliment to the railroad man. He said that no more conscientious o1 faithful or efficient workman could be found in any department of activi- ty and that it is great injustice fol anyone to say that if trainmen were more careful of themselves less o1 them would be injured and killed.