Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-09-03
COMMERCE COMMISSION TO IN.
vEsT,eArE USE OF WOODEN
SLEEPING CARS.
M'choRp CALLS FOR FIGURES
FOR USE IN INVESTIGATION
Result Of Inquiry Into New Haven
Wreck to Be Laid Before Congress
With View to Obtaining Laws Re-
quirins Creator safety to Passsn-
sers-PubIicity Insisted Upon.

washington, sept. Sine POllman
Company is to be made a party to the
interstate commerce commissions In
vestigation into the wallinsford wreck.
The commission will inquire why the
Pullman company continued to oper-
ate wooden sleeping cars ON thru fast
passenger trains.
Commissioner McChord today tele-
graphed Richmond Dean. general man
ager Of the Pullman Company at Chi
cago, as follows:
COmmissi0n desires your company
to furnish statement at the earliest
possible date showing number of cars
IN use In passenger service, number OF
wooden cars. of cars OF steel construc-
tlon. OF all cars Of steel underframe
construction: also number of cars now
under construction. and proportion Of
same Of wood. steel and steel UNDER
frame. This information imperatively
needed for use in New Haven wreck
investigation now in progress"
Demand for Steel Care.
Soon afterward q telegram was re-
ceived by Commissioner McChord from
inquiring II there were some way by
which the Pullman Company could be
compelled to build steel cars.
Certainly" reads Mayor Fltzger-
aids message, this company can not
plead poverty Of resources. Millions of
it's present capital was gift to stock
holders in the last twenty years. Am
sending same Telegram to Massachus-
etts public service commission. but In
asmuch as the Pullman business Is
largely interstate. think your board Is
proper authority to suggest legisla-
tion."
Commissioner McChord wired Mayor
Fitzgerald that he already had called
on the Pullman company as to data on
IT'S cars and that the information re-
ceived would. be used in the investiga.
tion. 4. s4a..
Commissioners Mcchord read the
news dispatches telling Of the New
Haven management burning the
wreol1age at Wallingford despite the
commissions request not to do So
without further remarks than to say
that the road had assured the commits
sion the wreckage would be preserved
for inspection.
I'VE wired the road not to burn the
wreckage and received a reply that the
telegram would receive attention.
don't know what we can do about II"
insists on Publicity.
Information reached Commissioner
McChord today that efforts were be-
ing made by New Haven OFFICIALS to
conduct the investigation OF the wreck
in secret. He telegraphed Chief In
spector BeKnap:
'Have man at all meetings Of coro-
ner or railroads regarding wreck to get
what is said and done. Our reports
indicate secret Investigations are being
held"
'aThere will be no secrecy about this
matter" declared Commissioner Nc
Chord. "The public is entitled to know
the facts and 1t will get them"
Mochord 20 Investigate.
Commissioner McChord announced
definitely today that he would conduct
personally the investigation Of the In.
terstate commerce commission Of the
wreck at Wallingford. He will 80 to
New Haven as soon as arrangements
are made for the formal inquiry.
It is the purpose Of the commission
to make the investigation thorough
and will make it the basis Of recom-
mendations to congress for the enact
ment OF legislation to enforce safety
rules on railroads.