The daily Gate City., 1913-09-03
DEATH BOX Of THE RAIL
IS THE WOODEN CAR
vIoe Presldent's Opinion.

WASHINGTON. Sept 3.-"If stick
q knife into man. am charged with
murder; but we let railroad directors
Use wooden cars and cause great loss
Of life because steel cars cost too
much money and they can't pay
dividends on watered stock
This statemest was made today to
the United Press by Vice President
Marshall IN discussing the Walling-
ford, Conn, wreck. He declared the
use Of wooden cars on the New Hav-
en- was unquestionably tho cause Of
the great death toll.
There IL no question but that
steel cars are ono Of the greatest
safety devices" said the vice presi-
dent. That the American public de-
mands the greatest possible safety and
is even ready to stand an increase in
railroad rates to secure safety was
declared by the vice president. "But
| II the railroads don't water their
stock and funds, they can equip their
lines with steel cars and safety ap-
pliances under the present rates" he
asserted
"The trouble with the railroads is
that there are too many wheels with
in wheels, too many corporations with
in and the original pa
rent company is almost lost.
Il think the American people wher
they get the facts regarding railroad
rates-th full facts regardless Of pre-
judices-mean to be perfectly fair.
believe II they are once convinced
that either passenger or freight rates
are too low, so as not to enable thu
railroads to equip with every known
proved safety device and to pay the
very highest grade Of wages, the peo
pie will cheerfully consent to an in
crease In rates in order that the yer.
highest safety may be promoted ant
the very highest wages paid. Th,
public is entitled to every moderl
appliance and invention that vii
promote Its safety. never have ha,
5any controversy with the railroad
except that they have been too secre
tive. In my humble opinion too tn
courts have interfered too much witt
/ the state railway commissioners Il
their regulation OF roads. am al
lold fashioned states rights demo
crat." The vice president frankl
said he did not know whether increas
in rates is necessary to enable raj
roads to provide steel cars through
\ cut or equip with safety appliance
i but points to the present system a
an example OF what railroads can d
under existing rates unless stock
i are heavily watered.
i They Are Life Savers.
i MILWAUKEE,, Wis, Sept. s.-Pre
dieting that within a few years ther
will be no wooden cars In service O
American railroads, d. G. Eldridgs
+, Chicago, Milwaukee G. st. Paul supel
intendent today advocated the replat
, ing of wooden coaches with stee
whenever possible. Speaking OF hi
i iCWu IOdOi SdlQ. AUOu
q forty per cent of our coaches ar
wood. These are being replaced a
, rapidly as possible with steel but tn
demand for steel cars is so great tha
1t will be number OF years befor
the change is entirely made. Their
/ is no question but that the lives OF
number OF people have been saved
steel cars in unavoidable accident
that have occurred on the Milwaukee
road.
4 Careful operation is a necessity
/ steel cars are not, according to job
r P. Connolly. head of the accident d,
partment Of the Travellers Insuranc
Co. Connolly said that steel car
, save many lives in railway accident
| but that nine out of ten accident
) could have been avoided and that
q proper care were taken steel car
, would be unnecessary.